Students who cannot attend the university can get distance education from GMU without attending the physical campus. GMU offers six programs in distance education: BATh, BACC, MACE, MACC, MAICS, and MDiv. In addition, students can earn degrees by taking whole courses via distance learning. The doctoral students can take distance education up to %50 of the hole courses.
Effective from January 2024, GMU will not accept new distance education students who reside in the states of New York, Virginia, Michigan, Maryland, and North Carolina.
Definition of Distance Education
GMU’s distance education is regulated by the definition of the California Education Code in section 94834 of the Code. GMU’s distance education program is appropriate for delivery methods, quality of education, and management. GMU’s distance education programs and materials are current, well organized, designed by faculty competent in distance education techniques, and delivered using readily available, reliable technology. The admission requirements are the same as the on-campus students.
A student who applies to a distance education program must have a consultation for their ability to take distance education because they need appropriate technical knowledge and skills to receive educational materials and interact with the professor. A student can get help from the technical department of GMU to learn the appropriate technical knowledge and skills for taking distance education.
Grace Mission University demands that distance education students have the same study quality as general students who regularly attend school to provide high-quality distance education. In addition, GMU hopes that distant education students observe well, following school regulations for distant education. A student can get detailed information about distance education from the Distance Education Manual.
Goals of Distance Education
Grace Mission University’s distance education program aims to provide quality instruction through electronic technologies to enable students to attain their educational goals. In addition, the university seeks to offer its students technological support that is continually evaluated and changed to offer them a means to better education.
- To provide students worldwide an opportunity for proper theological training that could not be attained otherwise.
- To provide the best technological means to enhance student learning by providing distance students with opportunities like developing faculty/student relationships, getting feedback on completed work, and opportunities to associate with fellow students.
- Develop and maintain up-to-date technological resources to enhance student learning. Regular evaluation of technological resources will be conducted to review current resources, and the administration will seek to make necessary changes as they see fit.
- To provide students with relevant and useful online resources that can be accessed via the internet and the university’s website.
Resources and Procedures
The primary means of educational delivery is via audio-video recordings on the Populi website (http://Populi.gm.edu). Lectures are recorded, and either lecture audio-video recording can be accessed through the online e-lecture webpage. In addition, students can log in to each course and download the syllabus, lecture notes, and relevant materials in PDF format files. The audio-video recordings are available to students three days after the lectures are given on campus.
Distance education students must take weekly lectures, write a one-page report on the lecture’s content, and email it to the professor with questions and discussion topics (or upload it to the Populi assignment folder). Students are also required to take the same exams as the on-campus students. Exams are sent to the proctor directly and proctored by whom the GMU office accepts as a proctor before the exam at the beginning of the semester. GMU uses a proctor report form to ensure the quality and appropriate procedure of exams.
Students submit all works for the course on time, usually within a week of the course schedule; maximum delay will be allowed for two weeks with the permission of each professor. Afterward, the faculty members grade the student’s work, giving feedback for the work completed in the course. Students and professors are encouraged to exchange their opinions as needed frequently.
GMU offers distance education, the approximate 14 days that will elapse between the institution’s receipt of student lessons, projects, or dissertations and the mailing of its response or evaluation.
POPULI course management systems
Populi course management systems will be implemented to assist in the facilitation of course objectives and assignments. Populi will be utilized to provide lecture notes and recordings, assignment submissions and feedback, and forums for class discussions and instruction. Audio-video recordings will be uploaded per course on their respective course sites. Students can access these recordings at their convenience with a course password. Assignments will also be submitted via Populi per course sites. Students will upload assignments, and instructors will provide feedback through the same means.
Populi will also promote student social interaction and student/faculty relationships through discussion sessions and course faculty office hours. Discussion sessions may be conducted per the instructor’s request. Students can then log on and join discussion chat sessions to ask questions and comment on work.
Instructors and students will need to be trained and assisted in using Populi course management systems by the technology person. The Populi system provides as following functions
- Class Management by each instructor
- Include the assignment and class materials etc.
- Prepare the instructor and Operator manuals
- Scheduling the Instructor workshop