Penn State World Campus courses in noise control engineering

One of the first offerings in the Penn State World Campus is a series of four graduate-level courses in noise control engineering. These courses use computer-based technology to deliver the courses to students at a distance. Therefore students can take the courses from any location on a very flexible schedule, making the courses available to students who are committed to a career and/or family. Course material is sent to students on CD-ROM and interactions between students and with faculty are conducted via an e-mail server. Computer technology permits illustrative animations in the text. Assignment involves interactive animations and virtual experiments. Students collaboate on realistic noise control projects which involve measurements and analyses conducted using virtual instruments. Descriptions of the courses, the multimedia used to develop and deliver the courses, and the interactions between students and faculty are presented.