Why the distinction between on-campus and distance learning is blurring

The realization that two-thirds of a typical on-campus course occur outside the class meetings means that much of the material prepared to help on-campus students learn outside the classroom applies to distance learners, as well. Asynchronous learning networks (ALN) that exploit the World Wide Web are a particularly effective means of realizing learning environments that are useful to both on-campus and distance learners. The graduate distance learning program in engineering at Texas Tech University is a contemporary example of how ALNs can blur the distinction between on-campus and distance learning. The ALN model developed for the graduate distance learning program is being extended to help potential engineering students still at a high school campus bridge the gap to the university by taking first year engineering courses together with a high school teacher who serves as a peer/mentor.