Distant education offered by online classroom settings can be effectiveIn response to your article "New online program to launch" (News, May 4):

Stanford University offers online classes at the graduate level.

Some departments allow fully online degree programs, while others have a few on-campus requirements. The requirements for the degree are determined by the department.

The online classes are regular university classes where the lectures have been videotaped and streamed over the Internet. The rest of the materials are delivered to the remote student via any number of suitable means.

The remote student is required to do the same work and must complete all assignments and exams at the same time as the rest of the class. In essence, the major classroom difference between on-campus students and remote students is the method of delivery for the lectures.

Student participation in discussions is quite interesting. Students who are active in the classroom may become silent in online forums, while students who are passive in the classroom will come alive online. There is, of course, the third type of student, who doesn't participate in either medium.

The Stanford Center for Professional Development supports online classes and master's degree programs. See this website for a complete listing of classes and degrees: http://scpd.stanford.edu. The Biomedical Informatics Program is one program that offers a fully online master's program.

It is difficult to duplicate the full campus experience; therefore, we encourage our distant students to come to campus to participate in some of the program events. But even with limited or zero exposure to the campus experience, our alumni find the training valuable.

I am delighted to report that some of our distant students have applied and been accepted to the Ph.D. program. I have great confidence that distance education, if managed properly, is excellent education.

I will close by mentioning that distance education is expensive. The overhead in equipment, facilities and specialized support staff is nontrivial. I have no doubt many online programs are limited to certificate programs and classes with high demand due to financial bottlenecks.

-Betty Cheng

The writer is the Ph.D. associate director at the Distance Education Biomedical Informatics Training Program at the Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research.



Students should see similarities between Israel and Brandeis Univ

In response to your article "Commencement reactions continue" (News, May 4):

Both Brandeis and the state of Israel were established in response to the scourge of anti-Semitism. While these actions alone have not solved the problem, they have empowered the Jewish people and offered some measure of recourse.

It is fitting, therefore, to have Mr. Oren speak now more then ever. At a time when virulent anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world, it is appropriate that someone like Mr. Oren speak about this growing threat, as I hope he will.

Too many students at Brandeis influenced by hard-left propaganda are deliberately ignoring these facts. Mr. Oren's message should sound a warning to them that if they continue to follow this course, they, like their American grandparents, are doomed to repeat their mistake of sitting on their hands while their brothers and sisters in Europe were being exterminated.

-Peter Brand

The writer is the father of Alexander Brand '10.



Thanks for presenting the true essence of the Brandeis experience

In response to your article "After four years, Brandeis' influence shines through" (Forum, May 4):

Wonderful article, Shana. I think you really embodied the essence of Brandeis University.

-Nate Rosenblum '10