By July, 16 Penn State campuses will have new high-technology classrooms equipped with identical high-definition video conferencing technologies that will enable faculty and students in up to four locations to participate in the same course at the same time. The classrooms are part of Penn State's new Video Learning Network (VLN). The goal of this network is to help Pennsylvania adults acquire the knowledge and skills they need for today's jobs -- which often require college degrees or specialized training -- conveniently at a Penn State campus close to home.
A VLN team is assessing career development opportunities within Pennsylvania. "We are pulling together data on long-term employment opportunities throughout the Commonwealth, the Penn State academic programs that will prepare Pennsylvania adult learners for these careers, and the campuses that have VLN classrooms to offer the programming most needed in their area," said Rosemarie Piccioni, who recently was appointed director of the Penn State Video Learning Network. She said a new report indicates there is employment growth in the health care, business, finance, engineering, nursing and education sectors.
Piccioni is responsible for overseeing the installation of VLN classrooms at Penn State campuses. She added, "The teaching and learning technologies available to faculty through the VLN classrooms are making it easier for them to reach students in multiple locations simultaneously in ways that meet the different learning styles of learners."
This summer, professional certificate programs and general education courses are being offering at many Penn State campuses through the VLN in accelerated seven-week formats. In the fall, a wider range of general education courses and certificate programs will be available. Starting in fall 2012, the first bachelor's degree programs will be offered.
The Video Learning Network includes the following Penn State locations: Berks, DuBois, Behrend, Fayette, Great Valley, Greater Allegheny, Harrisburg, Hazleton, the Learning Center in Lewistown, Lehigh Valley, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Schuylkill, University Park, the Williamsport Center, and York.
Penn State Outreach serves more than 5 million people each year, delivering more than 2,000 programs to people in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, all 50 states and 114 countries worldwide.