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Mailman Segal Center for Human Development
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Autism Consortium
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The Baudhuin Preschool
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Family Center Infant and Toddler Program
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Family Center Preschool
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Family support groups
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Parenting classes
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Parenting Place
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Severe Behavior Disorders Program
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Starting Right
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SuperKids!
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Unicorn Children’s Foundation Clinic
Oceanographic Center
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Guy Harvey Research Institute
•
National Coral Reef Institute
Shepard Broad Law Center
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Mediation Project
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Consumer Protection Internship
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Public Interest Law Center
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Street Law Program
LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION
The university meets regulations that govern the
delivery of distance education in Florida and the
other states where it offers programs. Although states
differ in regulations, the process through which the
university obtains state licensure and certification
typically involves review at three levels. At the state
government level, Nova Southeastern University must
qualify as a foreign corporation in order to do business in
a specific state. At the higher-education authority level,
NSU must complete an extensive application process
and a rigorous review by each state. At the accrediting
body level, the university must comply with specific
requirements concerning distance education programs
and general areas such as fiscal stability and student
support services for each off-campus program offering.
The purposes of this process are the safeguarding
of consumer interests and the assurance of quality
control. NSU currently has active distance education
programs in 12 countries; in Puerto Rico; and in 23
states, including Florida, in full accordance with the
regulations of each of those jurisdictions.
DISTANCE EDUCATION AT NSU
Nova Southeastern University is a pioneer in the area of
distance education, having initiated distance education
programs in 1972. It was the first university in the
United States to offer graduate programs in an online
format, with the creation of the electronic classroom.
NSU has been offering online programs and programs
with an online component since 1983. NSU was also the
first to use the Unix system to host online courses, and
one of the first to use the Internet to support instruction.
At NSU, distance education is delivered using a variety
of instructional delivery systems. Modes of delivery to
students located at sites distant from the main campus
include online course delivery systems, synchronous
meetings in an electronic classroom, traditional classroom
instruction with a live instructor on-site, compressed
interactive video, and audio teleconferencing.
Some programs use a blended instructional approach
with face-to-face instruction coupled with online
resources and video components. Others use an
online course area exclusively. For example, some
graduate programs require students to attend short
intensive instructional units on campus (doctoral
studies orientation, summer “institutes,” or a summer
conference) as a part of their required program of
study. Distance education students have access to
educational support services such as the NSU libraries
at
www.nova.edu/library
,
technology support via a help
desk, educational resources via electronic classrooms
and the Internet, and computing resources on campus
and through student educational centers located in
Florida and the Bahamas.
NSU students can participate in online courses from
any location in the world with an Internet connection.
Online courses use a Web-based instructional platform
as a centralized location for educational materials, course
content, and communication—both synchronous and
asynchronous. The online course platform enables a wide
range of online activities that facilitate frequent student-
teacher and student-student interaction.
Faculty members and students interact in discussion
forums via threaded bulletin boards, via real-time
electronic classrooms that support graphical
presentations and audio, and through online submission
of assignments in multimedia formats. NSU provides
an email address and a directory for publishing
assignments and resources to the Web for all students
and faculty members. The Electronic Library provides
access to online databases, many of which contain
full-text documents.