UG students learning online
Stabroek News
April 29, 2004
University of Guyana (UG) fourth year International Relations (IR) students are being exposed to cultural, economic, and social issues affecting both the US and the Caribbean via a new online course.
UG, through Social Sciences Dean, Dr Mark Kirton, has brokered an arrangement for the conduct of online courses with the Florida Gulf Coast University.
Presently, one course is being run for the fourth year students as a requirement for a study abroad programme. The course is a mandatory one for social science international relations fourth year students and will prepare them for a two-week exchange programme run by the Florida Gulf Coast University in July. A batch of Florida University students would be travelling to Guyana to participate in a two-week on site programme designed by UG for a period of two weeks.
The course, which is being run as a pilot project is designed to provide students with knowledge of the culture, diversity, economics and social issues of Guyana and Florida.
The Florida University prepares the course content with questions to which UG students must respond after research. The website also includes links to other sites where students may do their research.
Upon completion of the course students would have the ability to recognise economic trends in each country, identify issues relating to population diversity in Guyana and Florida, show an understanding of issues in Florida and Guyana, and show a basic knowledge of similarities and differences in the government structure of the US and Guyana.
O'Neil Greaves, Head of the Management department and lecturer in UG's social science department, has the responsibility of guiding the UG students who are participating in this programme.