Avicenna Center for E-Learning

Information Technology Support

Effective IT services are essential for distance learning students to communicate with their course tutors, interact with course servers, or consult the electronic library. So the Deanship of Distance Learning provides an appropriate technical infrastructure which comprises instrumentation, communication networking facilities, High efficiency quality servers, internet high-speed line, And a portal and web-site. Basically, the following are made available:  

• Adequate computer laboratories and electronic Simulators for practical and virtual experiments appropriate to the courses offered.
• Adequate number of servers of varying specifications which, together with die computer laboratories, are"" networked using fiber optics and UTP cabling.
  Service center to support the production of teaching audio-visual aids. instruments available include digital cameras, tapes, CDs, scanners, multimedia and software.
• A platform and web-site that form an integrated learning environment with on-line multilingual (Arabic and English) service to display regulations and all inquiries about acadeniic affairs, and to create a virtual electronic community to ensure interaction among
• Communication channels such as E-mail; voice chat, bulletin boards,. forums and, discussion groups, net meetings and video conferencing rooms, E-Academic advising an~ counseling, help desk and FAQ services, search engine, E-tuition and fees payment services, and a learning management system.

• Adequate security systems management, including anti viruses, firewall, authorization and authentication, encryption and decryption, and obscene censorship  

Student Services

• Student entrance and admission criteria and policies that adequately and accurately represent the on-line transfer credits, examinations evaluation, probation, termination, withdrawal, postponement, degree completion requirements, and full description of all curricular offerings.
• Electronic access to a wide range of learning resources and databases. The traditional and electronic libraries of the university, as well as CDs, will facilitate access to general and essential references needed for each discipline offered.
• Adequate access to a range of appropriate student services, academic advising, delivery of course materials, as well as placement and counseling.
• Adequate means for seeing into student complaints
• Subscription in international electronic database make sure learners have full on-line access to search for information 

The ( 2+ 2) Distance Learning Program

Philadelphia University plans to offer a (2+2) program at the faculties of Arts, Law, and Administrative Financial Sciences. Students can learn on-line for two years before regular attendance at the university. Students who opt to study other majors offered by the University can study through the (2+2) Distance Learning Program for one year. The study plan for the first two years is as Follows:     

Evaluation and Assessment

The program ensures the following:

• Provide laboratories, facilities, and equipment appropriate to the courses offered.
• Comparability to campus-based programs by continuous evaluation of the educational effectiveness of the online programs (including assessment of student learning outcomes, student retention, and student satisfaction, and currency of materials and courses).
• Integrity of student work and the credibility of the degrees and credits awarded.
• Assessment of student capability to succeed in the distance education program, and the application of this information to admission and recruiting policies and decisions.
• Appropriateness of the technology used to the nature and objectives of the courses offered  

Phoenix International Partnership Program

Phoenix International (Virginia, U.S.A.) is a provider of cyber-learning. Under the name of Cyberlearning.org, it operates on the fastest digital highway available from the United States. Learners access web-based training from their web browsers, and can interact with tutors and other learners. Self-paced courses can be taken independently at Philadelphia University. Philadelphia University has signed an agreement with Phoenix International, granting Philadelphia students access to several courses.

Avicenna Virtual Campus

Avicenna Virtual Campus is a project supported jointly by UNESCO and the European Commission. It involves a consortium of (15) “ AVICENNA Knowledge Centers or (AKCs). The Avicenna Virtual Campus aims at creating a self-sustainable virtual campus, based on cooperation between institutions of the Euro-Mediterranean countries involved, under the aegis of UNESCO. All centers respect common standards and norms with regard to technology and ODL services, including facilities for blind students.

Philadelphia University, Jordan is one of the knowledge centers of the IST / ICT-Assisted Open Distance Learning (ODL) project of Avicenna Virtual Campus, which is dedicated to the provision of education in situ and the implementation of an educational reform.