>> THE LEARNING METHOD

BIU Distance Learning System

The Distance Learning System (DLS) rejects painful memorization techniques. It teaches students to think critically and to increase their intellectual capacity. By concentrating on a specific discipline, students can attain full command of the chosen field of knowledge and confidence in applying their acquired skills. Through the Distance Learning System students acquire a real know-how of the various disciplines. This innovative method makes studying easy, emphasizes quality against quantity, and is time-effective, entertaining, and productive. In addition, it draws from real-life experiences and content-specific material that avoids superfluous details.

Teaching or Learning

We all have spent many years studying and memorizing, have we really learned much?

Why?

How much do we remember today of the content of the classes we took in high school, or college?. The truth is: very little. Most schools' learning method is based on memorization and testing. Unfortunately, these are actually teaching methods, not learning methods.

Usually, the only things we remember are those bits of information that we have expressed ourselves, whether in a conversation, a speech, in an oral exam, or in our own minds. Why is this so? The human mind functions practically, using energy to store only the information that is considered useful. And it is only the information that we use or plan to use that the mind considers worth storing. The rest of the data is also stored but in a sort of "trash can", where it is eventually buried and forgotten. If the human mind didn't function in this way, it would be perpetually loaded with useless information. Thinking would be impossible.

Thinking is the ability to integrate data through the processes of synthesis, analogy and deduction to generate new information that will be used to solve problems. To our mind, the new data generated becomes useful information, and, therefore, it is stored in our so-called "operating system." The more new data is stored in the "operating system," the more efficient its functioning will become. For this very reason, the more we use our mind to think, the more intelligent we become.

If we compare our mind to a computer, the quality and capacity of the machine to process information depend on RAM memory space and the processor. A single bit of information in the operating system is infinitely more valuable than 100 bits of information stored in the so-called "trash can" memory. Similarly, traditional teaching methods flood the human mind with incredible amounts of data and concepts that the brain ends up forgetting. It is not a matter of how much we study, but rather WHAT we study and HOW we study it. To expand the processing capacity of our "operating system" by only increasing the amount of useful information assimilated is no use at all. We should first create the mental schemata that will allow us to process the new information efficiently. These mental structures are like the processor in a computer.

The Distance Learning System is based on a process of exchange of information capable of increasing the amount of useful data stored in the "operating system" and of generating new reference schemata within it. These new thinking structures not only help us to store useful information, but they also increase our reasoning and problem-solving skills. This intellectual improvement is permanent and ever-expanding. Each specialization program becomes the "software" that we "load" onto our "operating system" to help us process information more efficiently. This "software" is also complementary and can be combined at different levels.

How are we going to Learn?

The key to integrate in our mind the "know-how" of a certain area of knowledge is in WHAT and HOW we study.

WHAT?: Textbooks especially selected and supervised by members of the BIU academic board are the core element in any of the courses. These books have been chosen because they develop their content in a clear, interesting and in-depth manner. As we read, each paragraph establishes a connection with our brain and makes us think.

HOW?: In order to transform raw material into useful processed information, it is necessary to structure it in our "operating system". If we are able to do this, the acquired understanding will be imprinted in our mind and will become real and practical knowledge that can be applied in any specialization.

A good bibliographical selection: Published textbooks or self-made courses?

Self-made Courses: In most cases, these courses are elaborated by one or more professors who, having first carried out a bibliographical selection, they then synthesize the material of the course on the grounds of the mentioned bibliography and reorganize the contents according to their own criteria. These types of courses have the advantage of being able to adapt to the procedures and methodologies of the school that designs them, but, unfortunately, the tremendous drawback of these courses is that they usually become obsolete in a matter of months or years. This is due to the fact that the school, in terms of economy, cannot afford to be constantly redesigning and updating its courses.

Published textbooks: The best researchers, professors and academicians in the world publish their works, which are undoubtedly the ultimate knowledge of the different specialties and upon which the self-made courses are later based. The curricula vitae of the authors of these books are difficult to overcome by those belonging to professors that work for the school designing the courses. Furthermore, it is the best publishing houses that publish these books, which means that their contents go through a painstaking checking of the style, and their formats are designed in such a way that the information is made attractive and enjoyable as well as complete.

In conclusion, BIU believes that with regards to the contents, presentation, information structure, quality of practical cases, self-assessment, and diagrams of published textbooks, the quality is not easily surmountable by that which any self-designed course could offer.

The Assessment System

The key is to write reports just as you would do in your professional life.

Primarily, the degree program you have chosen consists of studying all the textbooks listed in your Academic Assignment Control form and writing reports about your readings, according to the instructions attached. The composition of these reports must follow certain requirements as to format: title page, table of contents, minimum and maximum length, and numbered pages, etc...

The instructions and requirements for writing reports are not arbitrary: they respond to the Distance Learning System. They maximize your capacity to learn; at the same time they facilitate assessment of your work.

The assessment committees and teachers, which depend directly and exclusively on the Academic Board, base the assessment of the material (reports, projects and thesis) handed in by the students on three criteria:

33% Format: How the information is presented and organized.
33% Content: The way in which the work is adapted to the bibliography.
33% PQT- Personal Quality Thinking: What the students add, their comments, opinions, and the quality of the writing and presentation of the contents.

Marks and Correction Process.

Correction process involves three phases:

1. Academic Evaluation:
The delegation carries out a fast revision, in order to state whether your work fulfills the required format. Then it sends it to the faculty for the content evaluation, which may take from one to two months. A teacher will correct the assignments that you have handed in. You will be notified whether they have been passed or not by means of the academic control form. The final marks appear in the transcript only. In the case of not qualifying, you shall repeat the assignment or hand in a different one. Whatever needs to be improved is always explained.

2. Curricular Supervision:
The delegation offers a report with the curricular validations, as well as the soundness among the results of the academic evaluation and the student's C.V. This report is used by the Academic Board in order to record the quantity and the origin of the validated credits in the Transcript.

3. Transcript or Official Marks Certificate:
The Academic Evaluation reports, Curricular Supervision and the physical assignments are made available to the Academic Board for a further evaluation and the final elaboration of the marks certificate. The Academic Board also determines the subjects that correspond to the assignment handed in by the student. The final marks only appear in the Transcript.