Whether you're living across the street or across the ocean, distance education makes learning accessible to everyone, and Booth University College is leading the way,” says Major Ian Swan, associate dean for extended learning at the Winnipeg campus.

Booth University College offers distance education because many Salvation Army territories desire accreditation for their officers and soldiers but do not have the institutions on the ground to accomplish this. “Booth has had a long history of providing what we now call correspondence courses in the Canada and BermudaTerritory,” says Major Swan. “But our larger vision is to share our resources online with the worldwide Army community.”

The move to distance education coincided with Booth's shift from a Bible college to a university college, which enabled them to offer baccalaureate degrees in areas such as social work.

Booth's ultimate objective is to not simply deliver courses, certificates or degrees, explains Major Swan. “We want to work with other territories to build their capacities to deliver their own education programs.” This is precisely what Booth has been doing since 2005 in South America West—Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador—where Booth assists with online courses and a post-commissioning program for officers.

Booth offers three course-delivery formats, depending on the computer technology available to the students.

• Old-School. “Think of the old correspondence format,” explains Major Swan. Textbooks and reading packages are sent out and the students have access to a Salvation Army officer who speaks their language. As they work through the material, they correspond by e-mail.

• Intensive. Textbooks are sent out four weeks in advance, then the students travel to a centralized location for a five-day course with their instructor, where they cover 15 weeks of material in 12-hour days. “That's why it's called intensive,” smiles Major Swan. A major project or assignment is required to complete the course.

• Virtuosity. A third option, recently debuted in South America West, can be done entirely through the Booth University College website, where the course is a link away. This includes online sessions and same-time chats with other students.

“Of course, there are difficulties connecting with people in some countries from a technology standpoint,” says Major Swan, “but getting students together from all over the world is the exciting part. Those conversations are enriching not only for the participants but the instructors as well. Standard course material is enriched by the cultural context and perspectives of people all over The Salvation Army world. Real people talking in real time.

“The only problem is trying to get everyone together for a yearbook photo!”

For more information on distance education, visit boothuc.ca.

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Flexibility in Ghana
“While I have a degree in English,” says Captain Michael Eku, education officer at the training college in Ghana, “I find the biblical and theological courses offered by Booth University College provide new insights and up-to-date resources that I can share with our cadets and my fellow lecturers at the college.”

Serving in Zambia
“My responsibilities keep me in the field for long stretches of time,” says Lt-Colonel Rose Chiliyabanama, in charge of community development and micro-credit projects in Zambia. “Keeping in touch with my instructors at Booth University College helps me better serve the people and the communities where I work.”

Overcoming in the Congo
“Working in the Congo presents many challenges, not the least of which is travel across large distances without proper roads,” states Major Anatole Massengo of Republic of Congo. “Occasionally, unstable political conditions make it impossible to attend schools and universities.”

“Booth University College is helping both of us to continue our studies despite these problems,” continues Major Massengo's colleague, Major Norbert Makala of Democratic Republic of Congo.