| |
NAVY COLLEGE PROGRAM FOR AFLOAT
COLLEGE EDUCATION
The Navy College Program for Afloat College
Education (NCPACE) is an integral part of the Navy’s
Voluntary Education program. As personnel rotate to
complete Navy assignments, NCPACE permits the
initiation and continuation of progress toward an
academic degree. NCPACE provides an atmosphere in
which students can experience a challenging education
in a shipboard or remote site environment, preparing
them for personal as well as professional growth.
Under NCPACE, academic skills and college courses
are available through both instructor and technology
delivered methods. All college courses are fully
transferable and are provided from accredited
SOCNAV institutions. Commands with a sea duty UIC
and specifically selected remote sites are eligible to
participate in NCPACE. Education services under the
NCPACE contract include:
ORIENTATION SERVICES: A session or
series of sessions during which potential students for
either instructor or technology delivered courses are
provided a crew brief, assessed as to their interests and
abilities using an education needs assessment survey,
placement tested, counseled on eligibility
requirements, and, if applicable, familiarized with
computer hardware and software. Experience
suggests multiple orientation sessions may take a week
for small ships (fewer than 250 personnel) and as long
as a month to 6 weeks for aircraft carriers. This service
includes training of the NCPACE team and academic
skills facilitator. At remote sites, counseling and
assistance is provided for using tuition assistance to
fund college courses. Using Orientation Services’
recommendations, the commanding officer may
choose the instructional modes of delivery and number
of courses to be provided to the crew. Computer,
instructor, and/or video teleconferencing courses are
requested after Orientation Services are completed.
The contractor provides more than 200 courses from
which to choose.
COMPUTER-DELIVERED COURSES: This
program uses computer-based technology to provide
academic skills and college-level courses. Computer
courses use one of three formats: Computer Interactive
Video, CD-ROM, or Internet. The contractor will
provide computers, or commands may elect to use their
own computers for CD-ROM and Internet courses. A
resident instructor is not required. A limited number of
graduate level CD-ROM courses can be provided.
INSTRUCTOR-TAUGHT COURSES: This
program provides academic skills and college-level
instruction and requires the deployment of a civilian
instructor.
VIDEO TELECONFERENCING (VTC)
COURSES: A limited number of graduate courses can
be provided via VTC if the command has the
appropriate equipment.
NCPACE course eligibility is based on the
following guidelines:
Computer-delivered course eligibility is based
on minimum test scores established by the
institution to qualify the student for enrollment
in that course.
Instructor-taught course eligibility is based on
screening and placement testing.
NCPACE offers Academic Skills and
undergraduate/graduate level courses.
Other than at remote sites, NCPACE is
offered at no tuition cost to service members;
however, members enrolling in college
courses must pay for textbooks, workbooks,
and lab fees.
The minimum order for computer-delivered courses
is 5 enrollments, with a maximum of 20 per
computer system; for instructor-taught courses the
minimum class size is 10 students. A minimum
course order for instructor courses is two courses in
the same academic discipline or two sections of the
same course.
NCPACE students are under no obligation to
extend their obligated service enlistment.
NCPACE instructor college class terms are
accelerated and last between 6 to 8 weeks.
Most
computer course terms are 90 days. VTC and Internet
courses may use the terms established by the
institution. All courses offered have the same content
as those on campus and carry resident college credit.
The registrar of the contract school maintains student
transcripts.
ESOs should coordinate and plan NCPACE
courses with the authorized contractor, being sure to
keep the Navy College Office education specialists
serving the command informed and using them as a
guide. ESOs should begin planning for NCPACE
courses well in advance of the ship’s scheduled
deployment (2 to 3 months). The Navy College Office
2-7
|
