AMES, Iowa - Mark Hilgendorf of Clinton found Iowa State University's Partnering with Parents (PWP) course interesting and accessible. He is working toward a Bachelor of Liberal Studies, using distance learning courses from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. He is the quality manager at a small Clinton manufacturing plant. Hilgendorf said he often contributed the parent's perspective to the class.

"I learned valuable parenting skills, and I used these techniques with my family," Hilgendorf said.

PWP is available for undergraduate and graduate credit as well as continuing education units in various delivery modes. The 3-credit online course, Human Development and Family Studies 493B/593B, begins June 2. A two-day workshop in Ames on July 27-28 equals one college credit.

Maryellen Miller of suburban Philadelphia, PA, took the online course last year. "It was information I could use right away," she said. "The class had a lot on cultural diversity in families and how, as parenting educators, we need to tune in and respect the diversities. It's part of the responsibility of an educator," she said.

It was the first online course for Miller, who is working on a PhD in human development and family studies. "It was a demanding course, with a lot of writing. It was excellent." Miller said the chat rooms, e-mail and discussion boards helped round out the course.

She particularly liked the structure that spread the course from June to December, so she didn't feel rushed in completing assignments and writing papers. Miller teaches at a community college and also works with teens facing pregnancy and parenting issues.

Kimberly Greder, ISU assistant professor and developer of the course, says "Part of our approach is to help people learn activities that they go out, put into action, then share how it worked."

Greder said the course was designed for school counselors and teachers, Head Start teachers, social workers, ministers, community action employees, parents, day care providers and a variety of health-care professionals. In addition to Pennsylvania and Iowa, the 2004 online course included students from Michigan, Missouri, New York, Maryland, Tennessee, Wisconsin and West Virginia. One student was overseas serving in the military.

More information is available at www.extension.iastate.edu/pwp or by contacting Greder at (515) 294-5906.