Distance learning: A postgraduate PerCom program

The article examines how a postgraduate pervasive computing program is organized and taught via distance learning at the Hellenic Open University. The PerCom Program at the Hellenic Open University aims to cover theoretical and practical issues while training computer scientists to have both software and hardware development skills. The program is based on the distance learning methodology, so student progress is mainly assessed via homework assignments. To this end, in all modules, students submit five homework assignments. A well-prepared student should spend two to three weeks on each homework assignment. Launched during the 2010-2011 academic year, the program does not yet have any graduates. Most students have already successfully completed the introductory module, with a decreasing number of students having completed the remaining modules. Currently, 13 students attend the elective Mobile Computing Systems module and only one is working on the MSc thesis.