Cameron University BIET Online Immigration Training Course Now Available

LAWTON, OK, March 04, 2011 (Press-News.org) Basic Immigration Enforcement Training (BIET), an online training program covering basic immigration law enforcement issues developed by Cameron University and Advanced Systems Technology (AST), is now available to law enforcement officers and other interested parties following the conclusion of an extensive demonstration phase. More than 175 officers have completed the training over the past three years, allowing Cameron and AST to assess the feasibility of establishing a nationwide e-learning curriculum in this specific area of interest. BIET's delivery as an online program effectively train law enforcement officers at significant savings of time, travel and associated costs. The course is online at http://www.nexportsolutions.com/biet/.

The e-learning curriculum provides approximately 8 hours of training on the basic principles and practices of immigration law and the policies that relate to the enforcement of immigration laws. The four lessons in BIET provide instruction in the following:

• Types of false identification commonly used by illegal and criminal aliens
• Various types of non-immigrant visas
• Consular Notification & Diplomatic Immunity
• Differences between immigrant and non-immigrant status
• Differences between lawful and unlawful presence
• Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish Naming Conventions
• Interaction with the Law Enforcement Support Center

A survey of participants from the training phase resulted in extremely positive responses. Data from the participants overwhelmingly indicated that the online delivery format supported effective learning. The officers rated the training experience and content as exceptional. More than 90 percent of the respondents stated that this course would be beneficial to other officers in their department and that they would recommend it to other officers in their departments. When asked why they would the course to fellow law enforcement officers, respondents noted that the content was relevant to their jobs.

The cost implications for online delivery of BIET suggest that for the cost of training one student with an instructor-led training approach, nine students could receive the online version.

BIET was developed by Cameron University's Department of Multimedia Design in partnership with Advanced Systems Technology (AST). Six student interns participated in the development of the courseware. The lessons incorporated content similar to that covered in the four-hour training provided to the majority of Alabama State Troopers in 2003 by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

Because many of the actual materials provided in the INS course were deemed insufficient to support adaptation for e-Learning, developers conducted additional research and amplified the courseware curriculum.

For information about BIET and the demonstration phase, contact Don Aguilar, Cameron University Department of Multimedia Design, at 580-581-2544.