Jeff, I have taken these types of classes before, but this is a bit different and takes some getting used to. The problem isn't the classes or the way the material is presented, but rather the fact that the faculty obviously doesn't know how to use the system the college has installed.
For example ...
On Sunday evening I was emailed a syllabus for a database class. It came in my regular email .. not once, but three times, then when I logged into the system, I am required to "read the syllabus online" .. I mean seriously, I already got it in email three times ... then it says to log into the SAM server and start going through the exercises in conjunction with chapter 1 in the book. Ok fine ... WTF is the SAM system? Where is the link? So i send an email to the system admin asking where the link to the SAM system is ... they don't know what the SAM system is ... after an email to the instructor, I get another three emails on Monday telling me about the SAM system ... ok fine ... so I log into the system (not the SAM system) to get the information I need to enter into the SAM server when I log in ... and I am required to read it again ... OK fine ... I guess this is gonna be an everyday thing ... I log into the SAM system get setup and everything is fine ... I select the first assignment, the date it says it is available is NOW ... I work through the exercises .. really simple stuff ... deleting records, compacting databases, creating tables etc ... so I finish and go to select the quiz ... it also says available NOW ... so I select it to go through the quiz (I know I am gonna ace this thing) and there are two buttons on the popup ... "Save" and "Submit" ... when you select "Save" it is supposed to save the current state of the quiz so you can come back to it later and finish it. Well, I didn't get to start on it because I had an appointment to go to so I selected "Save" ... got back from my appointment and selected the quiz and it said "You have already completed this quiz" .. I was like WTF .. checked the score .. friggin zero ... email the instructor ... response is "That quiz isn't available until next week" seriously? why could I do it earlier and why does it say I got a zero?
Now the VB instructor tells the class they have to install Visual Basic 2008 and submit all homework in that version. I asked if they wanted it in the Express version or Standard. I was told to get it from another instructor ... I emailed that instructor for which version I needed and I was told to supply him with a DVD-9 ... WTF? seriously a DVD-9 what the hell is that? Do you mean a dual layer DVD? That is just over 8gb? Then he tells me that is what is required for the VB 2010 edition. So I told him I already have the 2010 edition, but the syllabus says to use the VB 2008 edition, to which I am told "We have a special licensing deal with Microsoft so you have to get it from us" Ok, what version? again VB 2008 ... I ask again Express or Standard? No response ... the book says to use the Express version, so that is what I am going with. It will still open with the standard version.
I am seriously questioning the ineptitude and ignorance of the instructors for this class.
Overall, once I sent a dozen emails to the tech department telling them that they had lots of dead links on the site and pointing out where they are, plus posting in the forum for other students about how to get the VB Express 2008 version from MS without having to go buy an assload of dual layer DVDs (which it doesn't require anyway) things seem to have calmed down a bit.
So to answer your other question .. the training is an interactive watch/try/apply tool written in flash (requires Adobe Flash) and the quizes are similarly written in Adobe Flash. The chapter assessments are handled through simple Javascript and HTML forms sent back to the server for posting (could easily be hacked), but it is effective for the quality of most students. Everything is backed up by a textbook and downloadable examples. Overall not too bad, except for the crap you have to install to be able to do the work.
UCP, I'll bet it would be fun to see some of them