Proposed Content for a Graduate Level Experimental IT Class, Winter
2001
Critique of Distance Delivery of Educational programs and Services
ED 880AW
| Time: | 6:30-9:20 Mondays |
| Place: | Education Computer Lab (Room ED 223) and breakout room ED 317 |
| Instructor: | Dr. Mhairi (Vi) Maeers |
| Office: | ED 340 |
| Telephone: | 585-4601 |
| E-Mail: | maeers@uregina.ca |
| Graduate Assistant for class | Linda Dewhirst |
| Linda's e-mail | ldewhirst@scn.uregina.ca |
| Linda's phone # | 787-8123 |
Web Addresses:
http://education.uregina.ca/mathed
http://www.uregina.ca
http://rbe.sk.ca/
http://www.schoolnet.ca/
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca
http://webct.uregina.ca:8080/ [click on course listings and then on "Education Curriculum and Instruction Winter 2001" and then on the course ED 880AW. Then enter your user ID and password to log on.
1. Course Description
This course is designed for graduate students who are familiar with the basics of computer-related
technology skills, the integration of technology into the curriculum, the effectiveness of the web as an educational
tool and resource, and the need to be diligent, critical, and discriminative in the use of technology in teaching
and learning.
ED 880AW will offer graduate students who are teaching K-12 and post-secondary an opportunity to explore and critique
face-to-face and online many of the different Distance Education initiatives presently in use in Saskatchewan.
A general outline of this course will be posted in WEB CT format. Students taking ED 880AW will be expected to participate in the chat room feature of WEB CT, to contribute to WebCT Bulletin Board postings, to use the study tools and library resources sections of the WebCT framework, and to participate in the private mail feature of WebCT. Students will also be expected to regularly check the web for course updates, news, assignments, etc.
All students in ED 880AW will receive personal/class messages through the private mail WebCT feature and also,
if they wish, through their personal and/or university e-mail accounts. Each student will have access to this distribution
list and also to each student's e-mail address. Most "message-type" information will be given either
through personal and/or class e-mail messages and/or through WEB CT. On the first class day you will receive a
private mail message on WebCT asking you for information that will help me better plan the course.
2. Rationale:
Due to decreasing enrollments in rural schools, and the resulting 'need' to use a distance delivery system to enable
students in rural and/or remote areas to access specific subjects, more and more students are receiving part of
their high school education via distance education. Directors, principals, and teachers are often not granted a
voice in either the design or type of delivery of programs and services offered via a distance education delivery
system. They are often the 'passive recipients' of whatever subject or delivery system is 'transmitted,' as they
neither have the knowledge nor the means to 'deliver' the knowledge. They need to be better equipped to provide
leadership in both the design and choice of delivery system. This course will help provide that leadership to graduate
students, many of whom are teachers, school administrators or consultants. These students will learn current effective
practices in instructional design for distance education, the role of teacher and learner as recipients of subjects
brought in through this medium, and the means by which to critically evaluate and select the most appropriate distance
delivery system.
This course will examine socio-economic trends and perceived needs for distance education. Students will also engage
in critical dialogue regarding the assumptions of learning theory applied to distance education. This course will
explore, examine, and critically evaluate the design and delivery of distance education systems and will involve
participants in simulated distance education delivery and reception. Instructors experienced in the design and
delivery of distance education will serve as guest speakers.
3. Course Intentions:
Students will:
A. Through appropriate readings and class discussion, understand the socio-economic trends that drive the perceived
needs which in turn influence the justification for any form of distance delivery to be used in Saskatchewan, Canada
and internationally.
B. Through simulated classroom situations, be either the 'deliverers' or 'receivers' of distance education and
engage in conversation around the issues involved in 'delivering' or 'receiving' educational services and programs
through distance education methods.
C. Through readings and class discussion become critically aware of the different teaching strategies involved
in the distribution of any distance delivery of educational programs and services.
D. Through readings and class discussion become familiar with the commonplaces of learning as they relate to distance
delivery -- especially the role of teacher as mediator of the distance experience.
E. Select a portion of curriculum content, and a delivery system, and create the instructional design for delivery
of this content via the system of their choice.
F. Visit locations that are presently involved in distance education, and critique the issues involved in instructional
design and delivery using each system.
G. Engage in a simulation exercise whereby students 'deliver' content and the others 'receive'; then the roles
are reversed. Both groups then prepare a paper reflecting both the product and process.
H. Be able to develop and critically evaluate distance delivery systems.
4. Content Outline:
A. Through appropriate readings and class discussion, understand the socio-economic trends that drive the perceived
needs which in turn influence the justification for any form of distance delivery to be used in Saskatchewan, Canada
and internationally.
B. Through simulated classroom situations, be either the 'deliverers' or 'receivers' of distance education and
engage in conversation around the issues involved in 'delivering' or 'receiving' educational services and programs
through distance education methods.
C. Through readings and class discussion become critically aware of the different teaching strategies involved
in the distribution of any distance delivery of educational programs and services.
D. Through readings and class discussion become familiar with the commonplaces of learning as they relate to distance
delivery -- especially the role of teacher as mediator of the distance experience.
E. Select a portion of curriculum content, and a delivery system, and create the instructional design for delivery
of this content via the system of their choice.
F. Visit locations that are presently involved in distance education, and critique the issues involved in instructional
design and delivery using each system.
G. Engage in a simulation exercise whereby students 'deliver' content and the others 'receive'; then the roles
are reversed. Both groups then prepare a paper reflecting both the product and process.
H. Be able to develop and critically evaluate distance delivery systems.
5. Teaching Methods, Strategies Used or Special Requirements:
Both traditional and distance education strategies will be used. Students will be required to critique the strategies.
Students will also be required to make contact with outside agencies, and to work with different distance education
delivery organizations to determine what is being taught, how it is being taught, why it is being taught that way,
who the audience is, etc.
6. Special Needs:
If there is any student in this course who, because of a disability, may have a need for accommodations, please
discuss this with the course instructor, as well as contacting the Coordinator of Special Needs Services at 585-4631.
7. Evaluation Techniques and Weighting:
| A. Active, regular, and thoughtful participation in all aspects of the WebCT portion of this course. It is important that as you are learning about DE and are critiquing DE programs and services that you also experience first-hand some of the features of an on-line course. We will negotiate fora to post to and each of you will be responsible for maintaining an evolving conversation in one forum. | 20% |
| B. Site visit to at least DE agency (individually or in pairs), observation, interviewing, reflecting, critiquing, and reporting to class on your visit--on March 5/2001. | 20% |
| C. Short reports to class on different DE projects (e.g., K-12 projects; Post-secondary projects; on-line projects, etc.) Some of this may occur in class time. | 10% |
| D. A critical annotated bibliography of 5 readings (e.g., books, journal articles, on-line resources, etc) [we will discuss the format for this in class] | 10% |
| E. Major DE project--involving an ID component, a form of DE delivery, curriculum content, etc. (note that the bibliography for D can be the reference material for E) Towards the end of the course you will present this project to the class. Please discuss with me your ideas for this project before you begin to do it. | 40% |
8. Reference Material for this class
Please follow the link to take you to the reference page. It is "evolving" daily as I keep finding new resources to add to it.
There are 7 major modules to this class. They are:
1.
K-12 DE projects
2.
PSEST DE projects
3.
Involvement of the Centre for Continuing Education in Distance Delivery
4.
Televised Distance Ed. Delivery
5.
ClassPoint in DE
6.
Correspondence School and a Virtual School
7.
Video Conferencing
The library reference staff (Berks and Karen) are looking at the reference list I have provided, and many of their own references, and are going to organize what is appropriate for each of the above modules into a module by module reading list. This class is principally examining our provincial DE landscape. BUT, there are not many readings/references dealing specifically with our own small world. We will thus need to go outside our world, read what is happening with DE in other places, and use that information to inform our understanding of what is happening at home. The module by module readings will reflect, where possible, our specific situation, and will also include a more national and/or global perspective.
In addition to the above specific readings, there are many excellent Distance Education references that you may
wish to consult that will not appear on a module by module list.
If you find a DE "gem" please share it with us; there's a forum specially for this purpose.
Please check the overview page for the evolving ED880AW class schedule.