| Orientation: |
Bb
Course Upgrade - Ideas for course revision
Teaching/Learning
Activities
How can you use technology
to enhance your Web course?
There are few better ways to
come up ways to enhance and improve your Web course than by checking out
what others have done. This module is designed to help you locate
some good applications of technology to achieve higher order learning outcomes
across a variety of different types of courses.
The focus of this training exercise
is on finding ways to improve an existing course. However, looking
at what other instructors have tried and found useful would probably help
the first time Web course developer as well.
After teaching your fourth on-line
course, you will begin to have a feel for what works and what doesn't.
The purpose of this module is to try to speed up this process of skill
development and awareness. At the end of this module you should be
able to identify and describe at least three ideas for improving your course
and the list the technologies you would employ to realize them.
Ten different types of learning
enhancements are listed: These include attempts to tap higher order
learning skills: document analysis, data gathering and synthesis
exercises, the use of case studies, virtual field trips, peer exchanges,
discussion groups, collaborative learning projects, student presentations,
and authentic inquiry.
Some of the goals with respect
to the student are to (1) increase Time on task
(2) Provide more Positive reinforcement,
(3) Provide multiple ways for the student to acquare the key concepts used
in the course, (4) Provide meaningful and enjoyable ways for the student
to practice using the new tools introduced in the course.
Technology can be tapped to enhance
the total learning environment.
The kinds of technologies that
can be used to reach your instructional goals and desired learning outcomes
listed by level of difficulty.
Seven levels of interactivity
are listed at the end of this page. The means of accomplishment a
higher level of interactivity are also listed. The challenge of distance
learning delivery is to find ways of engaging all the students.
Finally, there is a four step
model for evaluating your course. As you build or revise your course
you need to come up with ways to determine if you are delivering what you
think you are delivering. Are you providing a quality learning experience?
Do students perceive it as so? Can you identify the weakest link
in your presentation?
How the technologies used to
build Web courses can be used to enhance a traditional class: Redesign
strategies
1. Extend and improve your
syllabus - post it and links to it on the Web
2. Break up your course
into modules with clear outcome performance objectives
3. Improve your assignments
and make their evaluation more objective
4. Create a large battery
of test items related to your course objectives
5. Make these questions
available for automated practice quizes.
6. Develop on-line projects.
Check out commercial software designed to
enhance
concept
acquisitions, practice, and progress tracking.
7. Review what others
have done to get ideas on what is possible & practical.
8. Use support staff and
tutors to free up teaching time.
http://www.center.rpi.edu/pewgrant/rd2award.html
self-assessment.htmboring-on-line.htm
What are the technology
enhancements and what can they be used for ?
To help you answer these questions,
we've outlined some teaching/learning activities below that are used across
the disciplines and tried to suggest through examples from the Web how
each might utilize a certain kind of technology or a combination of different
technologies to accomplish specific learning objectives. Each example represents
a different discipline, and there are over 40 disciplines represented in
the collection of examples.
Each example is associated with
one or more interactive tools. Information is provided about each
kind of technology—what it is and how to use it—appears
in the technologies
section.
List
of Examples
The examples show how each tool
was used to achieve a particular learning objective.
Note: Links to institution-specific
teaching/learning activities in the pages below open new browser windows.
The bulk of the information on the linked pages was developed by the University
of Maryland under a grant from Bell Atlantic.
Blackboard 5.0 is the Course
Management Shell currently used by NSU. These exercises will familiarize
you with the interface and what kind of information to place in the various
directories.
Link to Buttonology in 5
steps and Benchmarks
[Merlot.org] netlearning
Elements
of good on-line teaching [U-Ill]
Conclusions not unique to this study:
GOOD PRACTICE
. . .
1. encourages
student-faculty contact.
2. encourages
cooperation among students.
3. encourages
active learning.
4. gives prompt
feedback.
5. emphasizes
time on task.
6. communicates
high expectations.
7. respects
diverse talents and ways of learning.
Good teaching is good
teaching no matter where or when or how it is delivered
LINKS
Basic
ways to Enhance your course [the multimedia recommendation]
If you are not clear about the concept
of multimedia
and why it works, review this training
module on visualizing explanations.
Technologies
The following features can be added to Web courses
some
are simpler to incorporate than others
short
descriptions provided below - click for examples
EASY APPLICATIONS
Email was the first killer
application and continues to be the most popular. The advantage of
email is that it doesn't have to be scheduled and it can be answered at
a time when it is convenient. If supported by the email program, file attachements
are very easy. Netscape and MS Outlook mail allow graphics to be
added to email. MIME compatible email programs can display the graphics.
Course tools, such as
Blackboard,
are almost as easy as email. Bb does not require any HTML or programming
skills. If you know how to type, copy, and paste, you can build a course
using Blackboard.
Search engines such as
Yahoo
and Lycos provide a way to locate relevant
materials on the Web. They are an alternative to providing links
to websites which may not be there tomorrow at the same URL. Most
of the pages contain graphic files [images]
which can sometimes be copied and used in your course.
Synchronous
or real time communication is what happens in the traditional classroom.
With the appropriate hardware and software it can also happen on the Web.
The most readily available synchronous technology is called chat
[real time interactive email]. Asynchronous or unscheduled communication
is the typical mode in correspondence study and distance education.
Text can be created as
plain text [txt] , coded or tagged text [html] , or as part of an image.
One type of image, Adobe's PDF,
retains the original formatting but allows several manipulations. When
a PDF file is enlarged, it provides greater detail. A typical graphic
file loses detail as it is enlarged. PDF is used for electronic books and
newsletters.
PowerPoint is a MS product
for creating slide shows. It can be easily ported to Blackboard.
The only downside is that ppt programs are memory intensive and can be
slow to load for those with dial up connections. Links to Web
sites residing on an external server can be added to lessons in Blackboard.
All you need to know is the URL or address. Blackboard also has the
capability of uploading files.
APPLICATIONS WHICH ARE A
LITTLE MORE INVOLVED
Animated Graphics: GIF
animation software combines a series of still pictures to simulate movement.
They are also used to create simple slide shows. It is easy to add
an animated graphic to a page. It is rather difficult to build one.
Image Editing: Image
editors have added so many features in recent years that they have become
the favorite tool for creating original art work. Their original
and still most useful application for PhotoShop and Paint Shop Pro is to
modify digital photos, type, and line drawings. Modifications include
changing the color balance, resizing, and adding captions.
Using images It
is easy
Storage ??
Scripts Adding a script
and modifying a script is easy. Writing the script takes time.
Web Pages: Web
pages can be built in a variety of ways. Perhaps the easiest way
is to build the page in Word or Word Perfect and then save it as an HTML
file.
MORE DIFFICULT APPLICATIONS
Animations, Aplets, Authoring
Programs, DataBases, Streaming Media.
Examples of the use of these
various technologies are illustrated below: For example the history
example illustrates the use of repositories,
text, and images.
|
|
 History
of Technology
The
Building of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Teaching with Historic Places, National Park Service
The Teaching with Historic Places program administered by the National
Park Service has drawn on the National
Register of Historic Places to create an online resource for teachers
organized by theme, location, and time period.
In this example, students examine illustrations and information relating
to the canal system of early America and answer questions aimed at assessing
its economic and social impact. Though primarily intended for second-level
students, this example and many others in this resource could be easily
adapted to the needs of undergraduates.
The exercise on the building of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal suggests
how teachers might use archival sources as a basis for teaching basic information
about the industrial history of America.
This example features the use of images,
text,
and repositories.
Mathematics
Visual
Calculus Modules
Larry Husch, Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee,
Knoxville
This collection includes Web-based interactive tutorials, drills, and
exercises in pre-calculus, limits and continuity, derivatives, applications
of differentiation, integration, applications of integration, and sequences
and series.
Designed by Larry Husch, the modules were originally intended to show
instructors how technology could be used in the teaching of calculus. They
are now incorporated into Husch's courses as well as being part of of the
Math
Archive at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Husch's modules and exercises are a powerful visual example of new media
being used to teach and learn mathematical concepts.
This example features the use of animations
and applets.
Neuroscience
Guided
Exploration: Physiological Psychology
Richard Hall, Psychology Department, University of Missouri-Rolla
This guided exploration features a series of knowledge/concept maps
covering all the areas of neuroscience. There is a main
map with nodes leading to 11 secondary maps; sections of each secondary
map link to external Web sites. For example, the memory
section on the main map leads to a secondary map featuring links to five
related sections and external sites.
This exercise, one of two
guided explorations developed by Hall, suggests how teachers can use
images to create concept maps of different bodies of knowledge; in addition,
by linking concept areas to external Web sites, teachers can extend the
process of learning basic concepts and use the external information to
formulate new questions for students.
Tutorial on concept
map software: Inspiration
This example features the use of images
and Web
sites.
Political
Science
Digital
Agora Byte Newspaper Assignments
C.J. Alexander, POLS 3993 (Politics and the New Metamedia), Acadia
University
This course is one of eight political science courses associated with
Acadia University's Digital
Agora, a multimedia resource providing extensive support for interactive
online learning. More information about the Digital Agora appears on the
Collaborative
Learning and Data Gathering and Synthesis
pages.
Alexander asks students to combine textbook readings with Web site visits
and then write a series of newspaper columns for the Digital Agora's Circuit
Breaker, examining how computer-mediated technologies have influenced
democratic institutions and processes. They are also invited to create
a "lateral map" (select this option from the Digital
Agora home page) or other means of notetaking to track the concepts
and issues they are analyzing.
This assignment shows students coming to terms with the subject matter
of their courses in both traditional and innovative ways. The use of new
media offers them an opportunity to map their learning and publish it on
the Web.
This example features the use of databases.
Scientific
Research Methods
Research
Methods in the Social and Natural Sciences
Bernie Combs, Sandra Wells, and Alan Levine, Maricopa Center for
Learning and Instruction
The key feature of this interactive module is a Research
Methods Laboratory that teaches the basic concepts and methodologies
of five different research methods: experiments, correlation, naturalistic
observation, survey, and case study. Students read descriptions, strengths,
and limitations for each and take practice session and post-tests to reinforce
their understanding. They can also test their understanding with practice
tests in biology, geology, psychology, and sociology.
The Research Methods Laboratory shows a brilliant adaptation of new
media to convey a broad range of instruction in a very simple and accessible
format. The combination of visual and interactive elements will enable
any kind of learner to grasp the basics of scientific research quickly
and easily.
The Research Methods Laboratory resides at the Maricopa
Center for Learning and Instruction, which has developed multiple resources
for innovative uses of technology in teaching, learning, and institutional
transformation.
This example features the use of animations.
Statistics
Statistics
Applets
Web Interface for Statistics Education (WISE), Psychology Department,
Claremont Graduate University
This page features 16 interactive exercises (as of December 1999) demonstrating
key concepts in statistics. Three of the exercises were developed for WISE,
with others coming from external sites. The exercises are accompanied by
extensive tutorials, glossaries, links to statistics discussions and journals
in the field, and related resources.
The WISE exercises were developed as a supplement to traditional teaching
materials, addressing specific topics that instructors have difficulty
in presenting using traditional classroom technologies. The interactive
exercises show how new media can be used to provide direct experience in
understanding statistical functions and relationships. The supporting information
provides resources to enhance both understanding about the concepts embodied
in the exercises and their broader application in the profession.
This example features the use of applets.
LSMSA math applets
A dictionary link, such
as the following one, can be added to your course materials
These on-line dictionaries
also provide a pronunciation guide and can correct creative spellings.
e.g., otonomy. |
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CONCLUSIONS
The goal is not to duplicate
the classroom but to do some things better than is possible in most classrooms.
The Web technologies, for instance, lend themselves to developing
a collaborative community of learners. With technology, it is possible
to cut lecture time and increase learning:
UTx Example: The positive
response to a tutorial videotape for Engineering
Graphics, an introductory engineering
course, led to the development
of a comprehensive multimedia instructional
CD-ROM/Web page for the
course. The CD-ROM for the project
contained linked HTML pages,
PowerPoint slides, tutorial movies
(AVI clips), audio files (WAVs),
and JavaScript games and quizzes.
While the project reduced total
lecture time by 80 percent, lectures
became larger and the laboratory
environment became less interactive.
To reintroduce interaction among
students, a semester group design
project was created. Faculty time
in the classroom has been significantly
reduced and measures of
student learning and course attitudes
have improved. Furthermore, a
scaled-down version of the project
has been successfully developed
for another engineering course with
a fraction of the total time
invested. For more information see
the report on the Univ. of Texas:
http://imej.wfu.edu/articles/1999/2/02/printver.asp.
Two new online paradigms
that appear to work well are text-based computer mediated communication
(CMC) for courses that are traditionally taught in the discussion or seminar
mode, and interactive, graphically based material for courses that are
traditionally taught in the lecture mode. Methods are by no means limited
to these two.
Pew
grants emphasize the use of technology to reduce costs and increase
efficiency. The large number of NSD studies suggest that it may be
possible to cut corners and still deliver something of value.
High
quality teaching online requires smaller student/faculty ratios. The
shift from the classroom to online has been described as a shift from "efficiency
to quality." We also believe a motivational human touch must come into
play as well in the online environment as it does in the classroom. Students
should feel they are members of a learning community and derive motivation
to engage in the material at hand from the attentiveness of the instructor.
The scenario of hundreds or thousands
of students enrolling in a well developed, essentially instructor-free
online course does not appear realistic, and efforts to do so will result
in wasted time, effort, and expense. With rare exceptions, the successful
online courses we have seen feature low student to faculty ratios. Those
rare exceptions involve extraordinary amounts of the professor's time.
And besides the initial investment in the technology, technical support
for professors and students and maintenance of hardware and software are
quite expensive.
Online teaching has been said
to be a shift from "efficiency" to "quality," and quality usually doesn't
come cheaply. Sound online instruction is not likely to cost less than
traditional instruction. On the other hand, some students may be
willing to pay more for the flexibility and perhaps better instruction
of high quality online courses. This is the case for a growing number of
graduate level business-related schools. However, it is likely that a high
number of "traditional" students, including the baby boomlet, will continue
to want to pay for a directly attentive professor and the on-campus
social experience.
The
Instructional Test
One of the easiest ways to imporve
the effectiveness of a course is through a series of practice tests.
I generally recommend creating over 200 test questions - 20 question areas,
10 different questions about the area. Each quiz has a random sample
of 20 questions from the database of 200. Writing good test questions
is an art in itself. Fortunately, most text books will provide help.
Some will even provide the test battery.
Table
3: Seven Levels of Online Interactivity
|
Type
of Interactivity
|
Rational
|
Methods
of Accomplishment
|
|
Student to Instructor
|
To keep lines of communication open at all times
|
Email, Journals, Chat, Student Biography, Phone
Communication
|
|
Instructor to Student
|
To keep lines of communication open at all times.
|
Email, Phone Communication, Chat, Calendar, FAQ
lists, List of Expectation, Instructor Biography
|
|
Student to Student
|
To develop a "community" among peers who can share
learning experiences and promotes an online support system
|
Emails, Bulletin Board, Chat, Presentations
|
|
Group to Group
|
To promotes lateral transmission of knowledge and
further develops the sense of "community" within the course
|
Private Bulletin Board, Presentations, Email
|
|
Student to Content
|
To ensure that students can comprehend, interpret,
synthesize, apply, and evaluate course concepts
|
Readings and Responses on Bulletin Board, Interactive
Quizzes, Links to Supplementary Material, Models and Examples that clarify
instruction, Current information in multimedia format that relates to topic
|
|
Student to Technology
|
To enable course delivery to become "invisible"
to the student
|
Presentations, FTP, Email, Bulletin Board, Calendar
|
|
Instructor to Technology
|
To ensure that the instructor is spending more time
with the delivery of the content and less time learning the technology
|
Presentations, Streaming PowerPoint, FTP, WebCT,
HTML coding, web development
|
Table 4:
Moderating Functions of CMC
Computer Mediated Communication
| Name |
Function |
| Contextualizing Functions |
Opening Discussion: announce theme
Setting Norms: give type of conference
Setting Agenda: control flow of discussion |
| Monitoring Functions |
Recognition: welcome students, correct context
Prompting: solicit comments, assign work |
| Meta Functions |
Meta-Commenting: remedy problems in context
Weaving: summarize state of discussion |
Evaluation
To
determine if your on-line course was successful, you must determine how
your are going to evaluate before you deliver it. The following table
illustrates how NSU planned to evaluate the courses that were delivered
as part of the RUS grant. It has general application
Table
5: Four-Step Evaluation Model
Part
of a plan for formative and summative evaluation
Kirkpatrick
[1998]
|
Level of
Evaluation
|
Rationale
|
Measurement
|
|
Level 1: Evaluating Reaction
After each instructional module, each course participant
was asked to evaluate the module using an online questionnaire.
Participants were asked to submit a reflective journal
after each module.
|
Questions
How relevant were the course materials?
Were instructions confusing? Was important information
missing?
Were participants fully engaged?
How favorable was the course viewed by participants?
|
Questionnaire
1. Results of each module's evaluation was posted
for viewing and comment by the course's participants
2. Commonalties of journal entries were compiled
to help determine problem areas. (see Appendix F)
|
|
Level 2: Evaluating Learning
A course checklist determined successful completion
of the course.
|
Questions
Can participants perform according to goals
and objectives set for the course?
|
Checklist
1. Checklists for each module's requirement were
posted for participants during course of study.
2. A final course checklist for all certification
requirements was posted for participants during course of study.
|
|
Level 3: Evaluating Behavior
A survey was sent to all participants who successfully
completed the course.
|
Questions
What
do course participants do differently now as compared to what they did
before training?
|
Survey
The
semester after the course was taught a survey was sent to all participants
who completed the course.
(see
Appendix F)
|
|
Level
4: Evaluating Results
A
questionnaire or interview will be conducted at the end of the grant cycle.
|
Questions
How
do instructors in Texas community colleges view the course?
What impact did VCT's course have on online instruction?
|
Impact
Study
During
the Summer of 2000, a study will be conducted to determine impact of course.
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NOTES
This material is supposed
to be consisted with the training provided by NSU's Darlene Williams.
Courses can be developed
on Blackboard's public website.
The only problem is that eventually the courses would have to be moved.
Transferring a Blackboard.Com
course to NSULA Blackboard http://onlinecourses.nsula.edu
1.Contact your Blackboard Campus Coordinator and have them add
a.you as a user
b.your course.
2.Send a message to support@blackboard.com and ask them to export your
course and to send the course to NSU. Include the old course id,
your login, and your password. Send a copy of the message to the
NSU Blackboard administrator.
* Instructor Tip: Controlling
Access to Your Course
During the course creation
process you may have chosen to let students
enroll themselves
in your course Web
site. If so, you will
need to direct them to your course Web site
URL (e.g., http://www.blackboard.com/courses/CourseID
--
where CourseID is
the actual for your course). At this point, the
student will be prompted
to create a username
and password and they
will be enrolled. It's that easy!
If you chose "self-enrollment"
during the course creation process,
anyone who finds your
course may enroll.
If you would like
to avoid this, you can place an access code on
your course Web site
(similar to a PIN), and then
distribute this code
to only those who should see the class. Be
sure to tell students
to use the code you when
they enroll themselves
in the class. To create an access code, follow these easy steps:
Step 1: From
your course Web site, log in and go to your Control Panel.
Step 2: Click
on the Service Features section and then Enrollment Options.
Step 3: Enter
the access code, hit submit and you will get confirmation that the code
is activated.
* Student Tip: My Blackboard
Are you having trouble
finding your class on Blackboard.com? My
Blackboard is a quick
and easy way to view all
the courses you are
enrolled in. To access courses through My Blackboard, follow these easy
steps:
Step 1: Click
on the My Blackboard option located in the navigation bar on www.blackboard.com.
Step 2: Enter your
username and password in the text fields.
Step 3: Click the
log in button.
Step 4: Click the
link of the course you would like to enter.
Opinion - Locating
mistakes and correcting them
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Bb-orientation.html
| bloom.html
| self-assessment.htm
| boring-on-line.htm
| fair
use |
| dist-ed
systems |
building-virtualschool.htm
| mathstudy.html
| modularity.html
|
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If
you have problems with this page or have ideas for additional content,
contact Steve
Bett at mailcity.com.
