What if my first time through, my course is a
disaster?…
When people express concern about jumping on
board…
Planning the delivery
Could this group collaborate a "how to
create a course on the Web" course?
How about testing?
Could a course I've developed, worked out the
bugs, and fine tuned be taken by the college…
THOSE INTERESTED IN GETTING COURSES ON THE
WEB FOR SEPT. – WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THAT?
- Make sure all material is available in electronic format
– word processor.
- Look at your course and try to identify ways of adding value
to your course, no more complicated than that
- May want to look at making the course more "modular"
- "Save as" an HTML document - doesn’t matter
what tool you end up using (WebCT, ICA (Internet Classroom Assistant),…..)
you’ll be able to use the material
- Include course objectives
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WHAT IS WebCT?
- It’s a course management tool. No knowledge of HTML is
necessary to use it. Only background needed is knowledge of a word processor and a
browser. Software walks you through all the steps. User friendly, simple.
- If you want to get fancier, and you use a browser such as
Netscape, you can insert tables, images, links, this can be done by using Composer. Can
also "copy" and "paste" existing coded material simply.
- You can also use one of many "public domain" text
editors. They’re "WYSIWYG" (what you see is what you get).
- Keep in mind the first course doesn’t need to be elegant
– well done, but not necessarily with all the bells and whistles.
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IS THE COLLEGE SUPPORTING FrontPage?
Yes (??)
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WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES TO "ADD
VALUE" TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS GET SOMETHING EXTRA OUT OF THE ON-LINE COURSE? WHAT
EXTRA THINGS CAN BE DONE ON THE WEB THAT CAN’T BE DONE IN A TRADITIONAL CLASS?
- Discussion groups (WebCT has this)
- Links to additional sources of information
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START FROM AN INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
PERSPECTIVE. TEACHING ON THE WEB IS DIFFERENT FROM TEACHING IN A CLASSROOM.
- Trying to teach in a linear manner (i.e. step 1 – do
this, step 2 – do this….) (Sage on the Stage) is one way
- Abandon all control over how your students learn – then
you need to totally revisit how you do things, become more of a facilitator of their
learning, then validate the learning. Encourage collaborative learning environments –
chat groups,…) (Guide by their side)
- The trick with the second is "managing" the learning
process.
- These are the extremes – and the appropriate choice may
be determined by the course content.
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JOIN THE INTERNET CLASSROOM ASSISTANT GROUP
- share what you’ve learned and learn what others have
found effective. NiceNet. this is a simple, easy to use classroom management tool
that’s available to everyone now.
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ARE THERE SAMPLES OF WELL-DESIGNED COURSES
AVAILABLE FOR US TO LOOK AT NOW?
- Yes. There are some sample courses that demonstrate some
effective approaches available. Experts from the "East West Project" have looked
at many of the different approaches used world-wide, and made some recommendations
including samples, published guidelines for design and development, …
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IN OUR COURSES, CAN WE LINK TO PUBLISHER
WEBSITES THAT MAY HAVE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION THAT WOULD ENHANCE THE LEARNING?
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WHAT ABOUT LINKS THAT DISAPPEAR?
- That’s the nature of the ‘net, and the problem with
using someone else’s material.
- Ideally we would develop all our original material.
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IS USING A LIVE, REAL TIME "CHAT
ROOM" OR "DISCUSSION GROUP" BETTER THAN HAVING A CLASS?
- It may not make sense if everyone is sitting in a lab
somewhere in the college, but it does make sense when people are not all physically here.
- Also, chat rooms don’t work well without a critical mass.
- They can be scheduled – with a start and end time, and an
expectation that all of the class would be there (much like the traditional class)
- Try creating a "dummy" course on WebCT to see how it
works (see the "On-line Teaching and Learning at Cambrian College" document for
the "key".
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IS THERE AN ADVANTAGE TO USING A PARTICULAR
TOOL?
- Helps the new user get things up and running quickly. If
material is already in electronic format, you could get a course up and running in an
evening. There are "designer" features that can used to add the appropriate
"bells and whistles" later.
- WebCT is currently the most widely used. We could continue to
evaluate other programs, but this program is well supported by the manufacturer, as well
as current users.
- We can get going now, and produce some quality materials right
away.
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IS WebCT AVAILABLE INTERNALLY NOW?
- Yes. A license will be purchased based on the number of
internal users interested in getting involved.
- WebCT is the one package being adopted by the majority of
institutions worldwide (Murdoch University of Australia, some states in the U.S. are
buying state-wide licenses, Sheridan College has gone this route.)
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COULD THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FEATURE MESH
WITH THE COLLEGE’S REGISTRATION PACKAGE? (I.E. DUMP THE INFO RATHER THAN DO THINGS
TWICE)
- Don’t know if the package is open ended enough to
accommodate this.
- May be other programs that will accommodate this better, but
researching this could be done while we get started with WebCT now.
- If people use one tool, it makes it easier to support, provide
training, etc.
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WHAT TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE?
- Those who want to use tools such as FrontPage and Templates,
these tools will be available.
- No one will be forced to get involved in this. Ivan’s
recent letter indicates there will be support for this.
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CAN WE START TO GET READY NOW?
- Yes. Developing the material in modules is an easy way to
start.
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IS THERE A GUARANTEE THAT THE RESOURCES WILL
BE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY "OPERATIONALIZE" WHAT’S DEVELOPED?
- Yes.
- We don’t need to look at complicated solutions, when
simple ones will accomplish our objective.
- WebCT helps with the pedagogical issues, too. It guides you
through a logical development process.
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HOW DOES THIS FIT WITH THE COLLEGE’S
AGREEMENT WITH CONTACT SOUTH?
- Would this agreement limit what we can develop?
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WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR THE SUMMER
INSTITUTE?
- The intent is to get things started. To give those who are
interested in starting the tools to be successful.
- It would run in the May-June period, allowing for semester
wrap-up. Probably starting at the end of May.
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HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IF I'M SCHEDULED TO
TEACH DURING THE SUMMER SEMESTER?
- Approach your supervisor and let him/her know that you’re
interested, and ask to be loaded to accommodate participation. This will likely be done if
at all possible. There will always be operational considerations.
- Once there is a core group of trained, experienced
individuals, these people will be called upon to work on special projects to further these
objectives. This will involve further development, marketing existing products,
…….
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WHAT IF MY FIRST TIME THROUGH, MY COURSE IS
A DISASTER? WILL I BE PENALIZED? PUNISHED? OFTEN THE "DISASTER" MAY INVOLVE
TECHNICAL GLITCHES THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. OR IT COULD BE PART OF A LEARNING CURVE.
SOMETIMES THINGS JUST GO WRONG.
- These things happen now, why would it be treated differently?
A good method of avoiding problems is to continuously get feedback from your students.
This will assist in refining the delivery and will provide objective, quantifiable
information directly from the client.
- Those approved to participate in this new activity, and are
willing to put themselves out and do the extra work, should not face any potential
disciplinary action because the course "didn’t work". Can
"guarantees" be obtained from the V.P.? TEC (Teaching Excellence Center) could
assist too – peer evaluation would address things before they become
"issues". Evaluations could be available on-line. Customized surveys could be
developed, assistance could be obtained in the collation of the data.
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WHEN PEOPLE EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT JUMPING ON
BOARD…
- it reflects past experience where individuals have done a lot
of work, and it’s gone no where. will this happen again?
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PLANNING THE DELIVERY
- What will I need?
- Will I need to book lab space to accommodate those who
don’t have their own computers? Yes – it would have to be booked
- Faculty need to take control. How do you want to do it? What
do you think will work for the content in your course?
- What are the issues related to lab access? The resources are
limited. Wouldn’t want to book a lab for a full semester if the intent is only to use
it in one portion (module) of a course. This needs to be built into the instructional
design.
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COULD THIS GROUP COLLABORATE A "HOW TO
CREATE A COURSE ON THE WEB" COURSE?
- Material is available already on the "NiceNet" site.
Templates and tutorials already exist there.
- Interested staff could experience taking an on-line course
themselves. Take the course that will teach me to develop and deliver actually on-line
course. We could have an on-line discussion group. This should model the way we plan to
deliver our courses.
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HOW ABOUT TESTING?
- Done on-line?
- In a central location? (like through Contact North now –
everyone goes to their closest site for a test that’s administered simultaneously in
multiple locations.)
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COULD A COURSE I’VE DEVELOPED, WORKED
OUT THE BUGS, AND FINE TUNED BE TAKEN BY THE COLLEGE AND GIVEN TO SOMEONE ELSE? ASSIGNED
TO AN INSTRUCTOR? ASSIGNED TO A SUPPORT PERSON?
- The developed course could be assigned to another professor.
It could be assigned to an instructor if it was a "manipulative skill". If it
did not meet these criteria, it could not be assigned to an instructor. The work could not
be assigned to a support staff person without a grievance. A local agreement is highly
unlikely.