Tentative Schedule
Advance Online Teaching Methods
EDTECH 523 - Spring 2010
Section 4172/4173 - Online
Syllabus

January 19 - May 7

The following (incomplete) schedule is TENTATIVE and will very likely change as the course unfolds....

Estimated Point Allocations

 
Week Dates Topics & Assignments Due Dates
1 1/19 - 1/26 

Welcome and Orientation to the Course

  1. Review the Moodle course site. Read ALL all of the Course Materials on the home page (Syllabus, Course Schedule, Software & Hardware Requirements, Course Policies, and AECT Course Standards)
  2. Review the texts for this class.
  3. Use Moodle's email feature to send a test email to your instructor.
  4. Update your profile in Moodle (25 pts)
  5. Introduce yourselves in the Snowball Effect discussion forum.
 		1/26
2 & 3 1/27 - 2/9

 

Module 1: Community Building - Virtual Icebreakers

  1. Participate in a collaborative project using a Wiki.
  2. Gain Technical expertise in the use of a Wiki.
  3. Create virtual icebreaker activities suitable for K-12 online students (Due 2/9)
  4. Participate in ongoing discussions.
  5. Submit reflection and summary of Module 1 assignments.
2/9

The Virtual Icebreakers Project is due 2/9
4, 5, & 6 2/10 - 3/2

 

 

Module 2: Best Practices in K12 Online Education: Models, Theories, Standards, Guidelines

Task 1 Due Tuesday, February 16

  1. Read and view materials provided on community building, collaboration, and best practice in online environments.
  2. Read Chapters 3 & 8 in the Building Online Learning Communities text, and background information on the value of community building.

Task 2 Due Tuesday, February 23

  1. Read national standards for quality online courses and teaching.
  2. Explore background information for best practice in online instruction.
  3. Complete your Principles for Effective Online Instruction and the Peer Review process. Upload your final version as a Word or .rtf file, by clicking on the link to "Submit: Principles of Effective Instruction" located in Module 2.

Task 3 Due Tuesday, March 3

  1. Read Chapters 5 & 6 in the Building Online Learning Communities text.
  2. Choose a project option by Friday February 25. Submit your plan to the Collaborative Inquiry Project Discussion Forum no later than Tuesday, March 3. The final due date for this activity is Tuesday, March 16 (the end of Module 3).

Throughout Module 2 - Due Tuesday, March 3

  1. Read Chapters 5 & 6 in the Building Online Learning Communities text.
  2. Participate in ongoing discussions.
  3. Submit Module 2 Summary AND Reflection.
 3/2
7 & 8 3/3 - 3/16

Comprehensive Exams

March 13 & 14

 

 Module 3: Asynchronous Communication Tools -Facilitating Effective Discussions

Due Tuesday, March 9

    1. Read and view materials provided on uses, benefits, and purpose in online discussions and best practice in facilitating online discussions.
    2. Read Chapters 7 & 9 in the Building Online Learning Communities text.
    3. Voice and Tone Discussion Activity: Contribute your perspective to the discussion adopting a unique voice and tone. Respond to a classmate's post using the voices and tones described previously to inform your review.

Due Tuesday, March 16

    1. Critical Thinking: Practice using critical thinking and questioning strategies in the MAIN discussion forum. If you are assigned to lead a discussion (option 4), choose a topic of your choice to lead a discussion and prompt deeper thinking through questioning. As you do this, describe the strategy you are employing. If you are not assigned to lead a discussion, your task will be to participate in that discussion.
    2. Collaborative Inquiry Project (options 1, 2, and 3): Share a link to your final product in the appropriate thread in the MAIN Discussion Forum.
    3. Submit reflection AND summary of Module 3 assignments. Reflect on the Voices and Tones framework.

3/16

The Collaborative Inquiry Project is due 3/16
9, 10 & 11 3/17 - 4/6

Spring Break
3/22 - 3/28

Module 4: Asynchronous Communication Tools -Managingand Assessing Discussions

  1. Read Chapter 4 in the Building Online Learning Communities text. 
  2. Read and view materials provided on assessment and management of online discussions.
  3. Brainstorm common online discussion issues and solutions in the Online Discussion Management Issues and Strategies forum in the MAIN discussion area.
  4. Develop assessment criteria and effective strategies for managing online discussions.
  5. Refine, revise and add additional materials to your Communication Plan. Submit your final Communication Plan in two places: 1) The Submit Communication Plan area in the Module 4 activities, and 2) the K-12 or Adult Wiki.
  6. Submit discussion idea and/or lead a discussion.
  7. Participate in ongoing discussions. Apply critical thinking and questioning strategies to your discussion posts.
  8. Submit reflection and summary of Module 4 assignments. Reflect on how what you have learned will impact your teaching practice.
4/6
12 & 13 4/7 - 4/20  Module 5: Synchronous Communication Tools -Lesson Development
  1. Complete the required reading and review materials provided on synchronous tools and strategies.
  2. Develop a lesson to be delivered synchronously using appropriate instructional strategies.
  3. Practice delivering your lesson.
  4. Create an evaluation tool for evaluating the quality and appropriateness of synchronous instruction.
  5. Post the tool and your reflections to the Evaluation of Synchronous Instruction forum in the MAIN discussion board.
  6. Please, also submit your tool to the appropriate link in the Module 5 activities for grading.
  7. Submit discussion idea and/or lead a discussion.
  8. Participate in ongoing discussions. Apply critical thinking and questioning strategies to your discussion posts.
  9. Submit reflection and summary of Module 5 assignments. Reflect on quality and appropriateness of synchronous instruction.

To clarify: You will submit your synchronous lesson evaluation tool in two places: The discussion forum and the Module 5 activities. You will also submit your reflections in two places. With the evaluation tool in the discussion forum and with your Module 5 summary.

4/20
14 & 15 4/21 - 5/7 Module 6: Synchronous Communication Tools -Lesson Delivery
  1. Complete the required reading and review materials provided on synchronous strategies and assessment in online environments.
  2. Review the material on assessment of learning outcomes and add an assessment component to your synchronous lesson.
  3. Optional: Begin a discussion on assessment in online environments.
  4. Practice delivering your lesson.
  5. Conduct your lesson (for classmates and me) in Adobe Connect. Participants will be asked to use the evaluation tool they created to assess the strategy and submit a completed copy to me and the lesson presenter.
  6. Submit discussion idea and/or lead a discussion.
  7. Participate in ongoing discussions. Apply critical thinking and questioning strategies to your discussion posts.
  8. Submit reflection and summary of Module 6 assignments. Reflect on assessment of learning outcomes in online environments.

 

 5/7