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Designing afresh for distance learning

Designing afresh for distance learning. A demonstration of a Masters degree programme innovatively repurposed for online delivery. Julie Watson and Will Baker 08 September 2010. Overview. Course design and development Demonstration Student evaluation Future directions

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Designing afresh for distance learning

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  1. Designing afresh for distance learning A demonstration of a Masters degree programme innovatively repurposed for online delivery Julie Watson and Will Baker08 September 2010

  2. Overview • Course design and development • Demonstration • Student evaluation • Future directions • Questions and discussion

  3. MA in English Language Teaching: OnlineProgramme structure • Year 1 (2 semesters): 4 modules (Communicative Approaches to English for Specific Purposes [ESP]; Language Analysis for Teaching Communicative Methodology in ESP; eLearning for ELT) • Year 2 (2 semesters): 4 modules (English as a World Language; Discourse Analysis; Second Language Learning; Research Skills for the Dissertation) • Year 3 (1 semester): Dissertation (15,000-20,000 words)

  4. Content (for Year 2) • Each module: 12 topics; podcast introduction/overview from Module leader; 36 LOs, additional podcasts & videos • Study guide per topic • Topic reading list • Discussion task per topic (tutor-moderated ‘Topic talk’ forum) • Tutored chat sessions • Module assignment

  5. Learning design Study Guide for topic LO2 LO3 Supplementary podcasts & vidcasts LO1 Topic reading

  6. Learning design Study Guide for topic LO2 LO3 Supplementary podcasts & vidcasts LO1 Topic reading Discussion task Topic talk forum MA chat room Module assignment

  7. Key components of development process • Teamwork: 1 editor; 3 teacher-developers; 1 technical support; 4 face-to-face module teacher-reviewers • Specific design approach / LOC authoring tool / Flash task templates • Established process for collaboratively creating/repurposing, technically enhancing, up-versioning, reviewing etc

  8. Overview of repurposing process Course design & outline of modules Teacher-developers access f2f MA module Blackboard site Map f2f module content to online module outline Teacher-developers divide tasks for module content transfer 1st version of module content repurposed in LO format (i.e.36 LOs) using LOC tool Technical enhancement, reversioning & additional learning content development Editorial process, final proofing & upload to VLE (Moodle) Review by f2f module teachers & final changes

  9. LO planner and LOC authoring tool

  10. Samples: developer’s reference for Flash task templates

  11. Progress sheet for repurposing of a module

  12. Programme and participant structure Participants Programme

  13. The Learning Environment • Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) - Moodle (‘Language House’) • Course Documents and Links - all key documents and links are in this area • Topics - the specially designed interactive tasks which form the weekly course content as well as other reading lists or extracts we provide • Topic Talk Forums - this is where each week's discussion forum tasks take place • E-mail - for communication with tutors and fellow participants • Course Forum- where tutors post announcements, news and information: mostly administrative messages about important dates and events • Assignments - where students upload module assignments and download feedback and marks

  14. Example learning objects • General overview of dissertations • The critical period hypothesis and bilingual language learning

  15. Student evaluation (academic)

  16. Student evaluation (academic)

  17. Student evaluation (technical aspects) • (Navigation) ‘It was very easy to navigate around the course, everything is clearly marked’’ • (Attractiveness and clarity of presentation) ‘The format was clear. What made it attractive was that it was also consistent’ • (Platform): ‘Access to the platform is fast and easy'. 'The course videos and audios were a nice touch. It gave it more of a human-side to feel connected to a classroom, by being able to see and hear some of the teachers’; • (Access to library e-resources): ‘Access to SOTON library is a bit more complicated. Having to install VPN and making all those accounts makes it very difficult for those people who are not particularly skilled with technology. Resources available are very good, although I would appreciate a wider range of books.’ • (LOs): ‘I was very satisfied as the tasks (LOs) focused on key learning points and discussion tasks so that they were useful in preparing the assignments’

  18. Future directions • Planned enhancements for 2010-2011: - online study skills support and LOs on connecting to VPN etc - embed more e-resources in LOs • Re-use of LOs to support and enhance f2f taught MA • Re-use of individual modules in new contexts • Model for the repurposing of other Masters courses for online delivery

  19. Thank youQuestions? J.Watson@soton.ac.uk For more info re. MA in ELT: Online www.soton.ac.uk/ml/postgraduate/ma_elt_online.html For info re. design and development of other online courses and resources (e.g. Study Skills and EAP toolkits; Prepare for Success) www.elanguages.ac.uk For info re. the LOC authoring tool/workshops http://loc.llas.ac.uk

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