Web-Based Courses

1. Web-Based Courses Web-Based Courses: An Overview BYTE Conference February 26, 2010 Howard Griffith Donald Girouard

2. Distance Learning Delivery Models • Face-to-face (f2f) teaching • ITV or Web Conferencing 2-way video and audio • Web-based Course Option • Independent Study Option • Best models tend to use blended approaches F2F ITV WBC ISO more student - student and student - teacher interaction less

3. Scenarios? Group share and talk • Who needs Web-Based Courses? Why? • How (where) might they be used to support student learning?

4. Reasons for taking courses online? • credits not available in small schools with low enrollments • important for rural and northern schools • student interest in alternative methods for earning credits • teacher availability, especially in specialized areas such as Mathematics, Science, and French • resolve timetabling issues • implementation of new curricula/courses • Grade 11 Physical Education Health Education • preparing students for lifelong learning • other reasons?

5. Who takes advantage of WBCs? • students use WBC to fill in some gaps • enrichment or remedial • technology skills • distance learners in small schools where sharing is available • teachers combine some elements of WBC in a f2f class • teachers use WBC as resource

6. Stats • 47 web-based courses • ~ 1400 course sections • ~ 4000 students for last year • ~ 1000 teachers • stats change everyday

8. WBC Development and Instructional Design • designed to be teacher-mediated • delivered asynchronously using a learning management system (LMS) called Blackboard (previously known as WebCT) • modular concept • self-contained • content, learning experiences, learning activities, assessments, communication, resources, etc., in the LMS. • congruence with Manitoba’s curricular outcomes

9. Supporting Student Engagement in WBCs • Discussions and review of existing WBCs • Addition of new design concepts and tools: • more interactivity/inquiry • alternative solutions and explanations • more student helps • reflective journaling • teacher guided class discussions • more web resources

10. What does a WBC look like?

11. Modular Course Design

12. Discussions, Blogs, Journals

13. Communication: Discussions

14. Communication: Email

15. Communication: Calendar • public or private entries

16. Assessment: Tests • multiple choice • matching • short answer • paragraph

17. Assignments

18. Assignment Dropbox

19. How To Preview a WBC? public access available http://webct.merlin.mb.ca login as demo (username) demo (password) The previews are limited versions of web-courses

20. What is the WBCRS? • Web Based Course Request System • teachers can get full access to any WBC http://web4.gov.mb.ca/wbcrequests

28. Support & Training for WBCs • scheduled live workshops • scheduled webinars • webinar on demand, one-on-one support • Online Community • tutorials, tips & tricks • guides, documents, web links • sharing alternative links for dead sites • recorded webinars and other resources • email • phone call

29. What’s on the horizon? • New courses in development • http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/wbc/wbcdevsched.html • New version of Blackboard • more teacher tools to support student learning. • Wimba collaboration tools • built-in tools for communication/collaboration • easier to navigate interface

31. Questions??

32. More Information • Web-Based Course Availability: • www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/coursesfordelivery.html • Web-Based Course Development: • www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/wbc/wbcdevsched.html Accessing a WBC as a teacher: • http://web4.gov.mb.ca/wbcrequests • Other resources can be found at: • in Blackboard: WBC Teacher’s Online Community • http://dluspace.wikispaces.com/WBC_Resources • Contact us: • howard.griffith@gov.mb.ca • donald.girouard@gov.mb.ca

33. Thank You!