There are three themes for my thoughts here at the end of the class:
--immediate changes in practice as a result of this course
--the promise for future application of lessons learned
--the disconnect between what this course promised and what it delivered.
First, as I have described on this blog and in our class discussions, I have been able to immediately implement some of the web 2.0 technologies we learned and used in this course. I started a regular Skype call with my undergraduate distance composition students. I also explored the virtual world for its applicability to my own organization's work in continuing medical education. And as a result of the exposure gained in this class, I began a collaboration with a company specializing in this kind of work, developed a program to apply virtual training to the oncology world, and responded to a request for proposals issued by one of my organization's funders.
This immediate application naturally leads to thoughts of future uses of some of the tech tools we used and learned about. In January I will start teaching my F2F university grant writing courses for the year (spring and summer semesters). I plan to integrate the Google Doc into my courses (and can't quite believe I haven't used it before!).
Despite the immediate and future applications of DE tech learned in this course, the great team of colleagues I worked with, and the attentive and enthusiastic guidance of PSU faculty, I have been extremely disappointed with what I call the disconnect between what the course title and even objectives promised and what it has turned out to be.
The course titles is "Course Design and Development in Distance Education."
The objective for the course was:
Participants should increase their knowledge regarding:
1. Organizing human and other resources needed for designing and delivering courses.
2. Issues arising from delivery in different learner contexts.
3. Principles and procedures for structuring and organizing content.
4. Issues in preparing for both package methods and interactive delivery methods.
5. Design and delivery of learner-instructor and learner-learner interaction.
6. Designing and implementing an evaluation and monitoring system.
7. Potential of Web 2.0 technologies for teaching and learning.
Frankly I expected a course in DE instructional design--that's what the title led me to believe and what the objectives (especially #3, 5 and 6) also led me to believe.
Unfortunately the course seemed to have spent so much time on objective #7 that it left out many of the other objectives. Did we discuss the issues mentioned in the other objectives? Yes. Did we have some course assignments and readings that addressed them? Yes.
But I do not feel that the course structure emphasized them enough nor required enough rigor and work and detail to truly allow for accomplishment of objectives 1-6.
So much of the information was vague, outdated, and "big picture" that I do not feel that I know any more about objectives 1-6 than when this course started. Did this course really teach me (or provide the opportunity for me to learn) how to design a DE course? NO.
I hope others' experiences were more positive and if anyone has time and is reading these last posts (!), I look forward to your comments.
Best wishes to all in the future and I hope to "see" you again.
Dierdre
Dierdre,
ReplyDeleteAs always you have an interesting and thought provoking. I did not have any earlier experience in course design except what was taught in 470. I had expected more in how to design a course. I too think we spent a lot of time on web 2.0 technologies even though at the beginning of class we were told the course was not about technology.
The two textbooks for the class are outdated and need to be updated or new textbooks assigned to the class. Also, many of the links in the textbook and units did not work.
Just some of my thoughts.
Good Luck Dierdre with your new projects.
Debbie
I like the immediate use in practice reflection. I feel that same way and look forward to my hybrid face to face course this spring. I reduced my class time to one hour from two to use some online learning tools I have learned from in this course.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with everything, Will
"I have been extremely disappointed with what I call the disconnect between what the course title and even objectives promised and what it has turned out to be..... Frankly I expected a course in DE instructional design."
ReplyDeleteMe too! I was really hoping there would be more of a focus on designing courses as opposed to programs. I realized this when I went to write my final paper and was drawing more on things that I have learned outside of the class.
I am still waiting to see when adult learning theories will be introduced. I will be taking intro to adult ed in the spring, maybe then? I hope so.
"But I do not feel that the course structure emphasized them enough nor required enough rigor and work and detail to truly allow for accomplishment of objectives 1-6."
One of the things that I have found with my online courses is that I get out of them what I put into them. Honestly, this semester has been busier than most with my other commitments so there have been times when I haven't put in as much. I wonder if anyone noticed? I did all of the required work and I agree with you that that probably wasn't enough for me to get a really good understanding of the stated objectives.