Special Topics: E-Learning Research and Practice

INTRODUCTION

Purpose of Course

• • • To provide an opportunity to study and explore e-learning research and practice, with a special emphasis on open & new developments (Web 2.0; Open Educational Resources) E-learning research: what has been done, tends to be done, and what is possible E-learning practice: developing online resources using Web 2.0 (and other) technologies

Emphasis on your ideas, needs

• • Small number of students makes it possible to tailor the course to individual needs and suggestions Two possible areas of emphasis: – Research: Doing a small research project, writing up a paper on research (paper can be submitted to a journal) – Practice: Focusing on developing an online resource; submitting it and detailed instructional rationale for its design

Organization of Course

• • • Alternating weeks: Meet here, in class & discuss readings, etc.

Work online, discuss readings, develop resources & research work – Exceptions: Reading week (Feb. 16); trip to New Zealand (March 19, 26) Move from working together on shared topics to specialized work on your selected topic

Schedule Overview

• • • • • Weeks 1 and 2 (Jan. 8, 15): Blogs and blogging; reflecting on the readings online Weeks 3 – 5 (Jan. 22, 30, Feb. 5): Wikieducator, Wikimedia editing Week 6 (Feb. 12): Children and media Feb 19 is reading week: will ask you to start using Moodle Week 7 (Feb. 25): OER Project due; guest speaker on Moodle and Marginalia

Schedule Overview, con’t

• • • • • • Week 8 (Mar. 5): Technology in the Classroom? Week 9 (Mar. 13; F2F): Technology in the

Classroom?

Week 10 (Mar. 20): Learning theories and Technology Week 11 (March 27): Technology and the future of education Week 12 (April 2): Presentations Week 13 (April 9): Presentations

General Terms

• • Check the course Website: I will change and provide more detailed information for each week as we get to it

Email & Online communications as

important: I will email you about any change, and will expect to be in touch with you each week online (RSS feeds, blog postings, etc.)

Suggestion: Authoring in a Wiki

• • • • • Week 3: (January 22) “Other resources to be added” Do a “getting started” workshop on authoring in Wikis Will be facilitated by Nellie Deutsch (Wikieducator participant) & I As a part of the Wikieducator project http://www.wikieducator.org/Help:Contents

About Wikieducator (from)

• • • • building capacity in the use of Mediawiki and related free software technologies for mass-collaboration in the authoring of free content; developing free content for use in schools, polytechnics, universities, vocational education institutions and informal education settings; facilitating the establishment of community networks and collaboration with existing free content initiatives in education; fostering new technologies that will widen access, improve quality and reduce the cost associated with providing education, primarily through the use of free content.

About the Workshop

• • • • • Said to take 7 hours of learning (= one week of online course time) In reality, takes much less time (will ask you to read a few things in addition) We will do it in two weeks: begin Jan. 22, end Feb. 5.

Covers all aspects of Wikimedia Wiki editing Will give you all the skills you need to create a resource (i.e. assignment #2)