Transcript Graduate Online Course: Technology

Graduate Online Course:
Technology - Use & Assessment
Jim Flowers
Department of Industry & Technology
Ball State University
[email protected]
Presentation Questions
1. What is this course?
2. How was it developed?
3. How was it implemented?
4. What does it “look like?”
5. What were some student projects?
6. What lessons were learned?
7. What does the future hold?
1. What is this course?
ITEDU 510: Technology – Use and
Assessment
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An elective in Ball State’s masters in TE
Based on newly developed undergraduate
face-to-face (F2F) course on Using and
Assessing Technology
Specifics
100% online
Asynchronous
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With weekly lessons and deadlines
First offered Fall, 2000
Next offered Fall, 2001
26/27 enrollees completed
Instructional Technology
Blackboard’s CourseInfo

Can be accessed by any computer on the
Internet
Webpage creation
Unique attributes
Individual and collaborative learning
Student-written objective
Only formative quizzes
No final exam
2. How was it developed?
A championed idea
Most content came from outside Tech
Ed
Tried out some content & activities with
undergraduate F2F class first
Used survey results and research to
inform decisions
Support
Departmental support
Unusually good University support
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6 hrs assigned time for development
I had to become an online student
Attendance at all related workshops
Instructional designer
(Other support, as needed)
Content Issues
Based on “Design, produce, use,
assess”
ITEA Standard 13:
“Students will develop the abilities to
assess the impact of products and
systems.”
Not ITEA Standard 12:
“Students will develop the abilities to
use and maintain technological products
and systems.”
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“Use hand tools correctly.”
“Use computers to access and organize
information.”
Levels of “Using Technology”
Personal*
Corporate
Cultural
National
Global
Studying “Using Technology”
Trends in use
Problems with use
Usability
User-centered design
Anthropometrics & Ergonomics
Universal Design
User surveys
Instructions for users
Other
Usability Research
Usability testing
User survey
Other
Levels of “Technology Assessment”
Personal
Corporate
Cultural
National*
Global
Technology Assessment
Analysis of TA reports from the US
Office of Technology Assessment, and
others
Formal TA process
Web-based group TA reports
Individualized Objective
Individualized project
Development Issues
Providing for the personal touch

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Among students
Between students and the instructor
Blending didactic and constructivistic
Including individualized and group
learning
Realistic, doable, fun, and meaningful
3. How was it implemented?
Marketing
To on-campus Tech Ed students
At ITEA conference
(Surreptitiously through a survey)
An ad was placed in a TEI periodical
Email was sent to all TE state
supervisors
Brochures were sent to all HS principals
in Indiana.
Registration & Enrollment
Online
Some delays, but no major problems
Course divided into on-campus and offcampus sections, and limit increased
above 20
27 students enrolled, 26 completed
Web-Based Instruction
Modules, usually 1 per week
Interaction
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File exchange
Discussion boards
3 larger activities
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Individual usability research
Team technology assessment
Individual project
Rigorous course assessment
Standard “promotion and tenure”
course assessment was inadequate
Additional course assessment based on
“Quality on the Line, Benchmarks for
Success in Internet-Based Education”
4. What does it “look like?”
The Blackboard CourseInfo Interface
Separate Web pages
5. What were some student
projects?
Student project: usability test
Student project: usability test
Student project: usability test
Student project: usability test
Student project: usability test
A team’s tech. assessment
A team’s tech. Assessment
Student project: backpack use
Student project: backpack use
Student project: backpack use
6. What lessons were learned?
Marketing
Give online courses the #1 emphasis on a
departmental Web site.
Spend 10% on marketing
Beg ITEA and CTTE to serve as
clearinghouses
Help prospective students learn of the
offerings
Check Web search engines and guides to
online courses
Market early and often, near and far
Development
Keep it user-centered
Verify materials
Use reusable learning objects
Include individual & group activities
Accommodate users
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Bandwidth
Busy schedules
Interests
Develop DL to be Equivalent
to F2F in:
Quality
Workload
Taking advantage of the Web
Web resources
Web-based communications
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Within class
With those not in the class
Web publishing
Organizing communications
Communications among students
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Threaded discussion organization
Chat
Etc.
Organizing communications
Communications with the Instructor
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Dates & times
File naming conventions
Email organization
Online office hours
Support
Curriculum development and testing
Instruction
Student support
Support
More time needed during initial
implementation
Institutional coordination needed
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Single password
Easy registration
For Students
Provide meaningful personal contact
Provide quality instruction
Provide flexibility
7. What does the future hold?
Next implementation
Fall, 2001
New and improved
New Blackboard interface
Fall 2001 Information
http://www.bsu.edu/classes/flowers2/5
10intro.htm
Fall 2001 Preview
http://www.bsu.edu/educate/courses/it
edu510s001y2001fa
Plans for an Online Masters in
Technology Education from
Ball State University
Hopefully implemented by Fall, 2002
30 online hours, no thesis
Flexibility
Please direct inquiries to:
Jim Flowers
[email protected]
(765) 285-2879
Graduate Online Course:
Technology - Use & Assessment
Jim Flowers
Department of Industry & Technology
Ball State University
[email protected]