Login Page: EDTEC550: Introduction to Distance Education

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Description | Goals | Objectives | Texts | Grading | File Naming
Course Description

EDTEC 550 Introduction to Distance Education will introduce you to primary concepts, learning management systems, and instructional strategies for distance education, eLearning and online training. Furthermore, the course will present an overview of the application of these practices in business, education and government.

Technology Requirements
Some students will take this course at a distance through the College of Extended Studies. These students must have access to the following technologies for the successful completion of this course at a distance:

  • A personal computer with at least 1.0 GHz speed, 250 Mb RAM, 40 GB hard drive, and audio board and high speed Internet connectivity.
  • A Microphone.
  • A video camera compatible to the computer used for the course.
  • Firebox browser or Internet Explorer (latest version).
  • Flash Player.
  • Access to the Internet without the interference of an enterprise firewall.
Goals

This course will prepare you to implement instructional and learning design strategies, and technologies for eLearning, distance education and online training. You will be involved in the

  • use of open source and proprietary learning management systems, and
  • teaching and facilitating online courses.

A systems approach to management of distance education, eLearning and online training and performance support systems is demonstrated. Students will simulate the implementation of the systems approach in their respective organizations.

Objectives
This course will enable you to
  • Use terminology of the field of distance education in its appropriate context
  • Explain defining concepts of the field of distance education
  • Select appropriate instructional strategies for distance teaching and learning
  • Select appropriate technologies for distance teaching and learning
  • Use learning management systems
  • Select appropriate learning management systems
  • Use multimedia synchronous teaching and learning systems
  • Use a systems approach for simulating management of distance education, eLearning and online training
  • Use rubrics for critical review of online courses
  • Discuss current social issues, and trends affecting eLearning, online training and distance education

Texts

The textbook for this course is:
Moore, M. G. & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A systems view (2nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson, Wadsworth.

Online Resources

Readings for this course are assigned from distance-educator.com a site that was originally established by the course instructor to provide resources for students in the EDTEC department about distance education. Since then it has grown to a major international resource for thousands of subscribers in the US and around the world.

Distance-Educator.com also offers a free subscription to its Newsletter. The field is changing literally every day. There is a tremendous amount of new information about distance education published by a variety of sources. The course instructor collects published information from a variety of sources and presents it in the Weekly News Digest. To take full advantage of this course, you should subscribe to the Newsletter.

Grading

In order to acknowledge achievements and monitor student progress, the Department needs a realistic and meaningful system for grading performance. The University and the professional community expect the Department to maintain standards that reflect its reputation as one of the foremost programs of its type in the country.

Graded Item
Max. Points
Reading course textbook and participating in the synchronous and asynchronous class discussions
24
Demonstration of basic skills in a multimedia online conferencing system
10
Demonstration of basic skills in using an LMS
10
Review of online courses based on Chico State University rubric
10
Technology Demonstration or Research Paper
46
Total
100


According to the University's Graduate Bulletin

  • A means outstanding achievement; available for only the highest accomplishment;
  • B means praiseworthy performance; definitely above average;
  • C means average, awarded for satisfactory performance.

In general, professors in the department award "A" grades to acknowledge achievements that go beyond specified course requirements and criteria. By its very nature, this type of performance cannot always be spelled out clearly in advance. A's are reserved for special efforts that exceed expectations, that demonstrate exceptional creativity, boldness, commitment, involvement, ingenuity, or elegance.

Letter Grades

    A = 93-100
    A- = 90-92
    B+ = 87-89
    B = 83-86
    B- = 80-82
    C+ = 77-79
    C = 73-76
    C - = 70-72

Incomplete Policy- Given the real time nature of the many activities of this course receiving an incomplete grade is not a realistic option.

 
File Naming
Email to instructor Every time you send an email you must complete the subject line using the following naming technique.

EDTEC 550:

For example: EDTEC 550: Ritchie Review, and critique of an online course. Following this technique will ensure that your message will be sorted correctly, and read by the instructor promptly.

If you had to attach a file to the email always use the naming technique of: YourLastName_550_ProjectTitle

For example: Ritchie_550_ResearchPaper

It is important that you identify all correspondences with faculty with your last name.