Week 2 ---3 Courses

Course 1: Beginning Algebra
Content: In order for this class to be the same for all of the instructors, I would like to see a different approach. The class would have a convergent model because there is a right and wrong answer in math and the procedures are the same to solve the problems. The procedures would be the same in all of the classes because they cover the same material pretty much the same way. The technology would be the same with online vocabulary and videos or podcasts of the lessons.

Now here is the way I would see the classes set up. I would have one instructor responsible for a series of lessons on a chapter. I would have the instructor be videotaped teaching the material as they would teach a class in a classroom. I would them edit them and place them online at YoutubeU for the students to view and download. Different instructors could cover the chapter review and checks for understanding as well as the different chapters. Other options could be that the instructors could be required to monitor an online help during their office hours so they could answer questions from any student from any of the classes. They could also be responsible to answer student questions either by email, podcasts or videos or even chats using the website or Skype. For the instructor that is less technical, you could have them have a homework center time on the school tv station where they could answer questions and show how to solve the problems. This type of format has been successful for LA Unified School District.

Students would be graded on their assignments that are turned in online. Each assignment needs to be turned in to check for understanding and so that the instructors could better help the students.

Instructors: All of the instructors are teaching the same course and they all look the same so they might as well divide and conquer instead or each person doing the same thing ineffectively. The design allows for different instructors to build on their strengths and help all of the students. As long as you have the instructors buying into the program, it can only improve. The students will require interaction with the instructors and they may find that they find an instructor that can explain a concept in a way that makes it clearer for the student. I think the design shows an effective use of time and resources for the instructors and students.

Students: The students will have a varied comfort with the algebra and the technology so the instructors will have to take that into account. The students have a good background in technology and have all taken the intro class so they have the background knowledge needed. The students will want feedback from the instructors. Assignments will be posted online and students will have to post the answers to every assignment online so it can be graded. I know the University of Phoenix has a software that does it. If the student has questions, they should be able to watch the video of the lesson on YoutubeU as well as send an email to the instructor for clarification or help. The student should also have access to Skype or some other software that the instructors can monitor to offer assistance. The student can receive the answers to their questions using email, podcasts or videos, YoutubeU or a Skype chat with an instructor for assistance.

Course 2: Philosophy of Leadership
Content: This class would be divergent because of the structure of the class. The class could have text materials that the student is responsible as well as lecture material but most of the class would take place in the discussions. The class could have chapters that have to be read for the week and that would require the instructor to prerecord their lecture to be downloaded by the students. The course could have discussion questions that are downloaded and answered by the student to be posted on a message board or prepared for a chat or video conference.
The question of scrutiny would have to be answered by the department that is offering the class to make sure that it is meeting the goals and requirements of the class. The basic technology would be web pages, podcasts or video and probably some software such as balckboard that allow you to post the assignments and have a message board or a set up for chat. The grades would be based on the discussions and possibly a final project.

Instructors: This class will be a challenge for the instructor. The lecture/discussion format that they are used to will not work in this format. The format for the class would probably be asynchronous because of different schedules of the Grad Students. The instructor could podcast or video the lectures and allow the students to download them and listen/view at their convenience. The discussions could be done using chats at arranged times or discussion boards more than just blogs. Since the instructor is used to face-to-face interaction, they would probably be willing to do chats or video conferences with students at different times. The instructor would probably set up the class as a just in time structure as they adjust to the way the class is run.

Students: The students are Graduate students so they are very motivated to get the work done and use their time wisely. The lecture/discussion model may not work with them because of the time factor and not being about to log on when the class is supposed to be going. Some of the students are comfortable with the technology so the real challenge might be finding new technologies to engage the students outside their comfort zone. There will also need to be something in place for the very basic technology skilled students to make it so they can succeed with the technology. The scenario doesn’t say if the students have been exposed to online courses so you would have to assume that most of them have. If they have not, they will adjust quickly. It is a philosophy class so most of it will involve interactions with students and some with instructors and the discussions will allow the students to relate the content.

Course 3: College Success
Content: The class will need to be set up with different development styles. The class will need to be set up with a convergent and divergent model. The convergent model will focus on the areas of study skills and communication skills. For both of these skills, they are more right and wrong or what works and what doesn’t. It will need to be more divergent in how the instructor interacts with the students to help them learn how to fit in at college. The class will need a customary procedure in how the class is et up so these students will have a routine to follow but it may need to be adjusted based on student response. There will be scrutiny from the heads of the program and advisors to see if this program is effective for students that are at risk.
The class itself will have higher levels of recall and procedures for the communication skills and study skills in the beginning but it will become more open ended through the quarter as the students learn to communicate with other students and the instructor through chats, presentations and other interactions. The technology will depend how willing the instructors are willing to go. I would see more interactive technology such as video conferencing (skype) and blogging. Grading is more difficult because the incoming freshman probably at risk because they were not motivated in high school to complete work and study so the grades would be based more around the interactions with the instructor and the other students.

Instructors: As the instructor, you have to be able to think how to engage students that struggle at school. The fact that the advisors say that the students are at risk of dropping out means that the traditional high school lectures and notes won’t work for these students. They will not want more of the same in college. The fact that you are not familiar with the content means that you will be adjusting the class as you go to better meet the needs of the students. Your strengths in technology and online courses will allow the student to better understand the technical aspects of the class because you understand them. As you go through the class, you may be willing to try different methods and technologies to engage the students. The students will require more interactions with the instructor through face-face, chats, video conferencing or blogging because part of your job will be as a counselor to introduce the students to college.

Students: These students already have a strike against them as they enter the class so you will have to think of different ways to engage them. The student probably had a difficult time in high school with a more traditional model so it won’t work. They will not be as motivated because of that difficulty. As a freshman, they are not familiar with how college classes operate ,(nevermind the online classes) and they will require more guidance and support. You do not know the technology skills of the students so you have to assume that they have a pretty basic understanding and part of the course will require tutorial programs or meeting the first class to show the students how to operate the technology. The students will require more interaction because they will be checking for understanding and will want support. A good idea for this might be to have the students blog as they go through the class so the instructor can check for understanding and interact with the students.