Schedule for OMDE606 Fall 2003

Week Dates Modules/content/due dates
0 08/27-09/02 Preweek: (read only)
- How to prepare for this course.
1 09/03-09/09

Introduction:
- How to get through this course;
- getting to know each other;
- getting acquainted with the learning environment.
Module 1: The Expansion of Education and the Emergence of the Economics of Education
-Exploring the rising demand for education and soaring costs;
-'Human Capital Theory' and the emergence of economics of education;
-What distance education may offer.

2 09/10-09/16

Module 1 (cont.)
-Using the GED Database (Group task)
-Group task
Date for posting Group Task: 09/05
Date for submitting Group Task: 09/16

3 09/17-09/23 Module 2: The Techniques of Cost Analysis
-Budgets and the classification of resources;
-Classification of costs;
-Economies of scale;
-Overheads and the treatment of capital costs.
4 09/24-09/30

Module 2 (cont.)
-Making use of spreadsheets for cost-analysis;
- Mock assignment.
5 10/01-10/07 Module 2 (cont.)
-Making use of spreadsheets for cost-analysis.
Date for posting Assignment 1: 10/04
6 10/08-10/14 Module 2 (cont.)
Date for submitting Assignment 1: 10/14
7 10/15-10/21 Module 3: The Cost-effectiveness of Distance Education
-Effectiveness and efficiency;
-Case study: the British Open University.
8 10/22-10/28

Module 3 (cont.
Conference with Prof. Greville Rumble
Date for posting Assignment 2: 10/28
9 10/29-11/04 Module 3 (cont.)
Date for submitting Assignment 2: 11/04
10 11/05-11/11

Module 4: Costing Educational Technologies
-Bates ACTIONS Model;
-Cost per learning time as an indicator to compare the costs of media;
-The cost-effectiveness of educational media and the media equivalency theory.
11 11/12-11/18 Module 4 (cont.)
-The main cost drivers in netbased learning;
-The costs of online student support.
-The impact of netbased learning on the cost-structure of distance education'
-Case study: Bell Online
Date for posting Assignment 3 (group assignment):11/15
12 11/19-11/25 Module 4 (cont.)
Date for submitting Assignment 3 (group assignment): 11/25
13 11/26-12/02

Module 5: Managing technological change
Participants work in groups. Each group reports on two (related issues):
- Managing technological change within an organization;
- Developing business models for cooperation.
The reports will draw from Tony Bates' Managing Technological Change, especially the chapters 1,2,7 and 8.
Date for posting Group Task: 11/27
14 11/03-12/09

Module 5 (cont.)
Date for presenting Group Task: 12/04

15 12/10-12/17

Looking back: Evaluation and reflection