University of Maryland University College
Graduate School of Management and Technology

in co-operation with

Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
Center for Research in Distance Education

Foundations of Distance Education

OMDE 601

Michael Beaudoin
January 29 to May 12, 2001

(The Syllabus is subject to change)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The Foundations of Distance Education course is the first in the course sequence of the Master of Distance Education program offered via an online format. Students explore the concepts and issues identified in distance education literature, examine the history and the theories of the field and apply these foundations in the analyses of selected institutions. Organizational structures and models are reviewed and diverse distance education systems are examined. Students are provided with a foundation of knowledge, skills and perspectives that begin to define a competent professional in the field of distance education (DE).

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The goals of the course are to provide the student with a foundation of knowledge, skills and attitudes required of a competent practitioner of distance education. Through exploration of concepts and issues identified in the distance educational literature, and a critical examination of the history, theories and practices in the field, students will:

• recognize the defining characteristics of DE.
• know the history of DE from its early beginnings to today's technology-based systems.
• understand the pedagogical structure of DE and its relevant elements.
• be conversant in the cultural, political, social, economic and technical influences that have shaped the evolution of DE.
• be familiar with diverse institutional and organizational structures and models of DE.
• be able to analyze the impact of digitization on the pedagogical aspects of DE.
• appreciate the role of leadership in influencing DE initiatives and outcomes.
• be informed about past and present literature in the field and its contribution to DE theory and practice.

REQUIRED TEXTS & READINGS

Holmberg, B. (1995), The evolution of the character and practice of distance education. Open Learning, June

Peters, Otto (1998), Learning and Teaching in Distance Education. Analyses and Interpretations from an International Perspective, Kogan Page:London

Selected additional readings from Holmberg, Moore, Beaudoin, Bernath, Rubin & others as assigned.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• have technical access to WebTycho
• invest an average 10 hour workload each week
• plan on a total workload of approximately 150 hours for the course:
  • 50 hours of reading
  • 50 hours of active online participation
  • 50 hours for assignments

GRADING POLICY

• 20 % for first written assignment
• 20 % for second written assignment
• 20 % for third written assignment
• 40 % for fourth written assignment

Grades are assigned according to the following:

The grade of "B" represents the benchmark for the Graduate School. It indicates that the student has demonstrated competency in the subject matter of the course, i.e., the student has fulfilled all course requirements on time, has a clear grasp of the full range of course materials and concepts, and is able to present and apply these materials and concepts in clear, reasoned, well organized and grammatically correct responses whether written or oral.

Only students who fully meet this standard and, in addition, who demonstrate exceptional comprehension and application of the course subject matter, merit an "A".

Students who do not meet the benchmark standard of competency fall within the "C" range or lower. They, in effect, have not met graduate level standards. Where this failure is substantial, they earn an "F".

The Grade Of "I" (Incomplete): The grade of "I" is exceptional and given only to students whose completed coursework has been qualitatively satisfactory but who have been unable to complete all course requirements because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control. The grade of "I" may be considered only for students who have completed at least fifty percent (50%) of the total coursework requirements and who have received a passing grade on all the coursework which they have completed. The instructor retains the right to make the final decision on granting a student's request for an "I", even though the student may meet the eligibility requirements for this grade.

WRITING STANDARDS

Effective managers and leaders are also effective communicators. Written communication is an important element of the total communication process. The Graduate School recognizes and expects exemplary writing to be the norm for course work. To this end, all papers, individual and group, must demonstrate graduate level writing ability and comply with the format requirements of the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association (latest ed.). Careful attention should be given to source citations, proper listing of references, and the presentation of tables and figures.

Policy on Academic Integrity (Plagiarism)

Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional presentation of another person's idea or product as one's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following: copying verbatim all or part of another's written work; using phrases, charts, figures, illustrations, or mathematical or scientific solutions without citing the source; paraphrasing ideas, conclusions, or research without citing the source; and using all or part of a literary plot, poem, film, musical score, or other artistic product without attributing the work to its creator. Students are fully accepted scholarly practices. Notes taken for papers and research projects should accurately record sources of material to be cited, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized, and papers should acknowledge these sources in footnotes.

The penalties for plagiarism include a zero or a grade of F" on the work in question, a grade of F" in the course, suspension with a file letter, suspension with a transcript notation, or expulsion.

Note: Work submitted for this class must be your own, and it must be original to this course. If you have questions regarding this, please consult instructor.

Disabled Students

In accordance with the UMUC policy, any student who has a disability and is in need of classroom accommodations must inform the instructor of this need and, if he or she has not already done so, contact UMUC's office of Veteran and Disabled Student Services at (301) 985-7258.

Portfolio

COURSE OUTLINE

Introduction (Week 1)

The initial week is designed for students to become familiar & comfortable with the teaching/learning environment through exposure & introduction:

• of the participants to each other and to faculty
• to the online Maser's program
• to the content, structure & format of the Foundations course
• to a study group that will collaborate throughout the course

Module 1 (week 2)
Definitions of Distance Education

Students will:

• become familiar with definitions of the field
• critique definitions & arrive at their own
• identify defining elements of DE as distinct from other types of education

Topics

• What is distance education?
• How does it differ from other forms of teaching & learning?
• Is there a single best definition?

Required Readings

Moore & Kearsley (1996), ch.1
Holmberg, B. (1995) "The evolution of the character & practice of distance education.”
Open Learning, June, pp.47-53

Assignment

Study groups will submit agreed upon working definition of DE, with rationale.

Module 2 (Weeks 3-6)
History and Principles of Distance Education

• identify and distinguish the constituent elements of DE
• reflect on the evolution of DE by comparing and contrasting various movements in the field with the cultural, political and philosophical influences of their time.
• outline the history of DE from its early beginnings to today's practices
• list and discuss the most important concerns relevant to the development and administration of DE
• discuss some common reasons why students choose DE and relate this to current societal, cultural, and political influences in today's society.
• specify the methodological issues relevant to both course development and student-tutor interaction

Topics

• Today's Overall Picture of Distance Education
• The Background of Distance Education
• Planning Distance Education
• Course Development - Fundamental Considerations
• Structures and Media of Distance Education Courses
• Interaction between Students and the Supporting Organization
• The Organization and Administration of Distance Education
• Special Applications of Distance Education
• Theoretical Approaches to Distance Education and their Practical Consequences

Required Readings

Moore & Kearsley (1996), ch. 2, 3, 10

Assignment

1. Individual
   At the end of week 6, each student is expected to submit an essay (min. of 500 words) on an aspect of DE's historical underpinnings.
2. Conference
   By the end of week 3, study groups are to formulate a question related to the module themes and readings for online discussion, offering its reason for posing the question, then provide the group's response to its own question following discussion.
3. Chat room
   Respond during one of two scheduled four (4) hour timeframes to the issue faculty have posed for this synchronous discussion/debate.
   Note: one chat will be scheduled for 8-12 AM (EST), and the other 6-10 PM (EST) on a different day.

Module 3 (Weeks 7 - 10)
Pedagogical Approaches & Theoretical Considerations of DE

Students will:

• examine and assess the pedagogic structure of DE in the light of distinct models of DE.
• show how DE can be defined in terms of distinct pedagogical categories.
• explain the pedagogical advantages and disadvantages inherent to DE.
• explain the changes in the pedagogical structure of DE caused by increasing digitization.
• distinguish different theoretical approaches worldwide and relate them to cultural differences.
• become familiar with the growing body of literature in the field

Topics

• Distance and proximity
• Three Constitutive Concepts
  • Dialogue,
  • Structure,
  • Autonomy
• Modifying Concepts
  • Open Learning,
  • Lifelong Learning,
  • Industrialized learning and Teaching
  • Post Modern Learning
  • Transactional Distance
• Digital Information and Communication

Required Readings

Peters, O. (1998), pp. 18-155.
Moore & Kearsley (1996) ch. 4, 6, 7
Moore, Michael, "Distance Education: A Short Literature Review.” (1995) Open and Distance Learning Today (Lockwood, F., ed.). London/New York: Routledge, pp. 32-41.
Moore, M. "Theory of transactional distance.” Keegan, D., ed. (1997), pp. 22-38.
Beaudoin, M. "Researching Practice and Practicing Research"

Assignment

1. Individual
   At the end of week 10, each student must submit an annotated bibliography of distance education literature, containing a minimum of five citations from varied sources, paper and electronic. Grade for the annotated bibliography will be 20% of final course grade.
2. Conference
   Each group is to discuss and analyze the interaction that has occurred between students and faculty thus far in the course, assess wheather or not the stated objectives of the modules seem to be met, and submit a group opinion by the end of week 8.
3. Chatroom
   during this synchronous six (6) hour discussion/debate, offer your interpretation/analysis of the issue posted by faculty.

Module 4 (Week 11-13)
Institutional Aspects of Distance Education

Students will:

• Identify, describe, compare and contrast the primary types of institutional structures that support DE.
• Identify the top 15 leading DE institutions worldwide, their size, type of institutional structure and unique characteristics.
• Analyze the critical characteristics of each institutional structure.
• Give examples of each institutional structure in North America, Europe, and Australia/Asia.
• Critically examine the differences among the various institutional types and discuss the probable effects on such functions as course development, student services, instructional design, and pedagogy.
• Understand leadership issues as applied to DE settings.

Topics

• Teaching and Learning Models Specific to Institutions
• Models of Open and Distance Learning
• Global Perspectives of Distance Education
• Leadership in DE

Beaudoin, M. (1998) "A New Professoriate for the New Millennium." DEOS – The Distance Education Online Symposium. http/www.cde.psu.edu/ACSDE.
Beaudoin, M. " Leadership in distance education: An appraisal of research and practice" (in press). Handbook of Distance Education (Moore, M., ed.) 2001.
Miller, Gary, "Distance education in the United States: collaboration amid diversity." In: Open Learning, Nov. 1987, pp. 23-27.
Moore, Michael and Kearsley, Greg (1996) pp. 36-58, 213-231.
Peters, Otto (1998) pp 157 - 214.
Peters, Otto (1998), Models and Concepts of Open and Distance Learning, Manuscript.

Assignment

1. Individual
   At the end of week 13 each student must submit an essay (min. of 500 words), to include research & citations on a topic related to leadership, institutions, or other organization aspects of DE (20% of course grade).
2. Conference
   Each group is to identify additional issues/topics not covered in the course that they consider important for an introduction to the field of distande education theory and practice, and submit these be the end of week 12.
3. Chatroom
   During one of two schedules four (4) hour synchronous discussion/debates, respond to the issue presented by faculty.

Module 5 (Weeks 14-15)
Final Project

Students will:

• develop an in-depth understanding on a DE topic of their choice, related to one od the themes of the Foundations course (i.e., definition, history, theory, practice, pedagogy, leadership, institutions)

Required Readings

Review chapters and articles previously assigned, plus min. of three additional sources to be cited in final paper.

Assignment

At the end of week 15, students must submit their final individual paper/project (750-1,000 words) . Note: previously developed written contributions may be used, but new material must also be included (40 % of course grade).

Course Wrap-up (Week 15)

Students & faculty will jointly determine if course objectives and learning outcomes were achieved, & identify areas for further course enhancement.

Readings

Review of course procedings to date

Assignment

Student groups will submit a summary statement synthisizing the body of knowledge covered in the course, and faculty will prepare summary evaluation of individual and group work completed to satisfy course requirements.