OMDE 601 Foundations of Distance Education

Fall 2002 Schedule (Professor Michael Beaudoin)

Module

Date

Assignments, Group Work...
Pre-Week Aug 28 -
Sep 3
Post biographies, review syllabus, start readings

Introducion Week (Week 1)

 Sep 4 - 8
Post biographies, review syllabus, start readings

Module 1 (Week 2)
Definitions of Distance Education (DE)

 Sep 9 - 15 At the end of week 2 (Sep 15) study groups will submit agreed upon working definition of DE, with rationale.

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

 Sep 16 -
Oct 13

Individual
At the end of week 6 (Oct 13), each student is expected to submit an essay (750-1000 words) on an aspect of DE's historical underpinnings. (20 % of course grade)
Group
By the end of week 5 (Oct 7), each study group is to post a statement that reflects its best thinking regarding what they consider to be the 3 to 5 most significant historical developments in the history of distance education, describing the impact of those events on the field.
Conference with visiting expert
Professor Michael Moore (Oct 1-3)

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

 Oct 14 -
Nov 10		 Individual
At the end of week 10 (Nov 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.
Group
Each group is to discuss and analyze the interaction that has occurred between students and faculty thus far in the course, assess whether or not the stated objectives of the modules seem to be met, and submit a group opinion by the end of week 8 (Oct 27).
Conference with visiting expert
Professor Michael Moore (Oct 21-23)
Module 4 (Week 11-13)
Institutional Aspects of Distance Education		 Nov 11 -
Dec 1		 Individual
By the end of week 12 (Nov 24), each student should investigate a total of 10 major distance education entities (min. of 3 in North America; 3 in Europe; and 3 in Asia/Australia), providing a brief description of each (approx. 150 words each).
Group
By the end of week 13 (Dec 3), each study group is to review selected contributions of each member within that group in response to the individual assignment, compare observations and ideas regarding the most prominent features of each DE entity, and then the group is to arrive at a consensus as to which three (3) institutions or programs best meet the evaluation criteria for DE programs developed by WICHE. Explain your group's choices by analyzing the strengths of those selected, noting such criteria as quality, innovation or others factors which influenced your choices.
Conference with visiting expert
Professor Michael Moore (Nov 19-21)
Module 5 (Week 14)
Future Trends in Distance Education		 Dec 2 - 8 Discuss assigned readings in conference area; no written assignment.

Module 6 (Week 15)
Final Project & Course wrap-up

Dec 9 - 18

Individual
At the end of week 15 (Dec 18), students must submit their final individual paper (1500-1750 words) Note: previously developed written contributions may be used, but new material must also be included (25% of course grade).
Group
Student groups will submit a summary statement identifying what they consider to be the five (5) most significant DE concepts covered in the course, & explain choices.