OMDE 601 Fall 2001 Schedule

OMDE 601 Foundations of Distance Education

Spring 2002 Schedule (Professor Michael Beaudoin)

Module	Date	Assignments, Group Work...
Pre-Week	Jan 21-27
Introducion Week (Week 1)	Jan 28-Feb 3
Module 1 (Week 2) Definitions of Distance Education (DE)	Feb 4-10	At the end of week 2 (Feb 8) study groups will submit agreed upon working definition of DE, with rationale.
Module 2 (Week 3-6) History and Principles of Distance Education	Feb 11-Mar 10	Individual At the end of week 6 (Mar 10), each student is expected to submit an essay (600-750 words) on an aspect of DE's historical underpinnings. (20 % of course grade) Conference By the end of week 5 (Mar 3), 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 (Feb 26-28)
Module 3 (Week 7-10) Pedagogical Approaches & Theoretical Considerations of DE	Mar 11-Apr 7	Individual At the end of week 10 (Apr 7), 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. Conference 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 (Mar 24). Conference with visiting expert Professor Michael Moore (Mar 26-28)
Module 4 (Week 11-13) Institutional Aspects of Distance Education	Apr 8-28	Individual By the end of week 12 (Apr 21), 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 (Apr 28), 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 (April 15-17)
Module 5 (Week 14) Future Trends in Distance Education	Apr 29-May 5	Discuss assigned readings in conference area; no written assignment.
Module 6 (Week 15) Final Project & Course wrap-up	May 6-12	Individual At the end of week 15 (May 12), 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 (30% 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.