ASU Orientation: Remote Access Methods: Distance- Learning Orientation Course (RAM- D- LOC)

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1 Course and Policy Requirement Statement In order to access your course materials, you must agree to the following, by clicking the "Mark Reviewed" button below. By checking the "Mark Reviewed" link below, you are indicating the following: You have read, understood, and will comply with the policies and procedures listed in the class syllabus, and that you have acquired the required textbook(s). You have read, understood, and will comply with class policies and procedures as specified in the online Student Handbook. You have read, understood, and will comply with computer and software requirements as specified in the Student Orientation Course. As of 30 July 2012 ASU Orientation: Remote Access Methods: Distance- Learning Orientation Course (RAM- D- LOC) Course Description/Overview The Remote Access Methods: Distance-Learning Orientation Course (RAM-D-LOC), or D- LOC for short, provides an orientation on distance learning technology, techniques, and procedures. The target attendees for this course are professors, instructors, and other learning teams employed by the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at Angelo State University (ASU). Professionals from other disciplines, departments, or even schools may participate if approved by the department head. Those schooled in other disciplines may benefit from the course. However, the preponderance of effort centers on the mission and scholarly literature associated with the CSS. Course materials and examples are security studies centric. The focus of D-LOC is on transcending the pedagogy, mentoring, counseling, and professionalism displayed in face-to-face classrooms to the worldwide community via distance learning. The course covers unique methods to access students who participate remotely from locations not collocated in San Angelo, Texas. Unique challenges and opportunities are explored. The course champions the whole concept of distance learning, versus simple technical aspects, in an effort to bolster the efficiency and effectiveness of distance learning. This course was designed with the value of precious time in mind. As such, distance learning philosophy, deep pedagogical theory, history, varying approaches, and controversy to be debated at length are not included. And while these issues may emerge during discussions, the intended tenor-and-tone is pragmatic and no-nonsense. PowerPoint tutorials and tech-related readings will help establish or bolster skills in creating an instructor profile, announcements, and discussion boards, forums, and threads. Finally, simulated professor-student interactions,

2 grading, discipline, and feedback via the distance learning environment will be practiced and critiqued. Attendees of this course should constantly access how, and if, their years in face-to-face education and professional careers can translate into obligations and duties in a distance learning environment. The answers will differ. However, at the end of three weeks, attendees should know whether distance learning is right for them. They should be able to put forward an educated position on benefits and limitations of this learning medium. Finally, with a completion certificate in hand, graduates of this course will join the ranks of professional distance learning educators worldwide. In turn, they will be better armed to critique and bolster similar programs at Angelo State University. Go Rams -- online! Click this link for a printable version of the syllabus. Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes Objective : As a result of completing this course, the attendee will be able to: Analyze technology, techniques, and procedures used in the distance learning community. Apply technology, techniques, and procedures of distance learning to various scenarios. Evaluate technology, techniques, and procedures of distance learning against other methods of instruction. Grading Policies There will be no grades assigned during this orientation course. Attendees who complete the course, to include the submission of deliverables, will be issued a certificate of completion. Typical CSS Course Rhythm Compared to D-LOC Distance learning courses frequently consist of eight sessions over an eight-week period. The first week mixes the introduction (ICEBREAKER) with the first lesson. Sometimes a question is included in the ICEBREAKER to measure commitment and competence. Mid-term assignments occur either at lesson four or five. The final exam or project is accomplished during week eight. Normally, class weeks begin on Tuesdays. Distance learners may work and submit assignments during the latter part of the week. However, they almost always come alive over the weekend. To accommodate, distance learning professors tend to close lessons on Monday nights. They begin the subsequent week the next day, on Tuesday, and then post the previous week s grades by mid-week. The course normally ends Friday or Sunday of week eight. Students tend to appreciate the opportunity to use the whole weekend to complete final papers. Unfortunately, quick-turn grades to the registrar at the end of a semester frequently prompt a Friday deadline.

3 This three-week orientation course simulates but condenses this full eight-week cycle. Specifically, Orientation Week-One (Tuesday - Monday Night I) includes: Lesson 1: Right Start: Online Presence and Learning Community Lesson 2: Professor-Student Interaction Orientation Week-Two (Tuesday - Monday Night II) includes: Lesson 3: Words Mean Things: The Announcements Lesson 4: Building Discussions Lesson 5: The MIA Student Orientation Week-Three (Tuesday - Friday Night III) includes: Lesson 6: Assessing Learning in Progress Lesson 7: Grading the Final Essay-Exam Lesson 8: The Way Ahead D-LOC Sandbox / Blackboard-Training Laboratory The master D-LOC Blackboard site is the primary online classroom for this course. Attendees are not granted Blackboard administrative privileges in the master class. However, several lessons utilize the Sandbox Blackboard-Training Laboratory. This lab provides attendees a low-threat opportunity to learn and practice explicit skills under supervision. Specific tasks, linked to the instructional narratives in the lessons, are accomplished in the lab. Course Organization: Lesson One: Right Start: Online Presence and Learning Community The focus of lesson one is to prepare for distance learning. During this lesson, the ASU Blackboard Learn 9.1 Classroom is explored. This lesson also includes technology, techniques, and procedures used to establish a professional presence amid a healthy distance learning community. The ability to navigate the site and employ the technology must be mastered before interacting with students. Professional presence as well as the establishment of the Learning Community follows with the creation of the Instructor Profile. The opening "Icebreaker" with Discussion Assignment allows users to become better acquainted with one another and helps set the tenor-and-tone for the course. Lesson Two: Professor-Student Interaction

4 A clear understanding and appreciation of student-stakeholders, coupled with quality execution via strong leadership, are emphasized in lesson two. This lesson includes technology, techniques, and procedures used to maintain a leadership role, deal with belligerent students, and set benchmarks in quality and high standards. Without a doubt, leveraging a leadership role in a distance learning classroom requires discipline and demonstration of subject matter expertise. It is also imperative that students be held to a high level of expectation regarding quality of work produced. This lesson has two discussion threads. The first addresses belligerent students while the other explores quality writing. Lesson Three: Words Mean Things: The Announcements Distance learning, especially when delivered in boring correspondence-style or administered by unengaged facilitators, can be less than motivating. This in turn can lead to student displeasure, apathy, discipline issues, and even attrition. Most importantly, learning objectives may not be accomplished. Lesson three includes technology, techniques, and procedures that can be used to bolster the motivation and even morality of a learning team. A key tool available to deliver leadership language is the ANNOUNCEMENT feature. Examples of announcements will be shared and attendees will practice composing and uploading their own in the learning laboratory. There is one optional discussion thread in this lesson. Lesson Four: Building Discussions Astounding academic content, delivered through great leadership, is the key component in distance learning. However, lesson four focuses this important element through the mechanical lens of organization and management. Specifically, this lesson explores discussion boards, forums, and threads. With history as a guide, this can be the most difficult lesson in D-LOC. It could also be argued that it is, regarding day-to-day survival in the classroom, the most important. Lesson Five: The MIA Student Retention is the theme for lesson five. Much treasure in the form of advertisement, marketing, recruiting, college fairs, screening, enrollment, tuition, fees, and other tangibles led students to your class. And while some will succeed and some will fail, some will simply disappear from the distance learning environment. This lesson highlights the importance of engaging the unengaged students before they fall too far behind, earn a failing grade, or fail to complete their educational goals. Lesson Six: Assessing Learning in Progress Lesson six begins with grading philosophies that are very similar to those embraced in the faceto-face classroom. However, the lesson quickly transitions to one of the most mechanical in D- LOC. We explore the processes of providing private feedback with individual students, sharing public feedback for all, and posting grades in the Blackboard system. Much like lesson four, the

5 complexity of lesson six has been considered a difficult lesson. However, the potential for midcourse apathy by all, grading mistakes by professors, aggressive grade challenges by students, and the threat of posting out-of-place feedback makes this arena high threat and this lesson a "must read." Lesson Seven: Grading the Final Essay-Exam Lesson seven, which is the climax of this course, focuses on grading major papers. It is during this process that a professor s judgment and subject matter expertise directly engages with student commitment and competence. Moreover, the variables of cheating and plagiarism must be part of this challenge. Technical tools such as SafeAssign and Turnitin.com may be useful in this regard. Lesson Eight: The Way Ahead Lesson eight wraps up this orientation course. During this time, we reflect on experiences with distance learning and the online environment. In addition, way ahead tasks are assigned to prepare you for your first real class. Communication Office Hours/Contacting the Instructor See the Instructor Information section for contact information. University Policies Academic Integrity Angelo State University expects its students to maintain complete honesty and integrity in their academic pursuits. Students are responsible for understanding and complying with the university Academic Honor Code and the ASU Student Handbook. Accommodations for Disability The Student Life Office is the designated campus department charged with the responsibility of reviewing and authorizing requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability, and it is the student's responsibility to initiate such a request by contacting the Student Life Office at (325) or (325) (TDD/FAX) or by at Student.Life@angelo.edu to begin the process. The Student Life Office will establish the particular documentation requirements necessary for the various types of disabilities. Student absence for religious holidays A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known in writing to the instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an

6 assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence