The University of Texas at Dallas General Course Syllabus Course Information Course Course Number Section Course Title Term and Dates ED5320.0I1 Summer 2014 (8-week session) Professor Contact Information Professor Rebekah K Nix, PhD Office Phone 972.883.2488 Email Address rnix@utd.edu Office Location Teacher Development Center (HH2.900) Online Office Hours by appointment, email requests as needed Other Information http://www.utdallas.edu/teach About the Instructor Dr Nix centers her design, teaching, and research on enhancing learning environments, with a focus on information technology and professional development. She teams with a variety of technology, business, and community leaders around the world to promote, cultivate, and support real-world learning solutions for educational professionals while continually documenting the development of her Ed Tech courses through conference and invited presentations. Recipient of the 2010 UT System Innovations in Online Teaching Award and 2007 USDLA Best Practices Gold Award for Distance Learning Teaching Online, she has taught her completely online Educational Technology courses since 2000. She shares the 2007 UT-System Library Director s Award for library integration for Evaluating Research in Science Education. With a BS in Geosciences and a MAT in Science Education, Dr Nix completed her PhD in Science Education on Virtual Field Trips: Using Information Technology to Create an Integrated Science Learning Environment (2002) at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia, where she often collaborates as an adjunct Research Fellow. Find out more at https://sites.google.com/site/rnixprofessional General Course Syllabus Page 1 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions Students must know how to access and navigate web pages on the Internet. Students must know how to send and receive electronic mail messages. Course Description Delivered completely online and asynchronously, ED5320 is a practical course designed specifically for anyone interested in learning how to use educational technology to enhance the understanding of any subject... Whether online, face-to-face, or anywhere in between, setting up a positive learning environment that s efficient AND effective is the key to success for both students and instructors. Whether you are creating resources for classroom educators, or administering a program for a museum or center, or undertaking studies to chase your own curiosity, there are some basic elements that you need to consider. As a class, we will learn about, think about, talk about, and apply those issues in educational technology to your current focus so you can take away a strong framework for implementing your own technology-enhanced project going forward. This broad-based introduction to educational technology is organized from a conceptual perspective, but presented with actual concrete examples, so that you can transform this classroom learning into real-world solutions. In this 8-week graduate-level summer course: Through guided activities, you will gain first-hand experience with the traditional and emerging technology tools as used in educational contexts. Through individual assignments, you will figure out practical integration approaches to develop a working plan for your own technology-enhanced project. Through structured group discussions, you will challenge your (and your peers ) creativity to balance inter-dependent elements for enhancing learning with uses of educational technologies. Through various types of electronic assessments, you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the main trends and topics in education and technology. Then, Through personal reflection and with examples of professional action, you will likely make a proactive difference in the education of technology-empowered students and their teachers! Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes By the end of this summer you ought to have a comprehensive grasp of what it takes to apply technology to solve problems in education for whatever grade level, age group, or subject area interests you. Within the 21 st century skills framework, a conceptual approach to educational technology will provide practical tools and resources for creating a positive learning environment. As a result: 1. The student will be able to execute and evaluate the pedagogical soundness of educational technologies modeled in an asynchronous, online course. 2. The student will be able to compare/contrast tools and resources to develop strategies for improving educational practice within their field. 3. The student will be able to hypothesize the benefits and risks of implementing information technologies in education and to construct electronic media to support their ideas for enhancing teaching and learning with educational technologies. General Course Syllabus Page 2 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Required Textbooks and Materials Required Texts No purchased text (or materials) is required; in addition to UTD resources, like the elearning course management system and digital resources in the McDermott Library, we will use free and publicly available tools and resources as noted within the course. Required Materials UTD email account, which requires UTD NetID and good standing status Web browser, like Google Chrome (free download at https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/) or Mozilla Firefox (free download at http://www.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/new/) PDF Reader like Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download at http://get.adobe.com/reader/) Media player (Audio/Video), like VLC (free download at http://www.videolan.org/vlc/), Apple QuickTime (free download at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/) or Windows Media Player (free download at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-media-player) Suggested Course Materials Suggested Readings/Texts Weinschenk, S. (2011). 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People. New Riders: Berkeley, CA. See http://www.amazon.com/things-designer-people-voices- Matter/dp/0321767535 Zull, J. (2011). From Brain to Mind: Using Neuroscience to Guide Change in Education. Stylus Publishing: Sterling, VA. See http://www.amazon.com/from-brain-mind-neuroscience- Education/dp/1579224628 Johnson, D. & Land, S. (2012).Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments. Routledge: New York, NY. See http://www.amazon.com/theoretical-foundations-learning-environments- Jonassen/dp/0415894220 Suggested Materials Word processing application, like Microsoft Word, Apache OpenOffice Writer or Google Docs Spreadsheet application, like Microsoft Excel, Apache Open Office Calc or Google Spreadsheets Presentation application, like Microsoft PowerPoint, Apache Open Office Impress or Google Presentation Image editor tool, like Microsoft Office Picture Manager, Apache OpenOffice Draw or Pixlr Input device, like a flatbed scanner or digital camera Output device, like a printer or ebook display General Course Syllabus Page 3 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Course Policies Late Work This course is taught completely online: there are no required on-campus meetings. Weekly lessons are accessible throughout the semester as defined by the UTD calendar at http://www.utdallas.edu. The asynchronous schedule allows you to work at your own pace during the week. The due dates for activities, assignments, assessments and discussions specified in this syllabus are not negotiable; however, partial credit will be given for items completed after the due date listed in the Class Schedule. In order to receive a passing grade for this course, each student must: Review 8 weekly activities that provide the lesson context and detailed syllabus addition. Submit 8 completed weekly assignments to develop your individual project. Submit 8 completed weekly discussions to share your personal reflections/professional insights. Submit 8 completed weekly assessments to quiz your knowledge of the lesson content. Special Assignments Specific procedures for activities, assignments, discussions and assessments are detailed in the weekly lessons which will become available within the course as noted on the Class Schedule. Class Participation Although the instructor is virtually available 24/7, such flexibility demands self-discipline and a high level of independent motivation. This is a full semester course. You cannot just log in at the last minute and click your way to the end. You should budget at least 5 hours per week for this study 2 for reviewing the lessons and assignments, like reading notes and articles and exploring the activity links, plus 3 or more each week to work on the assignments and discussions with enough unstructured time to think! While it may seem 'boring' or simply 'utilitarian' on first glance, the structure of each of the eight (8) weekly units is strategically similar so that you can focus on the content and context (the dynamics) rather than being distracted by the navigation and format (the mechanics) of the units in this summer, graduate, elective course! Just click on the main headings to access the lesson notes that will become available to you each Monday morning of this semester. Note that the 'adaptive release' option has been set so that you must review the weekly Introduction and Detailed Syllabus Addition BEFORE submitting your weekly Assignment, Discussion posts, or Assessment. After you have at least opened the prerequisite background, you should be able to access the graded tasks to complete the unit per the Class Schedule as specified in this General Course Syllabus that is also available in the Welcome area of the course or the public UTD Course Lookup. Virtual Classroom Citizenship The same guidelines that apply to traditional classes should be observed in the virtual classroom environment. Please use proper netiquette when interacting with class members and the professor. This course will follow the Netiquette Guidelines at http://www.albury.net.au/new-users/rfc1855.txt; this is the full text of RFC 1855, which is the unofficial standard work on electronic etiquette. General Course Syllabus Page 4 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Policy on Server Unavailability or Other Technical Difficulties The university is committed to providing a reliable online course system to all users. However, in the event of any unexpected server outage or any unusual technical difficulty which prevents students from submitting and/or completing a time sensitive task, the instructor may extend the time frame and provide an appropriate accommodation based on the situation. Students should immediately report any problems to the instructor and also contact the UTD elearning Help Desk: http://www.utdallas.edu/elearninghelp, 1-866-588-3192. The instructor and the UTD elearning Help Desk will work with the student to resolve any issues at the earliest possible time. Technical Requirements In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum technical requirements must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Please review the important technical requirements on the Getting Started with elearning webpage. Part of your learning is in the experience of completing an online course so individualized instruction is offered as needed/requested. Course Access and Navigation This course was developed using a web course tool called elearning which is currently a BlackBoard course management system. It is to be delivered entirely online. Use your UTD NetID account to login at: http://elearning.utdallas.edu. Please see more details on course access and navigation information. To get familiar with the elearning tool, please see the Student elearning Tutorials. UTD provides elearning technical support 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The services include a toll free telephone number for immediate assistance (1-866-588-3192), email request service, and an online chat service. Please use this link to access the UTD elearning Support Center: http://www.utdallas.edu/elearninghelp. Communications This elearning course has built-in communication tools which will be used for interaction and communication, accessible through the course navigation links to the Calendar, Announcements, WELCOME, Activities, Assignments, Discussions, and Assessments areas. All email exchanges should be sent to rnix@utd.edu with a clear subject line to identify the course as ED5320. For more details, please visit the elearning Tutorials webpage for video demonstrations on numerous tools in elearning. General Course Syllabus Page 5 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Interaction with Instructor The instructor will communicate with students mainly using the Announcements and Assignment tools. Students may send personal concerns or questions to the instructor using direct email to rnix@utd.edu. The instructor will reply as soon as possible, usually within 3 working days under normal circumstances. Student Resources The following university resources are available to students: UTD Distance Learning: http://www.utdallas.edu/elearning/students/cstudents.htm McDermott Library: Distance Learners (UTD students who live outside the boundaries of Collin, Dallas, Denton, Rockwall, or Tarrant counties) will need a UTD-ID number to access all of the library s electronic resources (reserves, journal articles, ebooks, interlibrary loan) from off campus. For UTD students living within those counties who are taking online courses, a Comet Card is required to check out materials at the McDermott Library. For more information on library resources go to http://www.utdallas.edu/library/distance.html. Student Assessments Grading Information Weights Item Percentage Weekly Activities 10 % P: Assignments 40 % D: Discussions 30 % Q: Assessments 20 % Grading Scale Scaled Score Letter Equivalent 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C Less than 70 F General Course Syllabus Page 6 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Grading Policy Late work will be accepted for partial credit. Note completion requirements described earlier. All tasks are to be completed within the assigned timeframe that is specified in the following Class Schedule. If you have any trouble or are unable to meet a weekly deadline, email the instructor immediately with an explanation of the situation and explicit details in the case of technical complication/confusion. Accessing Grades Students can check their grades by clicking Gradebook on the course menu after the grade for each assessment task is released. Assignment submission instructions As explained throughout the course, we'll use a modified version of Gowin's Knowledge Vee (a problemsolving heuristic) to work through the steps of designing, implementing, and evaluating your technology solution. Drawing from the individual Assignments (P01-P07) each week, the Final Project Plan (P08) is your ultimate goal and will be graded per the rubric to be provided in the course. Locate the Project task by clicking on the P: Assignments link in the course navigation menu. Submit assignments in the required file format as directed. To submit your assignment, click the assignment name link and follow the on-screen instructions to upload and submit your file(s). For additional information on how to submit assignments, please view the Submitting An Assignment video tutorial. General Course Syllabus Page 7 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Participation/Discussions Participation is evidenced by your performance throughout the semester. Consideration is given to individual correspondence by way of direct email in addition to course accesses and task completion. Through the discussion forums, we will share various perspectives on the educational technology 'issue of the week'. A task will be clearly described in the Detailed Syllabus Addition as well as within each respective discussion forum for your convenience. This is the reflective part of the course that will 'steer' your individual project development as you are inspired by your peers' unique perspectives that draw on their experiences and expertise in their own fields of interest. Reflections are different from descriptive accounts, although your posts may include basic statements for clarification. Reflections go deeper than just summarizing an article or chronicling what has occurred. You need to make/take time to think about what you have read/seen/heard/learned/experienced in order to determine how you reacted/felt/thought/gained during the task. Critical reflection is not 'mushy' or 'touchy-feely'; it is very real and thoughtful. These tasks are about trying to understand different perspectives and setting new goals that build on the new understanding developed by sharing in a professional discussion. You can access the discussion forums by clicking the D: Discussions link in the course navigation menu. Note that the weekly discussions are scored on a 3-point scale, where 1 point is awarded for posting an original and thoughtful response to the weekly prompt and up to 2 points are awarded for posting a substantive reply to at least 2 other original posts made by your classmates for each respective forum. You need to make your original post within the week each discussion is assigned, but know that you can come back to this task when you are ready to contribute to each conversation with your replies. (While keeping up in this area will greatly inspire your project development, occasionally, individual schedules do not allow for a practical or steady exchange; just be sure to make 3 posts to each forum for full credit by the end of the semester. You are encouraged to revisit prior forums as you notice new posts have been added!) Assessment (Quizzes and Surveys) Because there is far too much content to cover completely in 8 'pretty darn quick' weeks, the Assessment tool provides a 'self-check' on your learning. Rather than pressuring you to get 'the right answers' each week, these 'quizzes' are meant to challenge you to push yourself with respect to your knowledge and understanding of issues in educational technology. While you are expected to 'perform' well - meaning to get good scores - your submissions are credited as either Complete or Incomplete. The point is to make sure that you are aware of the key points in each weekly lesson. Feedback is provided for each item to add to your experience so make sure to review those notes as they factor into your project development! You can access quizzes/exams by clicking the Q: Assessments link in the course navigation menu. Assessments may be timed and the number of attempts allowed within a scheduled time window will be specified. Please read the on-screen instructions carefully before you click Begin. After each quiz is graded and released, you may go to Gradebook page and click the quiz and the score link of the quiz to view your graded submission. If manual scoring is needed, the grade will appear sometime during the following week unless otherwise noted in a special Announcement. General Course Syllabus Page 8 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Class Schedule Weekly activities will become available by 12:30a CST on Monday mornings and are due by 11:30p CST on Sunday nights as noted below. MARK YOUR PERSONAL CALENDARS & SET REMINDER ALERTS NOW! WEEK AVAILABLE early morning on THEMES Context, Skill (Issues) > Project COMPLETE by midnight on 0 On-going 1 6/09 2 6/16 3 6/23 4 6/30 5 7/07 6 7/14 7 7/21 8 7/28 ED5320 Welcome and Expectations, Self-Orientation (elearning/tutorials) > Gowin s Vee Heuristic 21 st Century Skills Learning Environments, Digital Literacy (Copyright/Plagiarism) > Target Audience Professional Responsibility Learning Styles, Critical Thinking (Compliance/Accessibility) > Driving Question Professional Accountability Learning Objectives, Creativity (Standards/Curriculum) > Theoretical Basis Practical Implementation Technology Integration, Problem-Solving (Assessment/Support) > Design Pedagogical Competency Educational Technologies, Collaboration (Dissemination/Delivery) > Timeline Pedagogical Scaffolding Emerging Technologies, Sustainability (Evaluation/Visualization) > Measures Lifelong Learning Learning Networks, Communication (Privacy/Social Media) > Value Claim Making a Difference Learning Solutions, Innovation (Adoption/Promotion) > Project Plan! On-going 6/15 6/22 6/29 7/06 7/13 7/20 7/27 7/29 Download any activities, assignments, discussions, and assessments before the end of the summer semester so you can use/revisit them as needed/helpful in the future! General Course Syllabus Page 9 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014
Scholastic Honesty The University has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed information is available on the UTD Judicial Affairs web page. All students are expected to maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. Course Evaluation As required by UTD academic regulations, every student must complete an evaluation for each enrolled course at the end of the semester. A link to an online instructional assessment form will be emailed to you for your confidential use. Your honest input is greatly appreciated as the instructor uses this as one more source for feedback to improve the course continually. University Policies The information contained in the following link constitutes the University s policies and procedures segment of the course syllabus. Please go to http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies for these policies. These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the professor. General Course Syllabus Page 10 of 10 ED5320 Summer 2014