Flyer

Spring 2003

Revised 1/13/03 by Karen Murphy

Welcome to this Web-based course in the foundations of distance learning offered by the Educational Technology Program in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University. Dr. Karen L. Murphy is the instructor. The course begins on January 13 and ends on May 4.

ENROLL

Class web page: http://disted.tamu.edu/classes/foundations03s/edtc608/

Instructor

Karen L. Murphy, Ed.D., Associate Professor College of Education, Texas A&M University 622 Harrington Tower, MS 4232 College Station, TX 77843-4232

Voice: (979) 845-0987 (direct) (979) 845-1831 (departmental office) Fax:  (979) 862-1256 Email: kmurphy@tamu.edu Office hours: By appointment Instructor page: http://disted.tamu.edu/

[ Dates/Times/Location] [Course Description] [ Course Objectives ] [ Texts ] [ Delivery Mode ]

Dates/Time/Location

Dates/Time/Location: The course is Web-based, with only one face-to-face meeting held on Sunday, January 19, 2003 from 1:00pm - 3:00 pm for an orientation session in 636 Harrington on the TAMU campus in College Station. The class session will also be available by some form of remote access to those who live at a distance. This session is part of a weekend orientation for all EDTC online classes and includes library orientation, technical training, and a get-together in the evening of January 18. See the Orientation Agenda at http://www.coe.tamu.edu/~edtc/edtc/prog/edtcOrientationsSp2003.htm Go to the Introduction unit (when available) to prepare for the orientation.

Please bring:

• something warm to wear inside the building
• a digital photo (or be prepared to have your photo taken during the orientation)
• all of your course materials including

a. your textbooks
b. course pack from Copy Corner
c. printouts of the syllabus, calendar, introductory unit "Getting it Together" and Unit 1
d. any assignments due

Please note:

• The course actually begins on January 13, 2003
• The course is an introductory course in distance learning.
• The course requires intermediate Internet skills (email, attachments, chats, Web searches, installing software and plug-ins) because it is Web-based
• The course requires as much time and effort as, if not more than, a traditional course (12-15 hours per week for 15 weeks)
• You should plan to log on to the class 4-5 days per week on average
• You are expected to participate in the January 19 Orientation

This Web-based course is designed for school teachers, administrators, curriculum and technology specialists, faculty and staff in higher education, and trainers in the corporate sector. Online resources will supplement the text and Course Pack readings. You will add to your store of knowledge about these technologies by using them for communication, information gathering, and dissemination.

Course Objectives
1. Examine definitions of distance education, distance learning, distributed learning, and open learning
2. Describe issues and trends in distance education
3. Apply communication theory, learning theories, and systems theory to distance education settings
4. Identify distance educators, journals, and other resources
5. Select appropriate delivery technologies for specific contexts and learner characteristics
6. Demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency in using varied distance education technologies

Texts
Note: The textbooks can be purchased from the Memorial Student Center Bookstore on campus. Phone:  979-845-8681. The textbook coordinator is John Louis Bolch at j-lo@books.tamu.edu

• Gibson, C. C. (Ed.). (1998). Distance learners in higher education: Institutional responses for quality outcomes. Madison, WI: Atwood.
• Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2003). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (2nd ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill (Prentice-Hall). ISBN: 0-13-094629-X (pbk.)
• Course Pack from Copy Corner (979-693-0640 or 979-694-COPY), 1404 Texas Avenue South, College Station (e-mail: info@copy-corner.com)
• Readings on reserve for EDTC 602 at Electronic Reserves http://library.tamu.edu/er-intro.htm
• Video supplements to Teaching and learning at a distance http://amls.tamu.edu:8080/ramgen/edtc608/
• University of Idaho. (1995). The distance education at a glance series http://www.uidaho.edu/evo/distglan.html

Course Delivery
The course will be taught as a Web-based course. In addition, we will explore applications of other delivery technologies. Technical training is optional and is part of an entire weekend devoted to the orientation of EDTC Web-based classes (January 17-19, 2003).

• Course website: Information about the course and your responsibilities are explained in this website. It also contains links to online resources that will supplement the readings.
  WebCT: This program will be used only for the Calendar and Gradebook. Information about the course and your responsibilities are explained in this website. It also contains links to online resources that will supplement the readings. WebCT is at https://webct.tamu.edu/
• FirstClass: This computer conferencing program offers email, threaded discussions, real-time chats, and collaborative documents. This course requires you to have access to the client version of FirstClass from your own desktop to do certain functions. Follow the instructions for downloading and installing FirstClass onto your computer at http://fc.coe.tamu.edu. Contact FirstClass Help firstclass@coe.tamu.edu for technical difficulties after the class has begun.

Access: You will access WebCT with your "preferred" Neo username and password once authorized to do so. You will access the FirstClass 608 conferences with your own login ID and password once authorized to do so. Your FirstClass login ID is the first letter of your first name followed by your last name (e.g., kmurphy for Karen Murphy). Your FirstClass password is the last 5 digits of your student ID number.