Theme Areas

Tools/Resources

Activity Design

Facilitating Distance Learning

Assessment

Overview

The Need for Process Oriented Curriculum

The quality of educational institutions and the outcomes they produce are directly linked to the effective implementation of certain key process areas: learning, teaching, curriculum design, and assessment.

Curriculum design is an especially important process because the type of curriculum and its quality greatly influences the manner in which students learn and the way faculty teach.

By integrating learning theory into the design process, curricula can be created that supports Process Education approaches, thereby creating learning environments which challenge students to develop essential learning skills as well as master content.

Rapidly advancing technology provides exciting opportunities for enhancing interactive learning environments and effective curricula. The use of technology as an effective learning tool is in its infant stages. Innovative strategies must be developed, refined and then assessed for their ability to increase the quality of distance learning.

Institute Outcomes for Facilitating Learning From a Distance

1. Learn how to increase the use of cooperative and collaborative learning.
2. Identify ways to incorporate Process Education philosophy and active learning approaches.
3. Improve intervention techniques in on-line environments.
4. Explore how to effectively communicate in the online environment with respect to:

• content presentation,
• assessment and evaluation feedback,
• growing students independence, and
• email versus threaded discussion.

5. Discuss the implications of design structure on student/faculty workload.

Interactive Learning System Outcomes

1. Define the key components of an ILS (enhancing the design process) along with criteria for measuring the quality of each component (enhancing the assessment process).
2. Assess current on-line courses and technologies based on a set of established criteria.
3. Explore how to effectively use an ILS in teaching and learning processes to improve the quality of learning and personal growth of all students.
4. Explore how to effectively use technological tools to enhance the quality of teaching and learning processes. This includes support of student learning requirements, faculty teaching processes, designing quality curriculum, and improving assessment systems.
5. Study the relationship between an ILS, the facilitator, and the learner in various contexts to determine how each impacts and influences the quality of a teaching/learning environment.

Curriculum Design Outcomes

1. Provide a stimulating on-line environment for educators interested in crafting quality curriculum for learning using computer technologies.

2. Practice integrating a learning methodology and learning theory into the design of curriculum.

3. Set criteria for assessing and implementing quality curricula.

4. Develop and link assessment strategies in a creative, interactive learning activity.

5. Identify and assess key learning skills that students must develop when using technology in course work.

Institute Project 

Participants will be involved in creating a 10-hour module to prepare students for a successful on-line experience. The outcome will be a product that all institute participants can use in their on-line courses.