The Impact of Open Source

The Impact of Open Source

Online Instructor Training and Resource Repository

http://learn.uci.edu/cms/course/view.php?id=6119&username=guest&password=guest

This course is delivered University of California Irvine Distance Learning Center. This course has links to Camtasia presentations and a many other resources that are used in UC Irvine online instructor training courses.  The training materials are divided into two parts.  The first part introduces you to the Moodle learning management systems functions and features.  The second part introduces you to the various aspects of teaching online.  It covers the following topics:

• ·         Preparing and organizing content
• ·         Creating a syllabus
• ·         Developing an instructional presentation
• ·         Facilitating students’ learning online

The last part provided a vast array of supplemental resources.  There were examples of documents and templates, procedures for narrated Powerpoints and Camtaasia Presentations, effective practices making Powerpoint presentations and information about copyright and intellectual property.

The course appears to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance learning environment.  The planners have identified who their learners are.  “When the learners have an understanding of the reasons why they are participating in a particular type of instructional activity, they are better able to use that experience to expedite their own learning” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 156).  Extension instructors are expected to complete this training at least three months before they are to begin teaching.

The course appears to follow the recommendations for online instruction as listed in our course textbook.  The course text has a section that outlines the twelve best practices in course design for distance education.  “Make all four media available to teachers and learners.  Print, audio, television, and computers should be available” (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek, 2012, p. 172).  This course includes all four media types.

The course designer did not implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students.  This is the one area that can be improved on.  Even thou there are ample media tools being used in this course, there is no type of student assessment during the course.

Reference

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.