Terry's ePortfolio

MDE Courses & Artifacts 

Spring 2008

USCP 611 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills
"(Required within the first 6 credits of graduate study for all new graduate students and all inactive students who reapply for admission.) An overview of online library and information resources—material that is critical for 21st-century managers. An in-depth introduction to the library research process and to the tools necessary to succeed in graduate study is provided. Emphasis is on the efficient and effective use of a variety of electronic retrieval systems, including the online catalog of the University System of Maryland and affiliated institutions (USMAI), UMUC’s subscription databases and the Web. Discipline-specific research is conducted in order to gain experience in formulating viable research questions, selecting the most appropriate investigative methods and resources for research, locating relevant research materials, evaluating the scholarly value of sources and effectively citing sources" (University of Maryland University College [UMUC], 2011).

This was a great introduction to the master's degree. It demonstrated what library resources were available along with incorporating correct APA style. I was impressed with all the library had to offer. This could have been a very dry course, but the simulated web quest perked it up and made learning seamless.

OMDE 601 Foundations Distance Education and E-learning
"(Developed by Ulrich Bernath of Germany and Eugene Rubin of the United States, in collaboration with Börje Holmberg of Sweden and Otto Peters of Germany.) An overview of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required by a competent practitioner of distance education. Critical concepts and issues identified in the distance education literature are explored and the history and theories of the field are critically examined" (UMUC, 2011).

This was my first "real" course in the master's program, so I started with some anxiety, which quickly turned into excitement. I enjoyed having Thomas Hulsmann and Lisa Blaschke as instructors. In particular, they double-teamed which allowed for quick feedback that was comprehensive and helpful instead of a simple critical response. We covered a lot of ground which really whet my appetite for more. We first defined distance education followed by traits that characterized distance education since its inception. We also analyzed Michael Moore's transactional distance. We then did a group project on various distance education institutions and ended with an individual essay  of the group assignment. There were theories and thoughts to consider which made the course all that more enticing. We had the unique opportunity to be able to collaborate with such known scholars as Börje Holmberg, Torstein Rekkedal, and Otto Peters. One of the required texts, Distance Education: A Systems View, by Moore and Kearsley was such a great read; so much that I have been using it as a reference throughout the masters program. This class was great in that it set the stage for a solid foundation for other courses to come. My only disappointment was the group study. As seemingly routine, I was in a group with a slacker or two and we could not seem to get our schedules in sync to meet deadlines. This is  something to consider when I give group assignments.

Course work:

assignment 1: definition of distance education

assignment 2: Traits Which Have Characterized Distance Education since Its Inception

assignment 3: transactional distance

assignment 4: individual essay – University of South Africa

Summer 2008

OMDE 610 Teaching and Learning in Online Distance Education
"An exploration of the online teaching and learning dynamic, including its theoretical foundation and best practices. The themes that shape the online teaching/learning relationship are addressed through individual and collaborative projects. Topics include philosophical frameworks; instructional, social and cognitive presence; interaction, collaboration and participation; community and engagement; and administration and management" (UMUC, 2011).

This course was taught by Dr. Susan Ko. The first short response paper was to be on a critical incident from an online course. HOORAY!! I was able to vent about my negative group experience in a prior course. Other important topics that I wrote papers on were avenues for increasing participation and the use of rubrics. Both helped me analyze their importance as my field of distance education and training requires both. This course was a dynamic insight to theories and teaching philosophies. Thus, instilling in me documentation that online education has the strong propensity for success. I am an advocate of online learning so the constructivist theory was quite appealing to read. We also did another group activity, which went better than my last one. I think I was assigned to a more inspiring group and the instructor stepped in at various times to foster interaction (guide on the side) which transcended into a good collaborative learning environment. This is good to keep in mind for me when teaching in an online environment.

Course work:

assignment 1: An Experience in Teamwork

assignment 2: Avenues for Increased Participation

assignment 3: Literature Review - The Positive and Negative Aspects of Using Rubrics

assignment 4: group activity - proposed learning activity

Fall 2008

DETT 607 Instructional Design and Course Development in Distance Education and E-Learning
"An examination of the instructional design process, its history and place in today’s course development efforts, and the use of instructional design components in practice. Emphasis is on the nature of learning and the requirements for effective instruction. The theoretical underpinnings of learning are explored and applied to the design of a prototype classroom. Management issues surrounding course and curriculum development efforts are discussed and a comprehensive curriculum management plan is developed" (UMUC, 2011).

This course was instructed by Dr. Mauri Collins. She introduced me to creating a learning journal. My initial thought about a learning journal was negative because I do not keep a private journal so I thought this would be a waste of good paper. How wrong I was! Being graded, it really made me think about what I was learning in each of the modules. I hope to use this tool in my future courses that I instruct. We discussed extensively content analysis along with instructional design principles and theories to correlate with them. I learned that the constructivist learning theory is a great fit for online learning. I did find this course a bit challenging as I had to submit my learning design document for an online course more than once, yet it allowed me to create a sample course on paper including subject matter content representation, student interaction with course content and the necessity of prompt feedback.

Course work:

assignment 1: learning journal

assignment 2: learning design

Spring 2009

DETC 620 Training and Learning with Multimedia
"An examination of the use of digital media in a variety of educational settings to identify properties, strengths and weaknesses of multimedia in different learning contexts. Basic psychological processes of perception, understanding and learning are introduced. Focus is on multimedia and instructional design for online learning systems, such as Web-based training. Hands-on experience with several multimedia and online learning and information systems is provided. Topics also include groupware and collaborative learning technologies, intelligent systems, instructional simulations and virtual reality systems" (UMUC, 2011).

Dr. Olaf Zawacki-Richter and Dr. Jill Fresen were terrific instructors. Delving more in depth into distance education, we discussed paradigm shifts due to technological innovations and the characteristics of prevalent media. With this knowledge, we completed a multimedia project proposal on a course of our choosing. To choose the multimedia for the course the SECTIONS model was used. Specific to this course was doing an expert appraisal, which involved reviewing two multimedia websites and rating them using a qualitative weigh and sum analysis comprised of symbols instead of numbers for ranking. I found this an interesting concept as numbers do create the illusion of a linear scale.

Course work:

assignment 1: impact of multimedia

assignment 2: expert appraisal

assignment 3: project proposal

2009 Summer

DETC 611 Library and Intellectual Property in Distance Education and E-learning
"An overview of the development and delivery of digital resources for distance education. Discussion covers the intellectual property issues affecting the use of copyrighted works in distance education, developing and delivering library resources online to a faculty and student population, and the future of digital information delivery and the impact of digital rights management (DRM) technologies and social networking" (UMUC, 2011).

This course was instructed by Ilene Frank. What an informative course on intellectual property and copyright laws. This is so important to know when teaching in the online realm. One of the assignments was an article review on copyright laws. I did mine on copyright laws and fair use in the digital era: Implications for distance education programs in community colleges. I also did a paper on plagiarism. From there we developed our own information literacy learning module. I really thought at the onset of the course it would be dry and a struggle to its completion, however I was pleasantly surprised. As it was great to learn about the Fair Use Act, TEACH and the database service Turnitin. Mostly importantly, I learned that copyright is a serious issue in online learning.

Course work: 

assignment1: copyright article

assignment 2: ownership policy critique

assignment 3: case study copyright

assignment 4: information literacy

to catch a plagiarizer

Fall 2009

DETT 621 Training at a Distance
"An examination of the role of distance training in business, nonprofit and government organizations. A wide variety of issues, problems and solutions in Web-based training are explored. Topics include the economics of distance training, distance technology in the business organization, synchronous versus asynchronous interactive tools, collaborative and problem-solving tools, authoring tools, in sourcing versus outsourcing and the role of multimedia in distance training. Emphasis is on the concept of the corporate virtual university and its design and operation" (UMUC, 2011).

Taught by Zane L. Berge, Ph.D., this course moved from the much discussed subject of teaching in distance education to the business world. I enjoyed this course as most of my studies were geared in distance education so this was really insightful information. One of the items that I enjoyed about Berge's instruction was the variety of articles that he provided for us to read and comment on. Some topics included: online training in an online world, elearning versus distance and classroom learning, long distance collaboration, groupware, and the future of elearning and technology training: trends for the 21^st century.

Course work:

assignment 1: Comparing Elearning Organizations

Spring 2010

OMDE 603 Technology in Distance Education and E-learning
"A review of the history and terminology of the technology used in distance education. The basic technology building blocks of hardware, networks and software are identified. Analysis covers the characteristics of asynchronous and synchronous technologies and tools used in the teaching and learning, as well as the administration of distance education. The relationship between technology and the goals of the educational/training organization are critically examined. The relationship between information technology (especially online technology) and distance education is explored. Topics include the criteria and guidelines for selecting technologies for distance education and future directions of technology in distance education" (UMUC, 2011).

Taught by Professor Rawson, the first assignment involved synchronous and asynchronous technologies. We discussed its advantages and disadvantages and brought out the fact both can be taught through the theory of constructivism. Thus, allowing learners to take a hands-on approach in their learning as they collaborate with others to create unique learning experiences. We also discussed the concept of cognitive dissonance. This is important to diagnose as in the case of distance education, it can involve participation in coursework. Specifically if online learners are not structured for independent study, they tend to fall behind, creating a dissonance. If they fail to alter their behavior (and create better study habits), the learner may rationalize their choice by altering their beliefs into thinking that structured studying is a waste of time. The final assignment was to analyze a learning management system. I choose Blackboard and used the SECTIONS model to identify its usefulness. I concluded that is has a strong propensity for success by incorporating a constructivist pedagogical approach. Another item discussed was the usefulness of creating blogs. Blogs initially seem like an innovative way to share information; however there may be serious copyright violations involved. I enjoyed this course very much and enjoyed the various parameters it brought to light as I will be instructing in both online and in F2F environments.

Course work

assignment 1: Comparative Analysis of Asynchronous and Synchronous Technologies

assignment 2: Cognitive Dissonance

assignment 3: Analyzing Blackboard as the Choice Technology

Summer 2010

EDTC 650 Special Topics in Instructional Technology
"An exploration of current topics in instructional technology, which are offered on a rotating basis. Individual topics focus on advanced instructional multimedia for the K–12 classroom (including building interactive multimedia materials that meet the learning needs of diverse K–12 populations while developing skills using animation and other multimedia technologies) or on teaching and learning in the K–12 virtual school (including policies and structures of K–12 virtual schools, teaching and course development strategies appropriate for elementary and secondary school online courses, and emerging issues in the K–12 virtual enterprise)" (UMUC, 2011).

This was probably my most favorite course as it delves into all of the cool Web 2.0 tools that can be used in educating the masses. Taught by Randall Hanson, we reviewed Google Presenter (software applications), Audacity (software for recording and editing sounds), UDUTU (course authoring tool), Podbean (to create podcasts), Go Animate (to make animations), Wetoku (live broadcasts), Drop box (software to link computers together to access folders anywhere) Learn Free (a variety of free interactive lessons), Eclipse Crossword (for creating crosswords), Skype (instant messaging with webcam capabilities)YouTube (for posting videos), Jing (to capture screen images), My Inspiration (to create concept maps) and Quizlet (for creating quizzes). I created a website in Yola that highlights some of my experiences http://terrybswebsite.yolasite.com/   I had to do a technology expert interview on an institution that uses technology and we also did a before and after essay on using Web 2.0 technology. For me, the essays were quite a contrast as I had little knowledge that Web 2.0 had so much to offer. By the end of the course, I was ecstatic about all the free tools to be had for use in learning. In using these innovative tools, they are not without a disadvantage as I found that many need high speed internet for optimum use, specifically Skype.

Course work:

assignment 1: evaluating experiences with online multimedia and Web 2.0

assignment 2: technology expert interview

assignment 3: departing reflection on Web 2.0 tools

Fall 2010

OMDE 606 Costs and Economics of Distance Education and E-Learning
"(Developed by Thomas Huelsmann of Germany.) A study of the economics of distance education in the larger context of the economics of education. Various methodological approaches (including cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness analysis) are applied to the distance education context. Costing techniques and economic models are explored and applied to different institutional forms and levels of distance education" (UMUC, 2011).

Taught by Dr. Thomas Hülsmann, this is one course that I was reluctant  to take as I had heard rumors how tough it was. However, I found that once I got into the sessions, it really was not that rough. It consisted of plugging information into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet using an ingredients approach to determine the actual cost analysis of putting together a distance education course. Before I took this course, I paid little attention to fixed and variable costs and depreciation. What an eye opener! I was so proud of myself when I got an A on the assignment. The big downside to this course was once again a group assignment. Unfortunately, there was a slacker or two that pushed the burden on us at crunch time. The assignment got completed in time, but it was definitely not a reflection of my best work. Of special interest in this course was discussion on human capital theory, thus do we really need an education in today's society? You can view my comments in the learning journal that I created at: http://terrybslearningjournal.yolasite.com/

Course work:    

assignment 1: Expansion of Education

assignment 2: ICT

assignment 3: cost analysis part 1  cost analysis part 2

OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Education and Training
"An introduction to the theories and concepts of support for learners in distance education and training. The various types of learner support—including tutoring and teaching; advising and counseling; and library, registrarial and other administrative services—are examined. Discussion addresses management issues such as planning, organizational models, staffing and staff development, designing services to meet learner needs, serving special groups and evaluation and applied research. Assignments include designing a learner support model for a particular context (e.g., public or private educational institution or corporate or military training)" (UMUC, 2011).

This course was taught by Jane Brindley and Christine Walti. I enjoyed this course as we were assigned to do another annotated bibliography. I really learn a lot when doing these. There are a lot of different viewpoints being presented and the articles are quite interesting. I will keep this in mind as I pursue my teaching career. I also did a paper on the role of the online instructor/facilitator. This was another eye opening experience for me as the role needs to be viewed from many aspects such as pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical. To summarize this course, I learned that the role of the instructor in online learning is complex. The instructor needs to be a facilitator in the delivery and management of instruction. Along those lines, the instructor needs to keep discussions threads moving and on track, contributing as needed with his/her knowledge and insights, and maintaining group accord. Finally, we did another group assignment. I had a great group and was satisfied with the results. I think it is important to keep in mind that the players in group assignments may be intelligent students; however, families, jobs and everyday living can play havoc on getting assignments done.

Course work:   

assignment 1: annotated bibliography

assignment 2: the role of the online

assignment 3: cecil college group

Spring 2011

DEPM 604 Leadership in Distance Education and E-Learning
"An introduction to the organization, management and administration of distance education systems. Topics include management theory, organizational behavior, leadership roles, human resource management, employee relations, the impact of information technology, faculty/staff development, inter-institutional collaboration, planning, policy and change. Both education and training environments, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to function effectively in either type of organizational setting, are explored" (UMUC, 2011).

Course work:

assignment 1: situational leadership

assignment 2: case study

assignment 3: group case study

assignment 4: leadership

OMDE 670 Portfolio and Research Project in Distance Education & E-Learning
"A capstone study of distance education and training designed to demonstrate cumulative knowledge and skills through two major projects: an electronic portfolio and a case study. The personal e-portfolio documents credentials and accomplishments to date and also serves as an ongoing resource and record of continuing professional development. The case study, which focuses on a distance education/training program or organization, involves in-depth analysis of the setting and application of concepts and strategies to enhance practice and performance in distance education and training" (UMUC, 2011).

Course work: mobile learning

Reference

University of Maryland University College. (2011).  Course Descriptions. Retrieved from http://umuc.edu/programs/grad/courses/omdecat.shtml