Author: Terry Beachy
Last saved by: terry.beachy

Project Proposal for Microsoft Office Word 2007

Terry Beachy
DETC620
Section 9040
April 9, 2009
Multimedia Proposal

Multimedia Project Proposal for Microsoft Office Word 2007

1. Project Description 

Convert the existing Microsoft Office Word 2007 course to an on-line format. This multimedia course is a comprehensive study of word processing using Microsoft Windows interface with Word. Students will create, edit, and print various types of documents.

1.1	Project Rationale 

The College has identified a gap in skills and knowledge in computer competency, more specifically, the application software, Microsoft Office Word 2007. The foundation to offer this course originated with students desiring to take an online computer application course. These students expressed an interest for this type of course to their advisors and to others in the academic community. 

Currently there is only one computer course offered online, that being “Introduction to Computers.” Equally important to note is in the face-to-face format, there are selectively few computer application choices. To resolve this imbalance, the method of web-based training via Blackboard is proposed. 

1.2	Advantages of Multimedia Format

•	Multichannel processing – seeing, reading, hearing and doing
•	Experience the subject in a vicarious manner
•	Augmented learning experience at a low cost per unit
•	Reusability 
•	Ease of use, learner is able to navigate at own pace
•	Wide variety of media – tailored to individual learning styles
•	Reliability/robustness
•	24/7 availability
•	Learners that are hearing impaired can read on-screen text

1.3	Disadvantages of Multimedia Format
•	Requires minimum level of computer literacy
•	Bandwidth limitations
•	May require plug-ins (ex: Flash)
•	Some anticipated discomfort with technology
•	Learners adapting to an asynchronous learning environment

1.4	 Why multimedia learning is applicable to this course
Multimedia enables learning through exploration, discovery and experience. Additionally, multimedia allows for numerous, flexible methods of presentation. 
2. Target Audience
The learner body of the institution consists of approximately 850 students. Along with traditional learners, there is quite a population of non-traditional learners. There are retirees, homemakers, displaced workers and a small population of international learners, to mention a few of many that attend the institution. 
The target audience of learners is anyone that attends the College and would like to learn (or better) their word processing skills using the software application, Microsoft Office Word 2007. The entry-level requirement is to have first taken the prerequisite course CSC105, Introduction to Computers.
To do well in this course, the learner should be familiar with the following: use of a Web browser, handling email (including sending email attachments), a general understanding of how to participate in threaded discussions and synchronous chat, basic file management, finding information on the Internet and completing online forms. 
Since this is an online course, the learner should possess the following characteristics: self- motivation, good time management skills, computer and Internet skills, and access to equipment and computers. Successful distance learners are self-disciplined, self-motivated, and do not require daily guidance with the instructor or other students.
3. Opportunities and Competition
Having the versatility of being able to offer the course online may result in drawing new students to the College. This program has already been approved by the Maryland Higher Education Committee (MHEC) as a face-to-face program. This course is a requirement for those wanting to obtain a certificate or degree in various computer and business programs. 
In regard to completion, neighboring colleges have already instituted a variety of on-line multimedia computer courses including the aforementioned. 
4. Project Details

4.1 Course Overview

The bulk of this multimedia course is based around the textbook, Microsoft Office Word 2007: Comprehensive Concepts and Techniques. The course will follow an exercise-oriented approach that allows learning by doing. The sequence that the course follows is dictated by the textbook chapters, one through nine. Thus, the students are first introduced to the basic concepts and then proceed to more advanced topics to complete exercises that apply their knowledge to real-world situations. 

4.2 Course Objectives

The goal of this course is to offer a comprehensive presentation of Microsoft Office Word 2007 through exposing the learner to practical examples with the proper procedures to create documents suitable for your coursework, professional purposes and personal use.  At the completion of the course, the learner should be able, using content provided (through completion of assignments) to do the following: 

1.	Create and edit a Word document. This will include formatting paragraphs and characters, along with inserting and formatting a picture or clipart to specifications. 
2.	Create a research paper using MLA documentation style and create an alphabetical works cited page.  
3.	Create a letterhead and cover letter and use a template to create a resume.
4.	Create a document with a title page, table, chart, and watermark.
5.	Create form letters, mailing labels and directories.
6.	Create a professional newsletter with a nameplate (using Word Art) a drop cap, section breaks, columns, Smart Art and a pull quote.
7.	Create a master document with a table of contents and index.
8.	Create a form with content controls.

4.3 Instructional Design Model

The instructional design model chosen is ADDIE (Morrison, 2007, p. 61). The steps include: analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluation. Each step in the model has an outcome that feeds into the next step in the sequence. The model will serve as a guide in the production and implementation of the course development process. 

4.4 Mode of Delivery

This multimedia course will be offered in the online format via Blackboard. 

4.5 Media Selections Criteria

To select the multimedia for this course, I referred to Bates and Poole’s (2003) SECTIONS model (p. 14). The acronym stands for Students, Ease of use and reliability, Costs, Teaching and learning, Interactivity, Organizational issues, Novelty and Speed. To elaborate, most students are at an entry level, thus I choose technologies with ease of use and reliability. Costs were also a determining factor along with time demands and speed, as this is a web-based multimedia course. 

Furthermore, the rationale for choosing the particular learning solutions that follows is based upon various writings from experts in the field. To begin, Morrison (2007) discusses learning styles by stating, “That learners find certain methods of learning more appealing than others” (p. 56). Thus, some learners are more comfortable with a visual approach, while others would rather attend lectures and read the text, yet others learn from physical activities. Inevitability, the choice in learning solutions is based on knowing the learning styles of the various students combined with which materials and learning strateiges can be easily adapted to accommodate individual needs. In knowing this, I have chosen a variety of learning solutions to meet the diversity of students. 

Additionally, Morrison (2007) speaks of “active learning”  (p. 222). Hence, materials to achieve active learning need to be carefully selected to engage learners. Moreover, important to note when selecting the learning solutions is that individuals learn at different rates. Therefore, a variety of materials that meets the objectives and put into a instructional sequence would allow for individual differences in speed, abilities and preferences. Accordingly, I have chosen learning solutions to engage learners and alllow them to work in accordance (to a degree) depending on their pace, capability and partiality. The media proposed to present the course content includes the following: 

•	textbook with online companion and student CD
•	 “How to” online demonstrations with audio 
•	Podcasts – introduction to chapter topics
•	Flash video slide shows with voice over 
•	PowerPoint presentations with sound 
•	Graphics and animations to support chapter topics
•	Textbook website: Learn It Online which is a series of online student exercises that test the knowledge of chapter content and key terms. The exercises will assist in mastering the text material through a variety of innovative activities, including chapter reinforcement, practice tests, flashcards, learning games, crossword puzzles and more.

All of the aforesaid would be integrated to the online environment by chapter topics, self-directed via the web with the availability of transcripts for those with learning disabilities. These learning tools have a high level of availability, familiarity and access. They are readily available technologies that are commonly found on computers today. They are relatively easy to create and content can be revised with ease as needed. 

4.6 Course Schedule

The duration of the course is semester long, hence 15 weeks. The course will be offered in a series of four modules with textbook chapters comprising the modules. A detailed course schedule will be posted at the beginning of the training to explain chapter discussion questions, end-of-chapter assignments to be submitted via a digital drop box, learn it online exercises,  PowerPoint presentations, demonstrations and videos, interactive pretests with feedback, interactive quizzes, and proctored examinations. A detailed course schedule will be presented upon request. 
4.7 Interaction among Students
The students will socialize and interact with each other by means of an initial ice breaker, weekly chapter discussion questions and a group assignment to build a sense of community.
4.8 Assessment Strategies
Students will be assessed by proctored tests, online quizzes, weekly assignments, Learn It Online exercises, participation in discussion questions, and a group assignment. 
4.9 Feedback
Feedback will be presented to students using the point system. They will receive points for tests, quizzes, doing weekly assignments, completing Learn It Online exercises, participating in discussion and contributing to a group assignment. Additional feedback will be provided in the form of notations written by the instructor on various assignments. 

5. Project Team/Responsibilities

5.1Project Leader/Manager/Instructional Designer/Subject Matter Expert 

•	Compiles and submits the project proposal
•	Promotes the adoption of web-based learning
•	Manages the overall project
•	Adapts the course materials
•	Designs, develops and builds course in Blackboard
•	Supervises project timelines
•	Ensures quality of content

5.2 Graphic Designer

•	Consults with Project Manager/Instructional Designer
•	Produces a concept design for the “look and feel” of the outline course, hence a shell
•	Produces all the necessary graphics, banner, icons for the course
•	Ensures that agreed deadlines are met with regard to the development of graphics

5.3 Audio and Video Expert

•	Consults with Project Manager/Instructional Designer
•	Produces all the necessary audio and video for the course
•	Ensures that agreed deadlines are met with regard to the development of audio and video

6. Project Schedule
The following macro scheduling, with target dates for the completion of tasks, is proposed with a view to the planning of and preparation for the program:
6.1 Submission of Project Proposal:  April 15, 2009
6.2 Decision by Steering Committee: April 30, 2009
6.3 Establishment of Project Team:  May 10, 2009
6.4 Design of learning environment: May 30, 2009
6.5 Design of study material: June 1 - 30, 2009
6.3 Deadline for review by Computer Science Department: July 10, 2009
6.4 Posting of course announcement/registration date: August 1, 2009
6.5 Start of Academic Program: September 7, 2009. 
6.6 Evaluation of student performance and course evaluations: December 15, 2009
6.7 Meeting to present feedback and discuss necessary changes to the course: December 18, 2009 

7. Support and training required:

Areas that would require support within the organization to implement this course would be at a minimum since there have already been courses developed for online use. Thus, a template for online courses has been established.  The College is able to provide the structure, support, and marketing for the course. This course would not need an extravagant amount of time or resources to bring to fruition. Much of the content of the online course is from the textbook while other information is in the form of a compact disc, which accompanies the textbook. Yet other materials can be easily obtained from the textbook website. Prior to the training, the learner would be provided a username, password and a tutorial on how to navigate in Blackboard. Additionally learners would be provided support by use of FAQ’s, availability to subject-matter experts via email and linked referenced documents. 

9.	Conclusion

To conclude, offering the online multimedia course, Microsoft Office Word 2007 has the strong propensity to increase the knowledge and skills bank of students at the College. With attention being paid to the content of the online class, specifically enhancing it with a variety of multimedia resources and interaction for both student-to-student and student-to-instructor, success is imminent. Similarly, if the students have the opportunity to take this course in the online format, it may ready them for other courses in which word processing is considered necessary. 

Project proposal compiled by Terry Beachy, April 15, 2009

__________________________ ________________
Project Leader Date
________________________ __________________
Head of Department Date
____________________________ ______________
Director: School for Management Date
_______________________________ ___________
Dean of Faculty Date

References:
Bates, A.W., & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education: Foundations for success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (pp. 153-179). 
Jonassen, D. H. (1988). Integrating learning strategies into courseware to facilitate deeper processing. In D.H. Jonassen (Ed.), Instructional designs for microcomputer courseware (pp. 151-182). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Morrison, G.R., S. Ross, and J. E. Kemp. (2007). Designing effective instruction. (5th ed) New York: John Wiley and Sons.