Prezi Evaluatng Teaching and Learning at a Distance

Objectives Evaluating Teachinf and Learning at a Distance

4.1 Differentiate between research and evaluation - When differentiating between research and evaluation one must know what they mean. Research produces generalizable knowledge, scientific inquiry based on intellectual curiosity, advances broad knowledge and theory and controlled setting while evaluation judges merit or worth, policy & program interests of stakeholders’ paramount, provides information for decision-making on specific program, conducted within setting of changing actors, priorities, resources, & timeline.

4.2 Define evaluation - Evaluation, as contrasted to research is the systematic investigation of the worth or merit of an object. Evaluation of programs is used to identify strengths and weaknesses well as the benefits and drawbacks of teaching and learning online. There are five steps when discussing evaluation and distance education which are reactions (did they like it), learning (did they learn it), transfer (will they use it) results (will it matter) and return on investment.

4.3 Explain the six categories of evaluation information: in measures of activity, efficiency, outcomes, program aims, policy, and organizations - The six categories of evaluation information are measures in activity (questions such as how many courses were produced and how many students were served), efficiency (questions include how many students successfully completed the course and what was the average students workload how much did the course cost), outcomes (measures of adequate learning and documenting the borrowing and use of courses and course materials), program aims (surveys of learners), policy and organizations (evaluation).

4.4 Describe the AEIOU approach to evaluation and its five levels—

accountability, effectiveness, impact, organizational - Accountability is defined as did the project planners do what they said they were going to do, effectiveness is how well done was the project, impact  is did the project, course, or program make a difference, organizational context which means what structures, policies or events in the organization or environment helped or hindered the project in accomplishing its goals and unanticipated consequences which is what changes or consequences of importance happened as a result of the project that was not expected.

URLs Evaluating Teaching and Learning at a Distance

http://www.ed.psu.edu/acsde/deos/deosnews.deosarchives.asp.

 

http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol6/issue1/haythornthwaite.htm

 

http://www.irrodl.org/content/v3.2/kretovics.html

 

Definitions Evaluating Teaching and Learning at a Distance

Definitions Evaluating Teaching and Learning at a Distance

1.     Evaluation, as contrasted to research, is the systematic investigation of the worth or merit of an object. Program evaluation is the systematic investigation of the worth of an ongoing or continuing distance education activity.

2.    Measures of activity. These measures are counts of the numbers of events, people, and objects. Administrative records often provide data for activity questions.

3.    Measures of efficiency. Measures of efficiency are closely related to measures of activity, and often administrative records can be the source of efficiency information.

4.    Measures of outcomes. Measures of adequate learning are usually considered the most important measures of outcomes of distance education activities. Often, interviews with learners are used to supplement course grades in order to find students’ perceptions about a distance education activity.

5.    Measures of program aims. Some distance teaching programs specify their aims in terms of what and whom they intend to teach, and evaluation information is collected to establish the extent to which these aims were met.

6.    Measures of organizations. Sometimes it is important to evaluate a distance education institution in terms of its internal organization and procedures. Evaluators sometimes are asked to monitor the process of course development or program delivery to help an organization be more efficient.

7.    Accountability. Evaluators checked records, interviewed staff, and visited classrooms to determine the status of the development of the ICN, both as a physical system and as a tool used by teachers to deliver courses to distant learners. The accountability focus shifted during the project as its activities shifted from construction to implementation and finally to maintenance.

8.    Effectiveness. Evaluators conducted interviews and focus groups to determine what impact the availability of the ICN had on classroom education. Surveys were sent and reports were generated that helped education leaders to better understand what role distance education was playing.

9.    Impact. As the network became widely available and the number of courses and activities increased, it became possible to determine the impact of the ICN and distance education events on education in the state. Students were tested and grades reported.

10.                       The AEIOU approach is similar to Woodley and Kirkwood’s in that is an electric one that uses quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and it has two primary purposes as an evaluation strategy.

 

 

Prezi Managing and Leading a Distance Education Organization

URLs Managing and Leading at a Distance

http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/html/cem/cem97/cem9734. Html

http://wiche.edu/telecom/Accrediting%20-%20Commitment.pdf

http://search.ntia.doc.gov/pdf/fttn00.pdf

Objectives Managing and Leading at a Distance

4.1 Describe the functions of a distance education administrator in each of the four subsystems of a distance education system.

The administrative functions are to provide strategic leadership and direction, conduct program analysis, maintains the organizational website ensures availability and responsiveness for all student support requirements and ensures fiscal responsibility for online courses and programs.

4.2 Describe the major national, regional, and local issues that affect distance education programs.

The things that affect the different levels are financial aid, how distance education is being taught and telecommunications.

4.3 List and explain the significant areas of cost in the development, delivery, and evaluation of distance education programs.

Distance education is expensive. Personnel costs typically are the majority of the total budgets for distance education programs. Even if these costs are prorated portions of the organizational budget, they can be extraordinary, depending on the size of the program. When budgets get cut development and delivery was cut first.

4.4 Describe a successful program for training faculty to teach effectively in a distance education environment.

A successful and effective curriculum should include the unique attributes and needs of distance learners, assessments of students at a distance, course evaluation, course management factors such as office hours, course instructional design for distance delivery and effective use of embedded technologies.

4.5 Explain how the federal and state governments and accreditation agencies evaluate distance education programs.

Their primary emphasis is on program quality, to protect the public from diploma mills. The federal government evaluates it by student financial aid, copyright, school and public access, and data gathering. The state governments evaluate it having students participate in lab or clinical at an in state site and the instruction participates in in-state college affairs. The regional accreditation agencies in particular are rapidly becoming distance education administrations best friends in promoting distance education and upholding quality standards.

4.6 Explain how access and accessibility issues should influence distance education programs.

The web can be an important tool for disabled students. Students at a distance, however, can be a greater disadvantage if they are without easy access to campus based disability resources and advocacy for accessible web resources.

4.7 Explain how intellectual property issues should be addressed at the local level.

In the absence the ownership of online courses or course materials developed by a teacher should be specified in the employment contract or collective bargaining agreement. The best thing to do before questions become issues is to develop an organizational intellectual policy to which all parties agree.

 

Definitions Managing and Leading at a Distance

1. Distance Learning Leader is a visionary capable of action who guides an organization’s future, its vision, mission, goals, and objectives. The leader guides the organization and its people who have faith in the leader, and have a clear understanding and acceptance of the organization’s worthwhile and shared vision and goals. A distance learning leader has competence in knowing, designing, managing, leading, and visioning distance education.
2. Course Subsystem covers a much broader range of responsibility than the design and development of courses, although these are the primary functions.
3. Student Subsystem is the processes of admitting students and managing and controlling their progress. These are broad generalizations; the issues are much more complicated. In practice, the quality of student support services available and easily accessible to a distant learner will play a major role in determining whether that student learns about the program, enrolls, and remains through to completion.
4. Two Primary Functions for the logistical subsystem: purchasing and maintaining equipment, and employment and training of personnel.
5. Distance Education Policy is policy development and implementation, as well as revision of existing institutional policies when appropriate, is an important topic to be addressed when an organization considers offering distance courses and programs.
6. Intellectual Property Rights related to online courses and the media embedded within are a significant issue in distance education. The essential concerns are ownership of components of online courses and rights pertaining thereto. In other words, who actually owns an online course, or who owns the individual parts of an online course, and who has what rights to use what under what conditions?
7. Work for Hire is at the heart of the intellectual property rights debate. Under work for hire, if an employee creates a work during the course of her or his employment, the copyright of the work normally belongs to the employer. The test of what constitutes a work for hire utilizes the principles of what is termed agency law.
8. The Costs of Distance Education Distance education is expensive. The costs range from basic operation of the administrative office for distance education to faculty salaries to instructional design and technical support personnel to student support personnel to the delivery technology infrastructure. Personnel costs typically are the vast majority of the total budgets for distance education programs. The costs of delivering distance education and ensuring return of investment are foremost concerns of many distance education administrators.
9. Data-gathering. The federal government tracks Internet access among the general population through studies reported in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Falling Through the Net reports. The National Center for Educational Statistics (2003) tracks trends in distance education in postsecondary institutions. The Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General also compiles information on state and accreditation agency controls over distance education programs.
10. Digital Divide was defined by the Digital Divide Network (2004) as the gap between those who can effectively use new information and communication tools, such as the Internet, and those who cannot. The Digital Divide thus is a much broader concept than the relatively simple matter of access.

 

URLs Copyright and Distance Education

http://creativecommons.org/

http://www.electronic-school.com/2001/06/0601ip.html

http://www.library.yale.edu/~okerson/copyproj.html

Objectives Copyright and Distance Education

4.1 Differentiate between myth and fact related to copyright applications in distance education.

A work has to be published and registered with the United States Copyright Office to receive copyright protection, if it doesn’t have a copyright notice it is a public domain, anything on the internet is public domain, a work copyrighted in another country is public domain in the United States, the doctrine of “fair use” means that copyrighted materials can be used in an educational setting without permission and lastly any copyrighted materials can be digitized and placed on a course website without permission, as long as the site is password protected. 

4.2 Recognize the exclusive rights granted to copyright holders by U.S. copyright law.

The exclusive rights are to reproduce the copyrighted work, prepare derivative works based on the copyrighted original, distribute copies of the copyrighted work, perform the copyrighted work, and display the copyrighted work publicly.

4.3 Determine when copyrighted material enters the public domain.

It can enter the public domain most often simply through expiration of copyright protection and when owners abandon their copyrights.

4.4 Apply the four essential fair use criteria and published guidelines to determine whether use of copyrighted materials requires permission from rights holders.

The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole, and the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

4.5 Identify and track the status of current copyright legislation in Congress, and be aware of the implications of new legislation.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) 1998, and the Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act 2002

4.6 Determine whether learning materials may be used in a video-based distance education course without permission or require authorization from the rights holder.

According to the Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization Act (TEACH)   digital materials must only be available to the students during approximately the same time period in which they would be available to an face to face class, unless unusual circumstances exist, your institution holds the copyright to these videos, and you should be able to use them  anytime without restrictions.

4.7 Recognize what materials may be placed on the Internet without permission.

Materials that may be placed without permission are name, position, institution, mailing address and phone and fax number. Identification of the item to be used, complete description of the intended use and date by which permission is requested.

4.8 Recognize the circumstances under which Internet materials copyrighted by others may be forwarded, downloaded, and printed.

Under the circumstances and broadly speaking, one can copyright any original work of authorship that can be "fixed in any tangible medium. of expression," such as written on paper, or encoded on disk or tape, or recorded on film

4.9 Follow appropriate procedures for obtaining permission from rights holders to use copyrighted materials in a distance education course.

Distance educators must obtain permission from rights holders before using copyrighted materials in their courses, they should begin by contacting the publisher or distributor, if no address or phone is provided one must check catalogues or refer to the librarian and the last resort is a plea for help sent to the appropriate Internet mailing list. 

4.10 Facilitate the development of an effective intellectual property rights policy.

The development is who owns an online course the school/university, the faculty member providing the content, should the ownership be shared between the two , and if so under what conditions or is it even possible to “own” an entire online course.

4.11 Recognize the potential consequences of copyright infringement

If a copyright infringement is found on a website maintained by a service provider, the rights holder may request that the service provider “take down” or block access to the infringing material and escape organizational liability for the infringement.

Definitions Copyright and Distance Education

• Photographs and Digital Images The reproduction of photographs, illustrations, graphic designs, and other still images for use in a distance education course presents a perplexing copyright dilemma because intellectual property may be involved at several levels.
• Public Domain Any work in the public domain may be used freely in a distance education course. Works may enter the public domain several ways, most often simply through expiration of copyright protection.
• Videotapes and other Audiovisual Media works that consist of a series of related images which are intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines or devices such as projectors, viewers, or electronic equipment into courses transmitted to remote sites via distance education delivery systems, including both video- and Internet-based distribution.
• Section 110 of the copyright law permits the performance or display of a work during the face-to-face teaching activities of a nonprofit educational institution, in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction, with a lawfully made or acquired copy (if applicable). This has become known as the “face-to-face teaching exemption”.
• Fair Use of a copyrighted work . . . for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement.
• Copyright Myths

1. Myth 1. A work has to be published and registered with the U.S. Copyright Office to receive copyright protection. Any work, published or unpublished, meeting the criteria specified in the copyright law receives protection as soon as it is fixed in a tangible medium of expression.
2. Myth 2. If it does not have a copyright notice, it is public domain. As of March 1, 1989, when the United States adopted the Berne Convention international copyright treaty, a work is no longer required to include a copyright notice in order to receive protection.
3. Myth 3. Anything on the Internet is public domain. Nothing could be further from the truth. Original works of authorship placed on the Internet are entitled to protection just like any other works meeting the law’s criteria.
4. Myth 4. A work copyrighted in another country is public domain in the United States. This myth seems to arise when instructors want to use videotapes or publications from another nation in a U.S. distance education course.
5. Myth 5. The doctrine of “fair use” means that copyrighted materials can be used in an educational setting without permission. As a blanket statement, this is perhaps the biggest myth of all.
6. Myth 6. Any copyrighted materials can be digitized and placed on a course Web site without permission, as long as the site is password protected. Recent legislation has expanded the scope of materials that may be digitized and placed on a password-protected course Web site, but fair use criteria still apply.

• Intellectual Property The matter of intellectual property (IP) rights is currently one of the hot buttons in distance education, particularly among faculty unions.
• Digital Millennium Copyright Act has been the most comprehensive revision of the 1976 copyright law to date, with far-reaching implications for distance educators. The Act was intended to bring the United States into compliance with two treaties agreed upon by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1996. The DMCA specifies that if a copyright infringement is found on a Web site maintained by a service provider, the rights holder may request that the service provider “take down” or block access to the infringing material and escape institutional liability for the infringement.

Prezi Copyright and Distance Education

URLs Internet-Based Distance Education

https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ers0203/rs/ers02032.pdf

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01530/abstract
http://www.etilearn.com/wbt_benefits.html

Objectives Internet-Based Distance Education

4.1 Describe how the physical structure of the Internet facilitates the delivery of distance education to learners in a wide variety of locations and at varying educational levels.

The whole physical structure of the Internet has introduced a various amount of telecommunications technologies. It is categorized into four different tiers which are tier1 is the National/International Backbone Network, tier 2 is the regional networks, tier 3 is the Internet Service Provider while tier 4 is the Internal Networks. This is very important for students and teachers using the internet for educational purposes, because no quality-control mechanism exists to ensure that information is accurate and unbiased.
4.2 Discuss why the Internet relates well to transformations taking place in the general paradigms for teaching and learning.
It has gone from lecturing to coaching, taking attendance to logging on, distribution requirements to connected learning, credit hours to performance standards. It has also turned from competing to collaboration, from library collections to network connecting. Passive learning has gone to active while textbooks are now considered course materials.
4.3 Discuss the advantages and limitations of Internet-based learning.
There are so many compared with face to face teaching such as unless information is restricted students can work from a variety of different places when learning, students can work at their own pace, learning materials are available across the entire web, once information is developed students can have access to all current information, when it comes to limitations online courses require students to take more responsibility for their own learning, some topics may not adapt to well to delivery by computer, online courses may put emphasis on technology rather than content and learning opportunities.
4.4 Discuss the evolution of the Internet and its functions that most directly relate to
Distance education, such as electronic mail, mailing lists, and the World Wide Web.
It is a protocol which is an electronic language that computers use to communicate with each other and exchange data. It has no international headquarters or mailing address or telephone number. It is in a constant state of evolution with thousands of vendors making changes on a daily basis.
4.5 Identify the typical components of a course management system and their functions in Internet-based distance education.
Course management components may include a syllabus, course calendar, announcements, assignment instructions, learning objectives and the student roster, they typical parts are readings which is information that can be read online, content presentations which are slides and power point presentations, course communications which is emails, blogs or video -conferencing, group project space,  and student assessment which are exams and quizzes to see what the student has learned in the course and digital drop box.
4.6 Describe ways in which a course management system can be enhanced with
third-party products.
Course supplements which is when desire 2 learns and blackboard partner with textbook publishers to provide online course materials, partner applications and electronic course packs there are other components such as grading and plagiarism.
4.7 Select course activities that maximize active learning opportunities for students in an Internet- based distance education course.
 E-learning is a perfect example as well as synchronous and asynchronous learning.
4.8 Describe the potential of Web 2.0 for promoting learning in a distance education
setting.
Blogging, wikis, social networking and virtual worlds and social book marking and podcasting are just a few.
4.9 Describe trends in Internet-based distance education and their implications for educational programs.
It indicates when there is a shift in the synchronous and asynchronous learning environment and the evolving methods of delivery and emerging.

 

 

Prezi Assessment for Distance Education

Slideshare Internet-Based Distance Education

Internet-Based Distance Education from haiglerc

Definitions Internet-Based Distance Education

1.     Internet -  is not a single, clearly defined entity, but a meta-network of interconnected networks that share a common language, TCP-IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol).
2.     Protocol - is an electronic language that computers use to communicate with one another and exchange data.
3.     Tier 1: Backbone Networks and Internet Exchange Points – is the essential framework that provides a worldwide configuration of extremely high-bandwidth networks.
4.     Tier 2: Regional Networks - operate backbones on a smaller scale, in the United States typically within a state or among adjacent states, connecting to one or more national or international backbones.
5.     Tier 3: Internet Service Providers - is perhaps the most important component for distance educators. The individual Internet service providers (ISPs) are connected to regional networks and provide dial-up, or direct, high-speed access to the Internet at the local level.
6.      Tier 4: Organizational and Home Networks - are the local area networks that interconnect computers within an organization, such as a school, college, government agency, or company, and provide Internet access to individuals within those entities.
7.     Blogging - Web logging, or blogging, is a form of online reporting and journaling that gives anyone an opportunity to publish on the Internet.
8.     Wikis - is an online writing space designed to be created and edited by groups of persons.
9.     Podcasting - derived from the Apple product iPod and the term “broadcasting, “is the process of recording and storing audio and/or video content on the Internet for downloading and playback using iPods, MP3 players, computers, and other electronic gear that plays back audio and/or video files.
10.                        Student-centered learning - strongly promotes active learning, collaboration, mastery of course material, and student control over the learning process.

URLs Assessment

http://www.aahe.org/assessment/principal.htm.

 

http://www.cast.org/udl/UniversalDesignforLearning361.cfm.

 

http://www.fno.org/may98/cov98may.html.

Objectives Assessment for Distance Education

4.1 Discuss the role of assessment in the instructional design process, especially for distance education.

The role of assessment in the instructional design process is a corollary development of learning objectives. The assessment activities are matched to expectations and instruction is then based on assessment plans. When designing assessment measures one must focus on the cognitive domain.

4.2 Describe the characteristics of several types of assessment activities and the appropriate uses of each within a distance education environment.

One of the most important characteristics of a good assessment tool is that it matches the objectives which are also known as alignment, which indicates an acceptable degree of synchronicity among objects. Another characteristic is known as validity which is when an assessment provides an accurate estimate of learning gains. Another characteristic of a good assessment is clarity of expectations and it is referred to how easy the assessment is for the learners or others to understand. The most important thing is does the assessment activity measure learning gains and allow an accurate generalization of results beyond the immediate situation.

4.3 Implement practical strategies for assessing learner progress in a distance education course.

When wanting to implement some various assessment strategies to improve the effectiveness of the distance education environment these strategies are helpful: ongoing and non-graded assessment measures. Ongoing strategy is known also as embedded it is when assessment activities are woven into the fabric of the instructional process to see if the student progress doesn’t represent a student’s threat. The purpose is to monitor progress toward intended goals in a spirit of continuous improvement. When using non graded assessment one must assign scores to massive amounts of students work. Balancing flexibility and structure is when students have the opportunity to prepare their assignments on their own time. It should be based on the maturity of the student.

4.4 Discuss issues related to academic misconduct and describe how cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of unethical behavior may be preempted or alleviated in a distance education course.

Many institutions have their own policies stating their academic misconduct. The most important thing we know as students and educators is that cheating and plagiarism are serious problems. Plagiarism is when one has the intent to claim someone else work as their own and misuse sources. Of a\the technologies that have influenced them both the most frequently one used is online entrepreneurs which sell papers that are already formatted for easy submission. In distance education programs cheating is when students submit assignments, participate in discussions or request the instructor assistance with no face to face identity. Technological measures cheating on test includes randomizing the order of test items. A Media report of unethical behavior in politics, business, journalism and other professions says “it’s not a big deal” in fact leads to dishonesty in people. An honor code is a great way to eliminate cheating.

 

 

Definitions Assessments for Distance Education

1. Authentic assessment refers to tasks that simulate real-world challenges. Ideally, the student is presented with the full array of expectations for a task and is expected to engage in activities that reflect a meaningful response.
2. Performance-based assessment is expecting the learner to perform a skill. It may include determining what the learner knows about the skill itself, or focus on higher-order thinking and critical reasoning.
3. Asynchronous Communication These flexible online utilities can be used to implement a wide variety of assessment activities.
4. Synchronous Communication tools such as audio conferencing, online chat, or instant messaging provide a real-time dynamic for assessment that can offer instructors an immediate sense of how well students grasp the course content.
5. Portfolios have a long history of use as summative assessment tools in fields such as graphic design, architecture, and marketing, but are gaining acceptance quickly for their value as formative compilations of work in a much broader range of disciplines. A portfolio might consist of a variety of materials (papers, videotapes, computer files, etc.) reflecting generalized learning across disciplines, or it might be a more specific gathering of content-based materials, such as tests, worksheets, or art projects.
6. Problem-Based Activities This instructional approach has been used successfully in medical education for decades and is now being utilized in many other disciplines. Learners are presented with a case or scenario and are expected to analyze the situation and recommend a course of action.
7. Journal Writing Students participating in field experiences or clinical rotations are frequently required to track their progress through journal writing, often in response to specific learning objectives or for accountability and accreditation purposes.
8. Concept Maps graphical representations of concepts and how they’re related to one another, for assessing student learning is a relatively recent phenomenon.
9. Problem-Based Activities This instructional approach has been used successfully in medical education for decades and is now being utilized in many other disciplines. Learners are presented with a case or scenario and are expected to analyze the situation and recommend a course of action.
10. Plagiarism Clarifying precisely what constitutes plagiarism and having clear policies for dealing with it are two strategies suggested by the Council of Writing Program Administrators (WPA) (2003) for alleviating this problem. Instructors should also attempt to distinguish between plagiarism (i.e., the intent to claim as one’s own someone else’s words or ideas), and the simple misuse of sources, resulting from ignorance or carelessness.
11. Cheating to a great extent, teachers assume that students are honest individuals. For example, few instructors in a face-to-face classroom environment would consider checking identification to verify that each person sitting in that room is, in fact, who they claim to be.