Open Course: OpenCourseWare Consortium URL: http://www.ocwconsortium.org
Open Course: Kaplan University Open Course Ware URL: http://ocw.kaplan.edu/
The OpenCourseWare Consortium is a collaboration of higher education institutions and associated organizations from around the world creating a broad and deep body of open educational content using a shared model (http://www.ocwconsortium.org).
Kaplan University is a member of OpenCourseWare Consortium allows the course materials available through an open content license. Kaplan University Open Course Ware is an open educational resource that offers online courses in arts & sciences, business, criminal justice, general education, information systems & technology, legal studies and nursing. This site does not provide access to faculty, but give open access to the materials used in a variety of Kaplan University courses (http://ocw.kaplan.edu/).
Does the course appear to be carefully pre-planned and designed for a distance-learning environment? If so, how? If not, in what ways?
The IT 133 Information Systems & Technology-Software Applications course does appear to be carefully pre-planned for students that are enrolled in the course, have instructor-led guidance, and peer interaction using technology tools such as discussion forms. Also pre-planned for an autonomous Open Courseware student that has no access to staff members or other course learners because this is a self-paced and learner-content interaction-learning environment.
The course seems to be designed for a distance-learning environment; an asynchronous training course with the self-paced approach affords more autonomy to learners, allowing each to proceed at an individualized pace while providing benchmarks for progress and achievement. A self-paced course presents a challenging environment for fostering collaboration because individual learners may be at different stages of the course at any given time (Anderson, Annand & Wark 2005).
Does the course follow the recommendations for online instruction as listed in your course textbook?” Which does it follow? In what ways? Which does it not follow?
The IT 133 Information Systems & Technology-Software Applications course fundamentals of online instruction are being followed as recommended in the course textbook. From the perspective of being a courseware student with no instructor, or peer interaction, this course is organized, and requirements are very clear to the learner. The course content -Abridged syllabus includes a detailed but brief overview of the course description, course outcomes and course project. Each course unit includes the proposed learning outcomes, and the key points of interest the learner should accomplished after completing the unit assignments. The course does not have inclusive dates to meet deadlines because it is an autonomous learning environment.
Did the course designer implement course activities that maximize active learning for the students? If yes, in what ways? If not, how is it deficient?
The course designer did implement course activities such as visual mnemonics that provided examples on how to navigate the software, streaming video demonstrations, online tutorials, and assessment tools( unit review questions, fill in the blank, pic a letter, flash cards) to ensure that course materials was understood, and remembered and will maximize active learning for the students.
References
Anderson, T., Annand, D., & Wark, N. (2005). The search for learning community in learner paced distance education: Or, 'Having your cake and eating it, too!' Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 21(2), 222-241. Retrieved December 3, 2011, from http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet21/anderson.html
Kaplan University Course Ware Site http://ocw.kaplan.edu/
OpenCourseWare Consortium http://www.ocwconsortium.org/
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
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