MDDE 601: Introduction to Distance Education and Training

Télé-Université credit:  EDU 6100 |  TELUQ

Delivery mode: Grouped study with Internet component

Credits: 3 - Core course

Prerequisites: None

Instructor Winter 2010 : Debra Hoven

Overview

This first core course in Athabasca University's Master of Distance Education program is required for all program students. It provides students with an overview of the field, addressing issues such as: what distance education is; where it came from; whom it serves; how it serves; and what its major problems are. It provides descriptions and examples of what distance education is and how it works, and encourages students to critically analyze and question both current practice and rhetoric in the field.

Course Objectives

The goals of the course are to provide you with:

  • a foundation of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will prepare you for further studies and which will enable you to become competent academics and practitioners of distance education;

  • an introduction to a wide range of literature in the field;

  • a critical attitude towards the rhetoric and practice in the field of distance education and training; and,

  • the means to integrate prior knowledge and skills with the newly acquired knowledge and skills developed in the course.

Course Outline

The course is divided into three units:

Unit 1: Definitions and Examples: Past and Present

Unit 2: Organization and Structure: Variations and Examples

Unit 3: Theory Development and Research: Issues and Trends

 

For each unit the Study Guide contains:

  • An Introduction: indicates the important concepts and issues in the Unit;

  • Unit Objectives: indicates the specific accomplishments that should be achieved through the Unit study;

  • Unit Resources: indicates the specific resources that apply to the Unit;

  • Commentary: provides additional information, but does not replace the information found in the other Unit resources;

  • Discussion Questions: interspersed throughout the commentaries, and set off from the main text. They are intended to encourage you to think about the issues with reference to your own personal and professional experiences. You may wish to bring your answers to these questions into the computer conferences; and

  • Activities and Assignments: indicates the specific activities or assignments you are expected to complete during or at the end of the Unit.

You are expected to read and reflect upon the print materials provided, and to participate interactively with the academic faculty member and with other students in a number of computer conferences. Your participation in the computer conferences is expected to facilitate critical analyses of the ideas, concepts and information provided, and to integrate your prior knowledge and experience.

Student Evaluation

Your grades will be based on three primary credit-bearing assignments for the course. The assignments are:

Assignment 1: analysis and review of one paper selected by students from materials available in the course or elsewhere.

Assignment 2: a critical analysis and review of an article, to be presented in a conference.

Assignment 3: the development of a proposal for the creation of a distance education institution(s) or agency(ies), using principles and concepts learned in the course.

Please note that some changes in schedules and/or specifics of assignments may be made from time to time or by individual instructors.

Course Materials

  • online Study Guide;

  • the course textbooks:

    Moore, M., & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance Education: A systems view. California: Thompson Wadsworth.

    Roberts, J. M. & Keough, E. M. (Eds.). (1995). Why the information highway? Lessons from Open and Distance Learning. Toronto: Trifolium Books Inc.

  • selection from an online textbook:

    Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. (Eds.). (2004). The theory and practice of online learning. Athabasca, Canada: Athabasca University. http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book

  • the course reader

    A number of articles have been re-printed and included in your course materials for your convenience. These articles are also available online.

General Resources

The general course and program resources include materials found through a wide range of education, sociology, psychology, technology, and other journal and print literature. The following journals, available through Athabasca University Library, tend to be focused on, or to include primarily, distance education literature, and should be of particular interest to you.

Print-based Distance Education Journals

  • American Journal of Distance Education

  • Distance Education (Australian)

  • Journal of Distance Education (Canadian)

  • Open Learning (OUUK)

  • Open Praxis

  • Electronic Resources

There is an increasing number of electronic resources available in distance education and they are changing at a considerable rate. The course Web pages provide a sample of relevant URLs and information about resources available electronically. Students are encouraged to visit both the course and CDE Web pages regularly to review these sources, and/or to obtain new or revised information about new sites during the course term.

 

Get Started Early

MDDE 601 Checklist (MS Word)

The purpose of this page is to help you get a head start in your course. You are not required to complete any of these activities before the official start date of your course.

To access this item, please use your Student ID and your password. (Login instructions)

Moodle access begins one week before the official start date of your course.

 

 

 
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