Open source courses can be very good supplemental sources of new knowledge especially for distance learners. Because it is freely shared, it fits into the easy accessibility characteristic of distance learning courses. It is therefore important that open source courses are designed in line with best practices in course design for distance education. This is because “if the design is effective, instruction will also be effective” Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek (2009). This also means that if the design is faulty, the delivery of instruction will be poor.
I recently reviewed a course in on one of the Open Yale Courses site at http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy in order to determine if the course design took into consideration some of the key concepts and ideas of distance learning. The course, - PLSC 114 - Introduction to Political Philosophy - is a political science course divided into 24 topics. “This course is taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes. All lectures were recorded in the Yale College classroom and are available in video, audio, and text transcript format. Registration is not required and no course credit is available.”
Based on models for designing World Wide Web courses, this course is designed in the linear design approach. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek (2009), linear designed instruction is based on a linear programmed instruction. “First, major subdivisions of a course are identified…next a content area is divided into important ideas. These ideas are called modules. Modules of instruction are called topics.” They further described the content of the linear design to include instructional events or learning experience followed by some kind of assessment. However, in this particular course, there is no end of topic assessment and therefore students can proceed to the next level of instruction without an assessment. However, there are three short papers of 5-7 pages each and a final examination for the entire course.
Also based on the recommendations for distance delivered instruction, the course is taught within the standard 50 minutes time as the building block. From the organizational standpoint, each of the 24 topics in the course may be considered as units but without a clear distinction of modules and or topics within each module. With relation to content guidelines, the course offers sufficient material to the students through course readings and internet resources with rich media to offer instructional content. Each topic has a transcript, audio and video versions for the learners.
The instruction/teaching guidelines took into consideration the needs of the distance learner. According to the course introduction, “this course is taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes”. This pace of instruction is adequate for the “student who is employed full time and the need for continuing interaction between instructors and students” Simonson et al.
On a general assessment, I consider this course as carefully planned and designed for a distance learning environment. This is evident from the organizational guidelines as the course is organized in distinct modules or topics which students can easily follow. Although the assessment is not based on topics, the design took into consideration the requirements of a 5-7 page paper and a final examination as assessment strategies. The content guidelines and the instructional guidelines adequately provide for relevant readings with videos, audios and transcripts for each course. To a very large extent, the course follows the recommendations for online instruction. However, the course makes no provision for discussion among learners.
References:
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Yale Open Courses at http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy![]()
I recently reviewed a course in on one of the Open Yale Courses site at http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy in order to determine if the course design took into consideration some of the key concepts and ideas of distance learning. The course, - PLSC 114 - Introduction to Political Philosophy - is a political science course divided into 24 topics. “This course is taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes. All lectures were recorded in the Yale College classroom and are available in video, audio, and text transcript format. Registration is not required and no course credit is available.”
Based on models for designing World Wide Web courses, this course is designed in the linear design approach. According to Simonson, Smaldino, Albright & Zvacek (2009), linear designed instruction is based on a linear programmed instruction. “First, major subdivisions of a course are identified…next a content area is divided into important ideas. These ideas are called modules. Modules of instruction are called topics.” They further described the content of the linear design to include instructional events or learning experience followed by some kind of assessment. However, in this particular course, there is no end of topic assessment and therefore students can proceed to the next level of instruction without an assessment. However, there are three short papers of 5-7 pages each and a final examination for the entire course.
Also based on the recommendations for distance delivered instruction, the course is taught within the standard 50 minutes time as the building block. From the organizational standpoint, each of the 24 topics in the course may be considered as units but without a clear distinction of modules and or topics within each module. With relation to content guidelines, the course offers sufficient material to the students through course readings and internet resources with rich media to offer instructional content. Each topic has a transcript, audio and video versions for the learners.
The instruction/teaching guidelines took into consideration the needs of the distance learner. According to the course introduction, “this course is taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes”. This pace of instruction is adequate for the “student who is employed full time and the need for continuing interaction between instructors and students” Simonson et al.
On a general assessment, I consider this course as carefully planned and designed for a distance learning environment. This is evident from the organizational guidelines as the course is organized in distinct modules or topics which students can easily follow. Although the assessment is not based on topics, the design took into consideration the requirements of a 5-7 page paper and a final examination as assessment strategies. The content guidelines and the instructional guidelines adequately provide for relevant readings with videos, audios and transcripts for each course. To a very large extent, the course follows the recommendations for online instruction. However, the course makes no provision for discussion among learners.
References:
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (4th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Yale Open Courses at http://oyc.yale.edu/political-science/introduction-to-political-philosophy
