far from the eye – close to the heart

Far from the Eye – Close to the Heart

Emanuel GruengardAcademic Coordinator – MSc in ComputingLaureate Online Education and The University of LiverpoolUpdated: August 2005

Methodology and Implementation of a World Wide Online Educational

Program

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A joint venture of:Laureate Online Education

MarketingOperations and FinanceAcademics

The University of LiverpoolDegree and Academic ControlUsage of the eLibrary facilities

The Program

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Master of Science (MSc) in Information Technology with several specializations

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Professionals, usually with a Bachelor’s Degree

Some degrees not in Computing

Some are graduates of conversion programs

Several years of experience

Life Long Learning paradigm

Offerings and Students’ Profile

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An Internet application:

Asynchronous / Symmetric model

Narrow communication band

Textual: Textbook and Web materials

Information exchanged through discussion forums and email

Localized and centralized projects

Technology

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Using:A client program (FirstClass) through an ISP (Embanet)

With an option of

Offline reading and composing messages And an option of

Accessing the server using a WWW browser

And lately also some

PDA support

Communication

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Globe-spanning:

The University of Liverpool, UK

Headquarters, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

MSc academic, Tel Aviv, Israel

MBA academic, UK

Servers’ site, Toronto, Canada

Students and instructors in over 110 countries

Spread of Control

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180 credit points are needed in order to graduate Eight modules of 15 credit points

Terms of eight weeks10-11 times in a yearWorkload of 10-20 hours per week

Usually one module per termFinal project (dissertation) of 60 credit pointsMight be done in 2 years. Expected: 3. Max: 4

Requirements (MSc)

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CurriculumRegular Modules (15 credit points each)

8 modules required: 1 mandatory, at least 1 from group A and 1 from group B

CS - Computer Structures (Mandatory)CP - OOD and OOP using C++ (Group A - Programming Languages section)

Optional addition: pPC - A pre module for C++ for the novice JV - OOD and OOP using Java (Group A)

Optional addition: pJV - A pre module for Java for the noviceIN - Programming the Internet (Group A)DB - Databases (Group B – Foundations section)CC - Computer Communications and Networks (Group B)SE - Software Engineering (Elective)OS – Operating Systems (Elective)SN – Security Engineering (Elective)AI - Artificial intelligence (Elective)EC - e-Commerce (Elective)QA - Management of QA and Software Testing (Elective)MD - Internet and Multimedia Technology (Elective)AT - Advanced Applications of IT (Elective)WA – Web XML Applications (Elective)

Dissertation Module (60 credit points) DS - Final Project and Dissertation (Mandatory)

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ComponentsText materialPosted lectures

A TextbookCD-ROM

Discussion questions*

Home assignments*

Projects*Ongoing moderating

Continuous evaluation

Program Managers

Technical supportQuality management and surveys

*Graded components

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Text allows:More economically created and maintained materialUsage of narrow band-width

• Users showed no interest in “fancy” multimedia

Posted lectures consists of:Introduction to the subject, reading assignments, additional material to the textbook, Internet links, discussion and assignment questions, projects, solutions and feedback

Text and e-moderating


Exist in all modules (apart from AT)A single textbook per moduleServes as “anchor” and referenceLatest worldwide edition:

a constant follow up on availability with publishers and bookstoresSupplemented with Internet links: specified by instructor and/or researched by students

The textbook


A repeating weekly cycle:Wednesday evening: Posting of the materialBy Sunday: Initial posting of answers to the discussion questions (DQs)By Wednesday: 3-4 additional contributions (RP) and posting of the assignments (HI) / project (PJ)Meaningful presence in at least 4 days of the week is required14-18 students per class + moderator150-300 public messages per week

The weekly cycle and assignments


In selected modules:Localized personal projects

Localized group projects

Centralized (server) group projects Require ongoing communication

among participants

Projects


The moderator should be present at least 5/7days, including weekends

Participates in the discussionsHelp, guide and controlProvides personal support through personal email messagesCheck the assignments and projects

At cycle end Provide personal feedback to each student and post grades to the VC site

At end of module each student accumulated at least 24 gradesNo final examination

Moderating and Evaluation


Anonymity?


In our distributed learning paradigm

That’s not true!

The requirement for constant participation exposes each student

A build up of clear “personal signature” and capabilities

Not so in on-ground lectures!

Easier exposure of plagiarism and collusion

Intimate Anonymity!


Each student is handled by a PMFrom first day to graduationPersonal administrative care-takingFollow up on his/her participationFollow up on his/her progressionDialogs with the instructor and academic coordinator concerning academic problems

Program Mangers


Embanet 7/24 support

Through the phone, textual chat and email

Informative sites

Staff: Administrative and academic tracking, grades (VC)

Students: Grades, enrollment (MY)

Manuals for instructors and the students

Technical support


Continuously performed through:Moderating new instructorsThe Academic Coordinator (sample monitoring)The e-Learning unit of the UoL (sample monitoring, and monitoring of grading)The Computer Science department and the QA group of UoLExternal examinersMonthly Phone Conferences of the Academic DivisionAcademic board meetings (2-3 time in a year)Students’ feedback surveys

Quality management


Performed at the end of each classInquiring about the instructors, modules, materials, time flexibility, technical, administrative support and willingness to recommend the programMany grading questions (range 1-4) and free text commentsResults by classes and instructorsQuarterly progression reportsConclusions, changes, updates and enhancementsThe average satisfaction for most questions is around 3.6 out of 4

Student feedback surveys


Requirements:

University instructors / industry experts

Holding a PhD or a MSc degree

Proven academic teaching experience

Excellent written communication in English

Instructors


A six weeks course

Pedagogy, Andragogy, on-line paradigms, hands on, procedures

Using the same system and same teaching paradigm as used with our students

Training the Instructors


Subject developed by an assigned instructor

Reviewed and referred by the Academic Coordinator and other instructors

Placed in a repository

Used by other instructors in their classes

Suggested modifications and updates incorporated by the Module Manger

Development & Instructing Modules


Annual (online) conference

Faculty Development seminars

Instructors’ forums

Monthly newsletter

Faculty Development


Peer learning (moderator included) is (probably) the right paradigm for continuous learningHigh motivation and willingness for self study are essentialExtensive reading and writing capabilities are a mustThe discussions questions which are the glue that holds the class and identify the students are essentialHigh load on the instructor/moderator as continuous class participation and fast responses are criticalDifferent cultures and time zones are easily bridgedNo examinations needed due to comprehensive information on each student and large number of grades

Conclusions


Sites and email

Information about the projecthttp://www.uol.ohecampus.com/home/index.phtml

The Computer Science Department of UoLhttp://www.csc.liv.ac.uk

The ISP sitehttp://www.embanet.com

Email to Emanuel Gruengard [email protected]


ThanksThanks forfor

your attentionyour attention..

far from the eye – close to the heart

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