The Course Social Issues in Technology-based Distributed Learning Part of five course online graduate certificate Learners –Adult, professionals in higher education, DE/DL –Highly educated, experienced –Culturally, geographically diverse

Issues Access Disparity between developed & developing nations Commodification of education Role of technology: functional vs. emancipatory Class, gender, culture

Course Content Four conceptual/analytical frameworks Series of readings representing different positions

Course Design Position Analyses –read three articles/readings, analyze according to one or more of frameworks –Individual assignment, submitted to instructor –20% of final mark

Course Design Brainstorming Activity –Online, using discussion forum –Whole class, limited to one day –Followed by whole class online discussion, limited to 5 days –Purpose: to generate list of social issues relevant to learners –5% of final mark

Course Design Online discussion of issues –Research issue and develop position –Write 500 word position paper –Present argument to rest of class –Small group (3-5) activity –Each group has private forum for preparation –Instructor not an active participant –35% of final mark

Course Design Final paper –Examine in more detail the chosen issue –Prepare 4-6,000 word paper –Indvidual assignment –35% of final mark

Thinking Behind the Design Draw on varied backgrounds, experience, expertise, perspective of learners Go beyond rhetoric and help learners critically analyze some of the issues Provide some balance to the rest of the program which has heavily functionalist orientation

Thinking Behind the Design Make more effective use of the interactive potential of the online learning environment Driven implicitly by a constructivist, problem- oriented approach

Problem-based Learning Brainstorm with students to select topics for the program Define problems based on the results of the brainstorming Form study groups for working on problems and preparation of presentation (Rangachari, 1996)

Constructivism situated or anchored learning –most learning is context-dependent –cognitive experiences situated in authentic activities such as project-based learning, cognitive apprenticeships, or case-based learning environments result in more meaningful learning experiences

Constructivism social negotiation of knowledge –a process by which learners form and test their constructs in a dialogue with other individuals and with the larger society

Constructivism Collaboration –a principal focus of learning activities so that negotiation and testing of knowledge can occur (From Asynchronous Learning Network website: