But, I Digress!
While into this week's assigned reading; "Design of an Effective, Web-Based, Global Learning Environment Using the Keller Plan," my mind did stray from Davis and Ragsdell's intended path. The article description of online participants mentioned that a large portion of the off campus students consisted of soldiers.
My thoughts went to "Men Who Stare At Goats," and my own corroboration of that story. I recalled my first job as a cashier at the Main PX (Post Exchange) and some years later I taught a class in one of the huts located on Fort Bragg campus. Although I had seen some of these unique soldiers at the PX, it was on the campus that I had interaction with a few of the new age soldiers. The movie portrayed much of their training program as experiential, like many of the activities that are used in Expressive Art Therapy. My mind quickly questioned how would I share Expressive Art Therapy concepts, which are experiential by design in an online environment? At this point, I'm not sure; but, I feel like this Advanced Multimedia class will help me figure out how to pull it off!
Davis and Ragsdell used the Keller Plan as a guide to help them develop an internet based educational program for engineering students. This is quite an undertaking, even for experienced and skilled instructors! The Keller Personalized System of Instruction, developed in the 1960s, was selected since it is adaptable to different learning styles and compatible with an asynchronous learning environment. The authors integrated web based technology with the use of guest speakers, videos, case studies, project assignments and simulations to deliver course content. And, at the time of their report they were still developing and updating course modules to take advantage of emerging technologies.
Regardless, it was claimed that off campus students require more attention than on campus students require. The authors did not really explain or substantiate this statement, so I question its validity. In spite, of my skepticism on this point, I was very impressed with the engineering training program that was developed and feel inspired and hopeful about the modules our team will develop this semester!
My thoughts went to "Men Who Stare At Goats," and my own corroboration of that story. I recalled my first job as a cashier at the Main PX (Post Exchange) and some years later I taught a class in one of the huts located on Fort Bragg campus. Although I had seen some of these unique soldiers at the PX, it was on the campus that I had interaction with a few of the new age soldiers. The movie portrayed much of their training program as experiential, like many of the activities that are used in Expressive Art Therapy. My mind quickly questioned how would I share Expressive Art Therapy concepts, which are experiential by design in an online environment? At this point, I'm not sure; but, I feel like this Advanced Multimedia class will help me figure out how to pull it off!
Davis and Ragsdell used the Keller Plan as a guide to help them develop an internet based educational program for engineering students. This is quite an undertaking, even for experienced and skilled instructors! The Keller Personalized System of Instruction, developed in the 1960s, was selected since it is adaptable to different learning styles and compatible with an asynchronous learning environment. The authors integrated web based technology with the use of guest speakers, videos, case studies, project assignments and simulations to deliver course content. And, at the time of their report they were still developing and updating course modules to take advantage of emerging technologies.
Regardless, it was claimed that off campus students require more attention than on campus students require. The authors did not really explain or substantiate this statement, so I question its validity. In spite, of my skepticism on this point, I was very impressed with the engineering training program that was developed and feel inspired and hopeful about the modules our team will develop this semester!
Posted by Cindy at 1/21/2010 11:35 PM 
Categories: ECI 517
Tags: Advanced Multimedia Keller Plan ECI 517 Anchored Instruction
Categories: ECI 517
Tags: Advanced Multimedia Keller Plan ECI 517 Anchored Instruction
Hi Cindy -
Great post this week.
You stated "Regardless, it was claimed that off campus students require more attention than on campus students require. The authors did not really explain or substantiate this statement, so I question its validity."
I agree that they should have given some valid reasons "why" they made this claim.
I can only "guess" some of the reasons why they claimed this as fact in 2000. There are not as many as we have now for high-speed internet access from home computers, social tools, etc which make learning easier and faster. Also most people were so accustomed to face-to-face or traditional video distance learning, that there may have been a challenges for some students to adjust work and personal schedules to suit the format of their class.
I wonder if they ever wrote a follow-up report saying why they claimed that off-campus students had a harder time...
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Thanks Angie! Yes; last semester we often discussed how much more time is required of faculty when they convert their F2F classes to distance education. However, since the authors didn't provide any explanation, we are left to wonder!
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