Dorcas+Francisco

Dorcas Francisco

This course will explore the pedagogic underpinnings for the effective use of technology in instruction as well as developing effective online instruction, the design and management of online learning environments, as well as available technological tools to design and implement online and face-to-face instruction. This course is designed for the experienced (5+years) university professors at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) who have little or no formal training in instructional design or teaching in online environments and desire to design online courses, incorporate more technology into their instructional practices, or further their professional/educational development via online education. Participants may have basic computer skills (email, internet research, word processing, etc), but may need support.
 * Course/Program Title:** Introduction to Designing Online Courses for the University Professor
 * Course goals:**
 * Intended audience:**

A combination of resistance to change, intimidation by technology, and established teaching beliefs and practices may lead to a certain amount of anxiety and skepticism on the part of participants. Moreover, participants’ ages will range from 35- 50. The tradition of using technology in general and in the context of teaching may be limited. Participants will prefer blended course in which they can obtain sufficient guidance and support in face-to-face context while having theoretical support in the online context.

Participants will be highly motivated to develop these skills as UEM is increasingly seeing online education as a viable method to increase enrollment and access to education, attract the working adult, and reach non-traditional students. Moreover, participants have their own professional incentives for learning these skills, as they will also be able to participate in online courses, conferences, and seminars, as well as increase their professional-value to the institution. Knowledge of instructional design is helpful, but not required. The course will be conducted in English.

This will be a six week blended course. The first five lessons are instructor-led asynchronous sessions delivered via Moodle. The sixth class will be a face-to face class in which students, in a round-table format, will discuss challenges in the course and future steps. The second half of the class will take place in the computer lab i where students will learn how to navigate //Chisimba//, the course management system available at UEM. There will be weekly virtual office hours. Students may also schedule individual appointments.
 * Delivery method:**


 * Instructional approach/strategies/methods:**

This course will use a wide selection of text, lecture notes, group forums and hands-on activities. There will be a strong emphasis on group forum as students bring a wealth of information to share. Moreover, the course will attempt to model each web 2.0 application that students are required to utilize for their final project. The course has a certain reliance on printable documents (PDF, Instructor prepared PowerPoint presentations and class notes) because internet access/connection remains to be a challenge for many.


 * Instructional materials:**

There will be a variety of instructional materials used in this course including, text, websites, and instructor generated notes. Learning will also be supported by group discussions and offline activities.

Please click the link below for the complete lesson outline.