Syllabus radio

Course Goal

This course is an introduction to the use of authoring systems, tools, and methods for the design, development, and implementation of instructional courseware. This course is designed to give students exposure to and experience with various authoring tools for creating instructional products and learning environments.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, a student will be able to:

  1. Describe the relationship between computer-based instruction, instructional design, and learning theory
  2. Summarize important events involving computer-based instruction
  3. Describe principles of hypermedia, tutorials, simulations, educational games, and open-ended learning environments
  4. Create a flowchart and storyboards for an instructional product
  5. Describe the affordances and constraints of several current computer-based authoring tools
  6. Determine which computer-based authoring tool is appropriate for a given instructional need
  7. Use an authoring tool to create computer-based instruction
  8. Describe features, affordances, and constraints of authoring tools for digital audio, video, and images
  9. Evaluate an existing computer-based instructional program
  10. Identify affordances and constraints of content management systems
  11. Evaluate the usability of a computer-based instructional program
  12. Identify affordances and constraints of course managment systems
  13. Identify emerging tools and technologies in online learning

Required Materials and Texts

  1. Building a website with Flash 8: Visusal Quickproject Guide.
  2. Extensive readings from online sources as assigned.

Course Policies, Schedule, and Assignments

This syllabus is continued in three other documents organized to increase the usability of this website. These documents are the Answers, the Schedule, and the Assignments page. Read the Answers page for information and policies on required participation, discussions, technical support, email, turning in assignments, etc. Read the Assignments page for descriptions of the major assignments and the grading rubrics that I will apply to them. Read the Schedule page to see the topics for each week, and the assignment due dates.

Grading Policies

This course will be very challenging. "A" means excellent. "B" means good. "C" means average. Assignments that meet the requirements will recieve a "B".

In this course you will have several Major Assignments as well as participation points which accumulate into an overall participation grade. Following is an explanation of the grading scale, as well as a description of the major assignments.

I do not accept late assignments. Your assignments must be submitted by the due date and time (the first of class). A late assignment means a zero, which will make it very difficult for one to pass the course.

Class participation is mandatory. Any missed meeting is one point off per hour missed from the final grade. So if a student misses a three hour meeting, it is three points off the final grade. If you are late to class, or leave before the class ends, you will lose points.

At some point in the course you may have to miss a course meeting because something else is more important, such as a family commitment or work assignment. We are all working adults with life commitments, and these things happen. You will lose three points for the missed meeting. Generally a missed meeting will not cause you to fail the course, but it will directly impact your final grade. If you are particularly grade-conscious, read the grading criteria and assignment descriptions carefully. You are responsible for completing any work from the missed meeting. Note that some missed activities cannot be made up, such as group discussions involving other students and/or myself, and live events. If you ever miss or need to miss an activity and hope to get any participation credit, you must notify me at the soonest possible time.

Major Assignments Grading Criteria:

Major assignments will be graded on a normative-based evaluation scale. Here is a description of this scale:

A: The assignment exceeds the requirements and exhibits unique, creative, and significant insight or innovation. The assignment demonstrates excellence and clearly superior performance.

A-: The assignment exceeds the stated requirements. The student has clearly completed each part of the assignment and the assignment demonstrates a very high level of quality.

B: The assignment fulfills the stated requirements. All components of the assignment are completed with good quality.

C: The assignment fulfills some of the stated requirements. Some components of the assignment are completed with average quality.

D: The assignment does not fulfill most of the stated requirements. A few of the components of the assignment are completed with poor quality

F: The assignment was unacceptable, of very low quality, mostly incomplete, did not meet the requirements, was plagiarized, or was not turned in.

Policy on Incompletes (I)

Grades of "I" (incomplete) are very rare, and given only in cases of extreme student hardship. The decision to grant an incomplete rests entirely with the instructor. University policy and guidelines must first be met for the student to be eligible for consideration for an incomplete. Additionally, the student must have successfully completed at least 75% of the course, and have completed 75% of the course assignments with a B average, and be in good standing in the course to be eligible for consideration for an incomplete.

Grading Scale for Final Letter Grades

What I expect from you in this course

I have very high expectations for you and for the work you do in this course. I assume that as a graduate student in IDT you are very intelligent, highly motivated, a self-starter, and will actively manage your learning process. I also assume that one of your primary expectations is to learn more about the content of this course. I encourage you to ask questions or to express any difficulties that you may have during this course. I encourage you to interact with me frequently. As you will read in the Course Answers, you can contact me in person, on the phone, via instant message, or via e-mail. When you have questions about class assignments and projects, do not hesitate to contact me.

What you can expect from me:

I will give you my very best. I have very high expectations for myself as an instructor, and I am very highly motivated. My chief goal is to help you learn as much as you can, and progress as far as you can go. My role in this course is to facilitate your learning by developing and arranging experiences to help you achieve the course objectives. I have designed all the the course assignments and projects to help you achieve the objectives.

In my courses you will never have to wonder what I am expecting in terms of your assignments. I will spell everything out in detail, while still leaving you room for innovation and creativity. I know that you are working adults with life commitments. Everything I have planned for you in this course is important, and is directed to meeting the course objectives.

I will be very accessible throughout the semester for meeting with you in groups and individually in person or via Web, email, instant message, office phone, home phone, whatever it takes.

I find fulfillment in helping people learn, and I enjoy my field, my job, and my institution. I will give you my very best.

Writing Standards

The Graduate School recognizes and expects exemplary writing to be the norm for course work. To this end, all assignments, individual and group, must demonstrate graduate level writing and comply with the format requirements of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition. Careful attention should be given to spelling, punctuation, source citations, references, and the presentation of tables and figures.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, from copyright materials, public access, or previous student’s work will not be tolerated.  If an assignment contains plagiarized materials, no credit will be given and documentation of the incident will be placed in the student’s permanent record. The student may fail the course.

Special Needs

It is the policy of the University of Memphis to accommodate students with disabilities pursuant to federal law, state law, and the University's commitment to equal educational opportunities. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation, for example in seating placement or in arrangements for examinations, should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Student Disability Services, 215 Scates Hall, phone 678-2880.