Designing Curriculum Using Instructional Technology
by Dr. Selia Karsten,  Seneca College,  Toronto, Ontario
 

Introduction

Designing Curriculum Using Instructional Technology certificate program (CTC)
is an award-winning project that may inspire others to shape their own online professional development programs. This presentation examines the collaborative development and delivery of an innovative, web-based, distance education certificate program entitled “Designing Curriculum Using Instructional Technology. Examples from courses are given, in particular, the 3rd course, Web-Based Learning.

Since 1997, Seneca College in Toronto, Ontario has been offering an online six-subject Certificate Program to help educators and trainers in the public and private sector learn about appropriate and effective instructional (computer based) technology in existing or new curricula in any discipline or subject area.

As one of the team of in-house faculty developers I designed and have facilitated the third course (Web-Based Learning) and serve as mentor for others to deliver that course. I was the advisor for the 5th course, (Authoring Multi-Media) This fall I am reviewing the entire program from a learner's perspective. The program is in the process of reaching agreements for these courses to be accepted at a graduate level at both Brock University and Athabasca University.

Top of Page

Welcome to slide shows that give an 1. an overview of the program, 2. an outline of my course CTC203.

1. Power Point: CTC Program - http://people.senecac.on.ca/selia.karsten/CTC/CTCProgram/sld001.htm

2. Power Point: CTC203 Web-Based Learning Course  -
http://people.senecac.on.ca/selia.karsten/CTC/CTC203/sld001.htm
Designing Curriculum Using Instructional Technology - historical perspective

In the fall of 1996, I joined a small team of pioneers to develop an online certificate program to enable educators to integrate technology appropriately and knowledgeably in existing or newly developed curricula. In May 1998, after the program’s first year we won The McGraw Hill Ryerson "Education Innovation" Award and in the summer of 1998 - CONNY Award, Con Ed ACCATO

In this six-subject Certificate Program educators and trainers in the public and private sector learn when it is appropriate and effective to integrate instructional (computer based) technology in existing or new curricula in any discipline or subject area. Using generic curriculum development skills, participants produce effective and exciting classroom presentations that enhance the quality of learning and engage students by using state of the art technology.

In addition participants develop outcomes based curriculum that improves access and flexibility for learners by using dynamic, interactive on-line delivery. They develop the skills to provide academic leadership in a multi-skilled curriculum development team. Delivered entirely on-line, they learn how to critique leading edge software and experience first hand Internet presentations and moderator facilitated on-line discussions. They gather online resources and create new Web-based learning modules based on their own curriculum.

Top of Page

The participants are primarily educators from all disciplines and at all levels of education, and trainers in business and industry who want to integrate technology effectively into outcomes driven curricula, or who want to experience technologically delivered learning themselves.

Participants need to have expertise in at least one subject area or discipline when they enroll. Since this is an experiential learning opportunity that enables the participants to learn the skill of integrating technology in outcomes based curricula, participants are expected to log on regularly during the week and join into the ongoing, facilitator moderated discussions. Participants should log on at least three times per week for 30 minutes at a time in order to keep up with the discussion. This will vary somewhat depending on the specific subject. A good guideline is that participants should normally contribute a minimum of 3 to 5 concise and pertinent notes per week.

Since this program is for educators/trainers who have expertise in a subject matter, participants will be expected to apply what is learned in each subject by developing relevant curriculum materials that would ideally be implemented upon completion of the program.

Participants are expected to keep up with weekly readings most of which will be accessible on-line.

Participants are expected to function in multi-skilled teams and collaborate with technological support persons. Participants will provide the curriculum content and teaching/learning process expertise that will direct the projects; they will not be expected to be technical experts.

Participants are encouraged to contact the facilitator for assistance as needed.

Top of Page

Upon completion of this program the participants will be
 able to:

Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of available technology and software with respect to the intended learning outcomes

Identify key questions and principles to guide the selection of technology for integration into the curriculum

Integrate appropriate instructional technology into curriculum to facilitate achievement of the intended learning outcomes by their students

Work effectively in multi-skilled teams to develop/create curriculum driven, technology supported curriculum, delivery of courses and programs for any discipline/subject area

Work effectively in multi-skilled teams to develop/create curriculum driven and electronically delivered (such as the INTERNET and video conferencing) curriculum, courses and programs for any discipline/subject area

Use a broad range of technology in the classroom to support/enhance learning

Communicate effectively on-line with participants individually and in groups

Assess their students' achievement of learning outcomes and when done by technological means, select methods that are valid and reliable. This includes knowing what factors to consider, when it is appropriate to use technological means for testing and when personal invigilation is more appropriate.

Top of Page

CTC 201 lays the foundation for the Designing Curriculum using Instructional Technology Certificate  Program. Participants in this program will learn how to develop curriculum that is driven by the  intended learning outcomes. CTC 201 focuses on the planning and development of outcomes based  curricula in education. How do educators decide what to teach and how best to do so? Who and what  influences those decisions? Who should influence them? These and related questions will be  explored. Participants will have the opportunity to apply principles learned in the development or  revision of a curriculum unit of their choice. Equally important is the experiential learning process that  you will engage in. While you will likely all be familiar with the curriculum design process, the on-line,  interactive, facilitated learning process that is integral to this course offers a unique learning  opportunity. By engaging in this learning experience yourself, you will learn how to use this process  with your own students.

CTC 202 provides an introduction to commonly used models of technology-based/assisted curriculum delivery. Participants will analyze available examples of software and develop critical criteria to assess relevance to intended learning outcomes. Basic principles of instructional design appropriate to instructional technology will be explored, along with appropriate evaluation models of achievement of learning outcomes. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss (in a moderated computer mediated conference, CMC) these and other relevant issues such as ethical and legal concerns in the context of the developing literature and their practical experience as educator/trainer. Projects will provide the participant with the opportunity to apply their learning to their individual curriculum projects working in collaborative teams.

CTC 203 enables learners to become familiar with curriculum concepts related to computer models using web-based learning materials. Learners will become more familiar with the Internet, using a web browser for search and research, sending and receiving e-mail messages and taking part in online discussions and synchronous chats. Primary focus is on using Netscape Composer's web editor to design and develop web pages appropriate for various curricula. Course projects will be done with team support and independently. A constructivist approach to the course encourages learners to set reasonable goals and to assume responsibility for creating learning materials that will be valuable in future.

CTC203 Schedule for Fall 2002
CTC203 Summary of Projects
CTC203 Image Map to Resources
CTC203 Past Projects (where links are active and do not require password)

CTC204 Moving from the classroom to electronic teaching environments such as computer conferencing or INTERNET is not simply a matter of typing out lecture notes and dumping them into the mailboxes of learners. The student-teacher interaction of the classroom is very different from that of the facilitator-learner interaction in the electronic environment. In this subject participants will learn how to foster peer tutoring and collaboration in an electronic delivery mode. Models of teaching and learning will be reconsidered, and the nature of curriculum delivery in the electronic environment will be closely examined.

CTC205 lays the foundation for integrating multimedia into curriculum(Authoring). Participants will learn the identity of the popular authoring packages currently available and how best to decide between them for a given curriculum purpose; strategies for integrating multimedia into curriculum; the multimedia curriculum development process (including planning and team development); practical authoring skills (including layout, use of text, graphics, animation, transition, navigation, audio, video) for the creation of interactive multimedia-rich curriculum.

Some of the specialized software used will include Microsoft's PowerPoint, Paint, and Photo Editor (or equivalent, such as Jasc's Paint Shop Pro)),  Macromedia's Director or FLASH; plus other authoring packages and specialized software as appropriate..

CTC 206 consists of an advisor assisted integrating project developed individually or in small groups. The participant(s) will be required to develop an entire course or program curriculum. Ideally the project will be implemented in the real world.

Top of Page

 - McGraw-Hill Ryerson Award (Spring '98) "Designing Curriculum using Instructional Technology Program",
 - CONNY Award, Con Ed ACCATO (Summer'98)

Here are the stats for CTC from 2001 -2002

  CTC Course 2001-1 2001-2 2001-3 2002-1 2002-2 2002-3
  201 1+7= 8 0 7 1+2=3 0 12+5= 17 Total 28
  202 2+5= 7 0 2+3= 5 3+3=6 0 0  Total 18
  203 2+9= 11 0 0 0 0 2+2= 4  Total 15
  204 0 0 3+3= 6 0 0 0 Total 6
  205 5 0 0 3+5= 8 0 0 Total 8
  206 1 2 1 1 0 1+1= 2 Total 2

A major challenge is in keeping this program up to date as the technology continues to evolve. Those of us who created the courses continue to revise and refine the learning materials as we mentor facilitators of the courses. The instructors who come after us are all graduates of the program. We do not do a lot of marketing and at times, a start date for a course has to be postponed until we have sufficient numbers to go ahead. Participants often find it requires more time and effort than they were prepared to devote to professional development. You will note from the statistics that we have far fewer completing the program these days than those who start off in CTC201. In the past two years, the team has been developing a faster track for trainers, the eTL (eTeaching and Learning) program (http://ilearn.senecac.on.ca/etl/) which is a concentrated, 1 year version of CTC. It is an intensive immersion better suited to those who have more than part time to devote.

As one who teaches with technology I want others to join me – as a pioneer in this area, I welcome new blood. It is essential that we help and support others in developing greater skills using technology in teaching and learning.

Dr. Karsten's Teaching Portfolio – http://peo;ple.senecac.on.ca/selia.karsten
email selia.karsten@senecac.on.ca