The University of Toledo
Judith Herb College of Education

ETPT 5000/7000: Introduction to Educational Technology
Course Syllabus –Fall Semester 2009

Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) project in the College of Education at the University of Toledo. http://tipt3.utoledo.edu/

Course Description

This course focuses on the examination of educational technology including communication principles, instructional design procedures and the proper selection and use of mediated instruction to improve learning. In addition, this course is also designed to provide a thorough overview of the history, theory, research and practice of educational technology.

Professionals in any field should be able to do more than just perform the skills associated with that field.  They should also know something about the field’s history, its current status, and the trends and issues likely to have an impact of the field.  The goal of this course is to provide opportunities for students to become conversant and knowledgeable in these areas. In particular, this course emphasizes the following major objectives:

Course Objectives                       

1. To explore the history of the field of Educational Technology, including the: Practice history; and
   Intellectual history.
2. To analyze the foundations of Educational Technology, including: Communications foundations; Audio-visual foundations; Systems approach foundations; Psychological and evaluation foundations; Management and utilization foundations.
3. To describe and analyze the contributions of key leaders in the field throughout its history.
4. To explore the various positions on key issues currently confronting the field, and to formulate one’s own position with respect to these issues.
5. To analyze trends in the field and determine the likely impact of such trends on future theory and practice.
6. To explore and retrieve information about educational technology from a variety of resources, including the Internet
7. To compare and contrast several prevalent learning theories and discuss how each influences instructional design decisions
8. To describe the major professional organizations and publications that directly or indirectly relate to educational technology

Target Audience
Schoolteachers, administrators, and curriculum and technology specialists; and faculty and staff in higher education institutions.

Course Materials:
Required Text: The following books are required and available at B&N Bookstore Main Campus:

Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., Russell, J. (2008). Instructional Technology and Media for Learning. (9th edition) Merrill/Prentice Hall, Inc.

Januszewski, A., Molenda, M. (2008). Educational technology: A definition with commentary. New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum, Inc.

Additional Resources from Professional Journals

Journals, Readings, Articles and Books and
Web sites in Educational Technology

Distance Education Clearing House  (http://www.uwex.edu/disted/journals.html)
Educational Leadership                                               
Training and Development Journal
Tech Trends                                                                 
Educational Technology
British Journal of Educational Tech.                  
Personnel Journal of Instructional Development    
Technological Horizons in Education                        
Harvard Business Review                                           
Quarterly Review of Distance Education
Educational Media International                                   
School Media Quarterly
Information Technology                                               
Journal of Personalized Instruction
Electronic Learning                                                            
Journal of Computer-Based Instruction
International Journal of Inst’l. Technology                       
Journal of Educational Technology Systems
Journal of Experiential Learning and Simulation

Note: Some journals are available entirely online, others provide links to further information available in print or by subscription.

In addition to studying the required textbook, students are expected to spend considerable amount of time to read the assigned materials and participate in the threaded discussion board.

All class requirements and activities are set upon an individual basis so that maximum instruction can be provided for each student. The student is responsible for budgeting his/her own time and completing class work progressively throughout the term.

Delivery Mode

The course will be taught as a Web-based Distance Learning course. In addition, we will explore applications of other delivery technologies.

Instructional Strategies           

This course combines instructor presentations with thoughtful learner participation. Course activities will consist of lectures, question and answer sessions, problem solving exercises, classroom and on-line small and large group discussions.

Course Requirements: Grades will be based upon:

1. Facilitating an online discussions - (30 points)
2. On-line discussion participation (20 points)
3. A research paper either on influential leader in the field or on a major theme that has dominated the field - 25 points – Due October 30, 2009
4. A group project and presentation which provides an in-depth examination of an issue faced by the field and the relationship of such an issue to the field’s intellectual and practice history – 25 points. Presentations will begin on November 23 – December 14, 2009.

                           Total 100 points

Grading System:           

Assignment Guidelines

In addition to the criteria presented with the assignments, the following general criteria will be used for grading purposes: 1. All written work must demonstrate appropriate techniques and conventions of scholarly papers.
2. All written work must meet the scholarly standards stated in the APA Publication Manual.

1. Facilitating an online discussion using Blackboard Threaded Discussions (30 points): In teams of two, you will be asked to facilitate an online discussion on the assigned readings for the week. By Monday of the designated week (or earlier if possible), one of the team members should post engaging questions that raise key issues identified in the readings. Students will be expected to respond to these questions and participate in an ongoing discussion, which both team members will facilitate. The team members should summarize the discussion and provide a wrap-up synthesis by posting on the threaded discussion board.
   
   Facilitating an On-Line Discussions: (3 x 10 =30 pts.)
   
   
   
2. Participating in online discussions (20 points): Students will be expected to participate in all online and will be graded on the number and quality of contributions made.
   
   Guidelines: The guidelines for every discussion week are the same. You will be required to post three initial posting (3 questions) and at least two responses to the initial postings. Postings must be completed by Saturday at 5:00 P.M. For example, the week of September, 18th, your responses to the questions must be posted by Saturday, September 20th at 5:00 P.M. Instructor comments will follow.
   
   Participation On-Line Discussions (20 pts.)
   
   
3. To examine in-depth a particular issue facing the field of Instructional Technology (25 points.)
   DUE: November 23 – December 14, 2009
   
   Guidelines:
   
   Task: To examine in-depth a particular issue facing the field of Instructional Technology by:
   • describing the issue and the various positions taken with respect to the issue;
   • constructing an history of how this issue has impacted the field;
   • identifying the contributions of key persons who are and have been identified with the issue;
   • describing the implications of the issue; and
   • forming an opinion on this issue.
   
   GENERAL PROCESS:
   
   1. Form teams of 3-4 persons interested in a given topic.
   2. Identify one critical issue related to the general topic.
   3. Research the literature.
   4. Plan and delivery a one and a half hour presentation on your issue, which includes:
   • a bibliography of key references on the topic;
   • a handout for class members summarizing your findings;
   • a visual and verbal presentation of findings.
   
   Issues Group Worksheet
   
   1. Identify group members.
   2. Briefly describe the specific issue that you will address in your project.
   3. Prepare an initial list of the sub-topics that will be addressed. (When doing this consider both the dimensions of your topic and the required elements of the assignment.)
   4. Identify possible sources of information that relate to each sub-topic.
   5. Identify any special resources that you think your group will need.
   6. Construct a project work plan that addresses at least the following:
   a. Identification of key tasks to be completed in the project; (This may include tasks such as various facets of the literature review, deliverables, sharing and group approval of products, and presentation planning.)
   b. Initial assignments for each person;
   c. Time line for completion of project; and a
   d. Tentative schedule of group meetings (assume that you will have some time to meet with your group online from November 22–December 14, 2009.
   7. Identify potential problems,
   
   if any In addition to the criteria in the syllabus, the following is due upon completion of the project. Each group member will write a one-page description of what they and each person in the group did in the project (roles, responsibilities, products produced, etc.). Limit this to one page for the entire group. Due December 14, 2009.
   
   Each group member has the option of writing up a one page description of any challenges, difficulties etc. with the group and its members. Due December 14, 2009.
   
   These are to be written INDIVIDUALLY and CONFIDENTIALLY.
   
   Group Project: (25 points.)
   
   
   
   
4. Influential Leader Paper, or The historical theme paper
   
   Guidelines: Task: You have options for this assignment. Select either: The influential leader paper, or The historical theme paper
   DUE: October 30, 2009

The Influential Leader Paper

1. General Assignment Rationale. In this course you are exploring the field’s most influential leaders, events, and trends. This paper presents an opportunity for you to develop another type of analysis of the field of Educational Technology. It is an analysis of the field by studying the contributions of one major leader.

2. Specific Task. Write a paper on one person who has had, or whom you think will have in the future, a profound influence upon this field. Your paper should:

• identify and briefly describe the career of this person;
• describe and provide support for the person’s most significant contributions;
• describe the nature of the impact of this person’s work on the field;
• describe the manner and the extent to which you think this person will continue to be influential upon the field in the future, and provide a rationale for your position.

3. Paper Specifications. The paper should:

• Be 10-15 pages;
• The paper must be typed, double-spaced on white paper and beginning with page number two, each paper must be consecutively numbered at the top. Use 12 point, Times New Roman font.
• Include an appendix, which provides a chronology of the individual’s career which includes educational background, major positions, and major accomplishments.
• Be written according to the 5th edition APA style manual;
• Be based upon a review of the pertinent literature, both current and historical, written, oral, and/or electronic.

4. Implications of the Assignment. There are a number of issues you must address to complete this assignment. Some of these follow:

• It is not necessary (or perhaps even possible) to select the most influential person. You may want to select a person who has had particular influence on one domain or one facet of the field. Pick a person and an area of the field in which you are particularly interested.

• Consider the broader history of the field when making your selection. However, the person does not have to be a historical figure to prove his or her influence. A consideration of the history of the field includes looking at current leaders as well.

• Pick a person who is considered an Educational Technologist, or someone whose work has major implications for the field. In other words, we are indebted to the contributions of persons such as Comenius, whose instructional method was applied in the first illustrated textbook, and to Edison’s work with the motion picture machine. However, they are not Educational Technologists, nor do we directly look to their work for direction. On the other hand, someone such as Kilpatrick is not considered an Instructional Technologist either, but his work is closely tied to the work of the field today.

The Historical Theme Paper

1. General Assignment Rationale. In this course you are exploring the history of the field. This assignment presents an opportunity for you to analyze a particular facet of this history. It is an analysis of the field by studying the ideas associated with one theme that has dominated this history.

2. Specific Task. Write a paper on one of the following themes that has been dominant in the history of Educational Technology:

• The power of visuals and realism
• The power of technology
• Breaking down barriers to education (the emergence of distance education)
• The emphasis on individualization
• The influence of science and scientific thinking
• The emphasis on organizational improvement.

Specifically, you should:
• describe the ideas, philosophies, and or values which provided a foundation for this theme;
• describe the key events that provide evidence of the dominance of these ideas;
• describe the impact of these ideas on the field’s theory, research and practice; and
• describe the manner and the extent to which you think these ideas will continue to be influential upon the field in the future.

3. Paper Specifications. The paper should be:

a. 10-15 pages in length;
b. written according to the 5th edition APA style manual;
c. based upon a review of the pertinent current and historical literature, (written, oral, and/or electronic); and it should
d. include an appendix, which provides a chronology those events and key publications in the field’s history, which provide evidence of the dominance of this major theme.

TOTAL POINTS 25

Course Policies

All University of Toledo policies will be adhered

1. Evaluation: Students must take the course assessments to receive credit for the assessment. If you are ill or have a serious problem that prevents you from participating the online class the day of a test, please contact your instructor prior to the test day. An alternate test date will be scheduled.

• All written assignments must demonstrate appropriate communication skills (e.g., correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar).
• All papers must use the APA style and be computer generated (electronic).
• All assignments must have a cover sheet, which includes the title, student’s name(s) and date.
• Please do not submit your assignments prior to the due date.

Assignments are due on the assigned date (no exceptions).

2. Scholastic dishonesty: Students who violate the University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the failure of the course and dismissal from the University. All policies on scholastic dishonesty will be enforced.

3. Any student who has a disability that may prevent from or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact the instructor as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunity.

4. Copyright: Some goals and objectives of this course may be met through use of commercial or copyrighted software programs. You are not permitted to copy or duplicate these programs. The unauthorized copying of computer software is in violation of the copyright laws and subject to University disciplinary measures, as well as, criminal prosecution. You are expected to practice responsible, legal and ethical use of all technology hardware and software encountered in this course.

5. I expect all course participants to approach the course in a mature, motivated, and professional manner. A professional approach means to:

• Complete course assignments with enthusiasm and without complaint.
• Recognize that learning can only happen when we take an active role.
• Engage fully in all course activities (assignments, in-class activities, online participation).
• Ask questions. Respond to the questions of others.
• Contribute your observations, insights, and opinions.
• Respect the observations, insights, and opinions of others.
• Treat information shared in the course with respect, sensitivity, and confidentiality.
• Strive to excel.
  
  
  

ETPT 5000/7000 WEEKLY SCHEDULE

College Mission Statement: Individuals at the center of their own learning within a rich intellectual environment characterized by choice.

Note: This syllabus is subject to change to accommodate extenuating circumstances.