[Return to the virtual Instructional Technology Lab]
At the beginning of each semester the Vice President of Academic Affairs will distribute a Request for Proposal (RFP) for online courses. The request will include important dates and desired courses that will fit into online programs and/ or certificates. The VP and Academic Deans will review the proposals for quality and pertinence and select the courses fulfilling the College's instructional goals.
Once accepted you will be required to attend training for Online Course Development. This training will cover aspects of a quality Online Course and how to use Intralearn, our Instructional Management System.
As you develop your course, work sessions will be scheduled to provide access to technical and Instructional Design assistance.
Transferring a traditional course to an Online format can take anywhere from 100 to 500 hours the first time through. The next time you offer the course it may take anywhere from 5 to 25 hours for minor updates and preparation.
If you have basic skills using email, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Office you have the skills you need to get started.
There are a variety of technologies in use for content development. By and large content is created with your basic toolbox software (Word, PowerPoint, and FrontPage). Additionally, products like Livemath, Mathcad, Autocad, RealAudio/ Video, and Flash for some specialty work.
Our Instructional Management System (IMS) is Intralearn. This software is used as a "container" that stores and manages content. I also provides a basic discussion board, rudimentary content development tools, an email client, synchronous chat functions, and many other features used to manage the course and content.
The Instructional Technology team will offer training in application of a number of software applications used to develop and manage content.
As you develop your course the you become part of a team of Instructional Design Coordinators, Instructional Technology Technicians, and administration to help you solve any problems you may be having. The team works together to solve new problems, provide solutions and work-arounds for known problems, and document best practices so no-one has to re-invent the wheel.
The Instructional Technology Lab is located in the Harrington Academic Computing Center next to the Academic Computing/ Instructional Technology office. This area is staffed by team members on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM to provide assistance with design and technology issues. The staff is also available by appointment.
Once you've developed your course you are paid a one-time course development stipend of $750 credit and a 1-time $750 training allowance. If after two (2) course offerings you choose NOT to offer the course again and the college chooses to offer your course with another faculty member, you will receive a stipend of $500 for every three (3) years of use.
With online asynchronous education self-motivated learners thrive. The Virtual Classroom is available anytime of the day or night, gives students the opportunity to develop thoughtful answers to class discussion topics and can actually bring some students out of their shell.
Online learning is NOT for everyone. Online students have to be self-motivated learners. Motivation is difficult with the absence of regular meetings where the student faces a faculty member 2 or 3 times per week. It is easy for students to post-pone logging in to remote environment. This procrastination can place the student in the situation of having to do too much work in too short a time. They essentially drop-out by default.
