Omde 606 Group Assignment 3 Narrative

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Assignment 3 OMDE 606 Group Members Rebecca Mitchell Jamila Jacques Chris Kaplan Damita Majetta

Group Process The group members consist of the fours names above. Once we finalized our group members we immediately scheduled our first meeting through Google Hangout. During that time we introduced ourselves and discussed our strengths pertaining to developing the assignment. We specifically decided on the type of course, rationale for choosing the course, and best approach to timely completion of the assignment. We all agreed to distribute the work as follows: Jamila & Rebecca- Narrative Damita- Spreadsheet Chris- PPPT with voiceover . Before each document was started the member(s) responsible created an outline, which was reviewed by each group member before proceeding. By doing so this ensured that no time was wasted. As the assignments were being developed they were all centrally located in Google docs. Although each member had their main area of focus, we all collaborated to ensure that all of our documents flowed together as one. Preparing for the final submission consisted of every group member reviewing each document and providing input and changes as needed. During the duration of the group assignment we communicated with each other by email on almost a daily basis. Everyone was a strong contributor and our process of planning, developing and finalizing the project was successful.

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Institution Overview The University of Spring Blossom (UOSB) is a nationally accredited university that was founded in 1935. UOSB is a dual mode university that introduced Distance Education (DE) in 1945 to meet the high demand for education after WWII and because the University’s remote location was a barrier for traditional enrollment. UOSB has competitive tuition rates, especially in the DE courses. UOSB has a student enrollment of 29,749 (2013), including undergraduate and graduate programs. Undergraduates make up 90% of the student body. The student population is comprised of 80% full time students and 20% part time. In an attempt to increase the number of full time students the UOSB has been growing the number of online courses to allow students to take courses in synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. UOSB enrollment is open to students with a high school diploma or equivalent, and is an equal opportunity university. Students are accepted into the university with a 74% acceptance rate. High school graduates do not need to qualify for entry into the university by specific ACT/SAT exam scores but rather are required to participate in placement exams after accepted into the university admissions process. Upon entry to the university students need to demonstrate proficiency in basic mathematics including prealgebra, geometry, as well as a strong foundation on data analysis, fractions, number sense and the relationship of numbers and patterns. The initial placement exam will assess students in these areas. Course Description and Rationale Math 101 is a core requirement course for all undergraduate students as a prerequisite to Math 300 along with a proficiency score in the mathematics placement exam. Math 101 is

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available for all fields of study and required for students who test below the mathematics 300 levels. Students are eligible for Math 101, the basic mathematics supplemental course if mathematics entry exam scores are below proficient. If proficiency is demonstrated they qualify to start courses beginning with Math 300. If students do not demonstrate proficiency in the entry exam, they are required to take Math 70, 80, 90, or 100 along with dual enrolling in Math 101, the basic mathematics supplemental course described in this project. The main goal of Math 101 is for the enrolled students to make gains on their basic mathematics skills, and to eventually get where they need to be in order to qualify for credit level mathematics courses within the UOSB regulations. Basic Mathematics Supplemental Courses will focus on specific critical mathematics skills including number sense, fractions, geometry, algebra, and data analysis to prepare students for mathematics 300. Students will receive 3 credits for this course even though it does not satisfy the math requirement however, it can count as an elective course. Math 101 will be offered in a synchronous online learning environment. The number of students per course will be of average size, providing students with several academic support options such as printed study guides, audio videos, and a LMS platform to facilitate peer support. Students are graduating from high school unprepared for college level mathematics. This course will give students a mathematics remediation option so they can become successful in the mathematics courses required for their field of study. The top three academic programs at UOSB are psychology, business administration and biology which higher-level math courses are key courses in these programs. Helping students reach the level of math required by the majority of the programs is important for student graduation rates to continue to climb in the future.

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Course Basics Course Material Computer access with Internet connection, microphone and audio capabilities. Study guides and workbooks can be viewed online or printed depending on the student’s preference. Archived synchronous sessions will be available as a learner support tool. Student support Online instructor available three times a week for 60 minutes during live class sessions with an additional 60 minutes one time a week for tutoring or additional instruction. Additional tutors and/or student mentors will be present in the classroom to help with monitoring. Presentation Class will be provided with synchronous instruction using Blackboard Collaborate platform with a web link provided for the specific class accessed through the LMS for each individual student enrolled in the program. The instructor will provide the link to the students prior to the first session. Students are required to participate using microphone audio features; using chat feature and using whiteboard tools to solve problems live during class. The sessions will be recorded and made available immediately for students to review and access after the synchronous session has concluded. Students will participate in synchronous sessions three days a week and have offline work for the additional two days a week using the study guide/workbook and online mathematics programs. The course will cover 5 content areas, each lasting 3 weeks. The first week of the course will cover the pre-test and training on how to access and utilize the learning tools and study guide. Student Tuition/Fees 3 credit course, cost $380 per credit for a total of $1,140.

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Assessment Students will take a pre-assessment prior to each content area, and a post-assessment after that content block is complete. Proficiency in each assessment will be required to move to the next content block. If proficiency is not acquired in a content block the student is offered additional support and the ability to take the assessment over at a later date. The course is broken down into 4 learning modules, which must be completed according to the syllabus schedule. At the end of the course the student will be required to take a final exam, which will be similar to the mathematics placement test. The ingredients & cost template Input Course overheads

Unit of input

Amount of input

Management

Per annum salary Per annum salary

1/3 of full-time position (ongoing) Full-time position

Secretarial support

Cost per unit of input

$60000 $40000

Development Cost Management

Secretarial support

Per annum salary Per annum salary

½ of full-time position over one year of development Full-time position

$60000 $40000

Development Print Authoring of study guide Preparation of a reader Editing and design Copyright Development of DVD Development of content Instructional design Production Copyright

Study guide (48pp) Reader 144 Per 48 pp. Per 48 pp. Per hour Per hour Per hour Per DVD

10 1 13 13

$1728 $1148 $720 $1728

100 60 50 1

$40 $25 $20 $1500

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Development of assignment Development of assignment

Per assignment

5

$1104

3

$1728

3

$1148

3

$720

5

$40

Maintenance (part of printed material only Author

Per study guide Editing and design Per study guide Copyright Per study guide (updating) Annual Presentation costs (all per student) Student Support Marking of assignment Tutor (per group of 24) Tuition expenses

Per assignment Per hour and group of 24 Per group of 24

30

$19

Replication and Distribution Production study guides Production assignments Production of Reader Packaging and postage Income (per student per credit) Fee

Per study guide Per assignment Per reader Per mailing Per credit point

10

$8

3 1 2

$16.33 $12 $15.20

3

$380

Media Choice-Bates Actions Model (Bates, 2013) Tony Bates (2013) explains the ACTIONS model using the first initial of each component by using the work “Actions” as outlined below. We will use the Bates Actions model for our guide as well.

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Access Students can access the course with any computer or web-based device such as tablet, smart phone, with Internet availability. Instructors will use Blackboard Collaborate as the platform for conducting class. The instructors need access to a computer with Internet capability, high speed Internet works best. The sessions will be taught three days a week in a synchronous setting with a link provided to the students by the instructor prior to class beginning. The synchronous classes will be recorded for students to access after class or at a later time to provide more flexibility in the schedule. Students can use any private or public computer to access the sessions given it has Internet capability. Students without availability to Internet on a regular basis can utilize the recorded sessions by requesting a DVD copy of the sessions, which are available upon request. Costs Total variable cost per student is $395.15. This cost includes marketing, production, and distribution costs per student. Compared to other technology choices the cost was comparable to all other live meeting platforms. This platform was chosen due to the university using the Blackboard Collaborate program for other courses and classroom settings, which helps minimize the additional cost for this course. Teaching and Learning As described above in the course scenario the learning will focus on basic math remediation in an online environment. Computer delivered online instruction is the best technology for the supplemental instruction by increasing flexibility in the student schedule and allowing for learning style accommodations for students who require additional time or extra practice on a mathematics concept. Students can access the content with any web-based device

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with Internet connectivity. The instructor has the capability of adding additional material or deleting material in the lessons depending on the needs of the classroom. Additional adaptations can be provided such as closed caption or students watching or listening at a slower pace by pausing, repeating, or restarting recorded lessons. The technology helps meet the needs of students with various learning styles, students can participate using microphones, typing conversations in live chat during class as well as using whiteboard tools to work out problems live in the class with the instructor and peers. Students are engaged with audio, video, interaction, and social engagement to enhance the learning process. Interactivity and User Friendliness As stated in Teaching and Learning students have the ability to access lessons synchronously and asynchronously depending on the flexibility needed by the student enrolled in the program. The course is very easy to learn and most people can utilize all tools in the sessions with one training session. Organizational Issues The university will budget in technical support including student support with technology, training and lesson development as well as utilizing the programs technology support and client support if needed. The barriers with the technology are minimal since the program has been utilized for an extended period of time with other courses in the university. The upfront changes needed are staffing for the front end of the production of the course as well as hiring staff to utilize the technology and lead instruction of the course, which leads to student success. Novelty Online meetings and teaching in this degree is relatively new but has been tested and

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used for several years in different education and business settings. There is room for growth, as the course develops to utilize additional social media to enhance the online classroom experience. Speed Courses can be created in a short period of time depending on the timeliness needed for the program to start. The lessons for the course can be developed during the initial startup of the course ideally the lessons will be developed prior to enrollment. Course materials can be changed immediately during live sessions or after the session by individual instructors if needed. Once the lessons are built teachers have the ability to add, delete, or adjust individual lessons. Conclusion UOSB is an accredited University that has a specific goal of improving student’s skills in the area of mathematics. Math 101 is being developed to help students be successful in meeting higher-level mathematics courses and have an overall understanding of mathematical principles. Math 101 is a core requirement prerequisite with flexible options to meet the needs of distance education students. This course will be great addition to the Mathematical department at UOSB.

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References Bates, T. (2013). Innovation, quality and digital resources: the LINQ 2013 conference. Retrieved from: http://www.tonybates.ca