CREATE AN ON-LINE COURSE SYLLABUS

*Background on the Course and the Course Syllabus

Betsy Quintero and Helen Carlson, instructors in the course ECh 5602, a seminar dealing with the complexities of issues surrounding young children and their families, had team taught the course face-to-face. They had already developed the objectives, the teaching-learning methods, and the team-teaching processes. This provided an important backdrop for offering the course through ITV with synchronous chats.

The first time the class was taught eleven professionals that served children and families (physical therapists, special educators, speech and language specialists, early childhood family educators, foster care workers, and early childhood teachers) met for a ten-week professional development graduate course. All participants were females, and ten participants had ten or more years of experience.

Two facilitators, Betsy and Helen, alternated working with the professionals for the three and one-half hour sessions. Their tasks included setting the stage, circulating among four small groups as they discussed and struggled with issues, and leading debriefing and discussion sessions. Further, they offered comments and suggestions throughout the process.

*Overall Format

The course included case analysis using a problem solving approach (one session), case analysis using a perspective taking approach (one session), writing cases stemming from personal work experiences (two sessions), sharing and critiquing cases in a home group (two sessions), sharing cases with a critique group who wrote commentaries (two sessions), and using the cases to "teach" others about issues in the professions related to young children and their families (two sessions).

At the conclusion of each session, there were group and individual debriefing periods where perceptions were shared and issues discussed. This was an important part of the process.

*The Integrated Distance Education Model

The second time the course, ECh 5602 was taught, the on-line course syllabus was prepared for the first day of class, offering the formats for fulfilling the same objectives and interactive qualities through ITV, synchronous chats, E-mail, and fax.

Return to the PREPARATION

Return to the INTEGRATED DISTANCE EDUCATION MODEL