Developing an Online Course Syllabus

A syllabus is a document that most college students have become accustomed to receiving at the start of each course they take, which normally outlines basic information that one needs to know and be responsible for throughout the course. With the steady emergence of online classes, tips have been suggested as to how professors can create an online course syllabus with a convenient "ABC" approach through a virtual learning environment.

The first step is to formulate a syllabus that anticipates and addresses questions that students may have. Course objectives should be easy to understand as well as outline course expectations. All information on the syllabus should be clear and nothing should have to be inferred.

Common information that should be provided to students include professor contacts, as well as books and required texts. The syllabus should also reflect the professors grading policy.

Whether the syllabus is provided to students in hand or online, it is important for professors to update it as necessary if course work changes. Another important factor is to make sure course guidelines stay consistent. If possible, professors should attempt to present their course in a unique and or personal way. The overall objective of the syllabus is that it should set the foundation and future groundwork for the course.

An online syllabus can be easily formatted and broken down into 3 parts known as The Contract, The Map and the Schedule:

The Contract includes:

• Name of the course
• Instructor contact info- whether by email, chat, or appointment
• Course description and goals
• Grading policy and proper ways to submit assignments
• Student expectations and standards

The Map includes:

• Given this is an online class, the syllabus should be easily located through the click of a mouse
• Headings should be clearly identified such as "lectures, discussion forums and other resources"
• Contact information should be listed in the event of technical difficulties

The Schedule includes:

• Course assignments should be laid out in a WEEKLY (or topical) format and should include subdivisions
• Assign specific dates for when assignments should be submitted and deadline times
• Give students flexibility depending on what days sessions are held- Most full time students access material in labs, dorms, and on campus, while working adults tend to do most of their work on the weekends. Allow both types of students to utilize their weekends in order to complete assignments

Fostering Personal Learning Environments thru Web 2.0

The newest advancement in internet technology has been the development of Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is a network of web sites aimed at networking. Common Web 2.0 Websites includes social and peer networking sites including Facebook Myspace, but also blogging and file sharing which are all incorporated under the Web 2.0.

The development of this new innovation can be beneficial in helping students learn in and outside of the classroom since the internet has virtually become part of everyone's life in some fashion. Web 2.0 focuses on building communities thru networking and filesharing, but is also being looked at a means of creating Personal Learning Environments for academia which would allow instructors and students to become organized online as they are assigned work, and after it is completed it is then archived.

http://www.campustechnology.com/articles/63593

Free Online Tool Helps Users Record and Share Research

iBreadcrumbs is a new online application used in conjunction with the Mozilla Firefox web browser that allows individuals to keep track of websites during research and saves them in a way similar to book marking.

One is able to press a button and “record” all the sites visited. When you’re done, you hit "stop" and saved sites appear. Those who use this application can share sites with others, while maintaining their research in an organized manner.

The site also provides an easy way to cite all sources in either MLA or APA format.

How Do I Create Student Groups in Blackboard?

Creating student groups can help your sort and manage large groups of students more effectively. Using groups is useful for emailing, discussion board and collaboration. To create student groups:

• From the Control Panel click on ‘Manage Groups' under User Management.
• Click on ‘Add Group'.
• Type a name for the group and if desired, a description.
• Check the ‘Group Options' that you wish to be available to the group (I recommend selecting all of them).
• Click ‘Submit' and ‘OK'.
• To add students to the group click on the ‘Modify' button next to the specific group.
• Click on ‘Add Users to Group'.
• Without entering anything in the Search field click on the ‘Search' button to show the list of enrolled students.
• Select the students you wish to add to the group by checking the box next to their name.
• Click ‘Submit' and ‘OK'.

To add more groups repeat the steps above.

Podcasting at PhilaU

The word podcasting is a combination of the words iPod and Broadcasting. In its most popular form, it is a way for people to be able to selectively subscribe to audio content over the Internet. This audio content can then be automatically added to a mobile device, like an iPod. Podcasting can also be used to distribute video content for iPod. - Apple’s definition.

Note: You do not need an iPod to listen or view a podcast.

A Podcast is RSS content that you’ve subscribed to & is delivered via the Internet; then captured by a program known as a “podcatcher” or a “content aggregator” such as iTunes. Podcasting has been likened to TiVo because it empowers the consumer to listen or view their selected podcasts whenever they like, and on the go with an MP3 player.

For more information about iTunes University at Philadelphia University, go here:

SBA Transitions to Blackboard

The School of Business Administration has successfully transitioned its online courses from eCollege to Blackboard for the Summer 2008 semester. Course materials were migrated from the eCollege system to Blackboard over the past year. Faculty members attended two informational sessions concerning the differences between eCollege and Blackboard in early May and are now entering the second week of the summer term.

• Students taking online business classes will now log into http://bb.philau.edu instead of http://philau.org.

Any administrative questions can be directed to the School of Business Administration. Technical issues should be directed to the Help Desk at Ext. 4648.

Directions for Uploading Video to iTunes U (Mac & PC)

1. Get started with the uploading process by first downloading and installing iTunes: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

2. Have your materials ready to post. Please note that only Quicktime (.mov) and MPEG-4 (.mp4) files are compatible with iTunes U. If you have another format, such as .avi, .mpg, etc., your video must be converted to Quicktime. Using Quicktime Pro ($30) is the easiest way to do this.

3. Log into iTunes U. using your network/email login info by going to http://itunes.philau.edu and clicking the “click here to launch iTunes U” link.

4. iTunes should automatically open on your computer. iTunes U will launch in the iTunes Store.

5. Select your program

6. Next, select your course

7. Once you are on your course page, choose “upload and manage files” from the right hand navigation menu. Note: you may not see any many options as pictured.

8. Clicking “upload and manage files” will launch your web browser and open the “Upload and Manage Files” page. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click “Add New File.”

9, Click “Browse” and locate the video you wish to upload. Remember: only Quicktime videos will successfully upload.

10. Once you have chosen your video file, it will be added to the upload Queue. You will begin to see the upload progress in MB. Although iTunes accepts file sizes up to 500MB, it is important to note that these files may take VERY long to upload (especially if you are not on a broadband connection). It is highly recommended that your video is edited to a reasonable length and compressed to an acceptable video quality.

If you need further assistance or consultation with editing or video conversion, please contact Mark Clauburg, Instructional Design Specialist, by emailing clauburgm@philau.edu or calling 215-951-6332.