Volume 5, Number 4 1999
From the What and Why to the How of Course Support Systems–The Value of the Teachers’ Perspective
Christine Anne Brown 361Betty Collis, Guest Editor
Faculty of Educational Science and Technology University of Twente, Postbus 217, 7500 AE, En3chede The NetherlandsCollis@edte.utwente.nl
The Special Issue developed as a result of the ED-MEDIA ’99 Pre-Conference Seminar, “Systems for World Wide Web (WWW)-Based Course Support: Technical, Pedagogical, and Institutional Options,” held on June 20, 1999 in Seattle, Washington. The organizer and leader of the seminar was myself. The purpose of this Seminar was to study in depth what happens when an institution tries to implement a WWW-based course-support system for its educational program. The technical characteristics of the system are important, but even more important are other factors such as instructor willingness, support from the management or administration, and an implementation plan that matches the characteristics of the local setting. In this Seminar, we brought together persons from a variety of countries and universities who already have experience in making this implementation work. In the morning portion of the Seminar, after any opening presentation on the state of the art in WWW-based course-support sessions by Dr. Robby Robson of Oregon State University, persons from four universities where intensive work is being done with a particular WWW-based course-support system were invited to give an overview of their own work and experiences. Dr. Robson’s paper is the first article in this Special Issue. The four universities that were chosen for this focus where from different parts of the world and were using four different course-support systems. These presenters, their universities, and the systems that they use were as follows:
Shirley Alexander, University of Technology, Sydney (Australia); University-wide experiences with Top Class (80 courses and over 6500 students)
Karen Lazenby, University of Pretoria, South Africa; University-wide experiences with Web CT (126 courses)
Mercedes Fisher, Marquette University, USA; various courses and university-provided professional development for teachers in the local area using Lotus Learning Space
Wim de Boer, University of Twente, The Netherlands; faculty-wide (and broader) use of a locally produced system (TeleTOP); (over 60 courses)
The reports prepared by each of these presenters as well as by Dr. Robson were posted on the Seminar WWW site (http://education2. edte.utwente.nl/edmedia.nsf/framesform) ten days before the Seminar, and all persons who were registered as participants in the Seminar were sent the URL of the site so that they could download and read the papers in advance. The final versions of these papers, revised after the Seminar to reflect points of interest that arose, are included next in this Special Issue. It is interesting to notice the similarities as well as the differences in the local implementation approaches. In each case, it is not the technology alone which is the dominant aspect of the activities that occur, but rather the strategies used by the implementation team to deal with instructor issues, instructor-support issues, learner issues, learning-resource issues, and concerns of the overall organization, at the same time as issues relating to the technology. These six clusters of issues formed the focus of the second half of the Seminar.
In the afternoon portion of the Seminar, participants could choose one of six Break-Out Groups focusing on instructor issues, instructor-support issues, learner issues, learning-resource issues, technology issues, and concerns of the overall organization, for further sharing of ideas and experiences. Six persons were invited to serve as leaders of the Break-Out Groups. These persons, again representing different parts of the world, each had considerable experience in the particular type of issue that he or she represented. The Break-Out Group leaders were asked to prepare a short discussion paper and post it to the Seminar WWW site (http://education2.edte.utwente.nl/edmedia.nsf/framesform) ten days before the Seminar. In this way, participants could read the discussion papers in advance and have an informed basis for choosing a Break-Out Group at the Seminar itself. The Break-Out Groups and their leaders were:
Instructor perspective (teaching and managing): Christine Brown, University of Wollongong, Australia
Instructor-support issues: Allan Ellis, Southern Cross University, Australia
Learner issues: Curt Bonk, Indiana University, USA
Curriculum and learning-resources issues: Ron Oliver, Edith Cowan University, Australia
Technical issues: Bruce Landon, Douglas College, BC, Canada
Institutional perspectives, including costs and policy: Jef Moonen, University of Twente, The Netherlands
These discussion papers are included in this Special Issue.
The Break-Out Groups served their purpose very well. The approximately 175 participants in the Seminar chose the group of most relevance to themselves, and engaged in an informed discussion. The Break-Out Group leaders were asked to prepare a summary of the main points that emerged in their groups and to present these during a panel session that completed the afternoon’s events at the Seminar. In addition, the Break-Out Group leaders were asked to prepare a paper for this Special Issue, reflecting and elaborating issues that arose. These papers are included in the Special Issue.
The Break-Out Group leaders chose different approaches for their papers. In the papers by Curt Bonk and his colleague Vanessa Dennen, by Christine Brown, and by Landon and Robson, the flow of discussion that occurred at the Seminar can be followed in the article, but placed in a broader and reflective context. The other three papers, by Allan Ellis, Ron Oliver and Catherine McLoughlin, and Jef Moonen, were based on the points that emerged during the Break-Out Group sessions but expanded and reorganized into articles that that do not explicitly report on the Group discussion itself. All of the papers incorporate a substantial reference list, and can serve as stand-alone summaries of different perspectives related to the use and impact of WWW-based course-support systems in an educational organization.
Taken together, this Special Issue represents an important resource for all persons interested in how change in an educational organization can occur and be supported by the organization’s decision to commit itself to a system and to all that is needed for the system to be effectively used in practice. The Special Issue could be used as a resource for courses and workshops as well as by individuals seeking a full and informed perspective on all that is involved in such an organizational commitment.
A WWW-based course-support system was also used to support the Seminar. The site http://education2.edte.utwente.nl/edmedia.nsf/framesform uses the TeleTOP system from the University of Twente in The Netherlands, one of the systems described in the morning session of the Seminar (see Collis & De Boer, this issue). The site makes use of the upload and download capabilities of the system, and is a good example of how WWW-based course-support technology can facilitate information handling and communication even outside of the course context. I would like to thank my colleague, Wim de Boer, for setting up the site for the Special Issue.
Robby Robson
Undergraduate Academic Programs, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA 97331-1635.robby@orst.edu.
This article gives an overview of the first generation of course-support systems designed to support World Wide Web (WWW)-based learning. It starts with a perspective in terms of pedagogic and technological time scales, traces their origin, discusses their features, reports on their numbers, elucidates their architecture, and talks about the potential for the next generation.
Shirley Alexander
Institute for Interactive Multimedia University of Technology Sydney, Australias.alexander@uts.edu.au
This paper explores the technical, pedagogical, and institutional implementation issues surrounding the university-wide selection, adoption and implementation of TopClass as the WWW-based course support tool supported by a university. TopClass was piloted in one subject in early 1997, and is now used in over 200 subjects by approximately 10,000 students across the university.
Karen Lazenby
Department of Telematic Education University of Pretoria Pretoria, South Africaklazenby@postino.up.ac.za
This paper provides an overview of the use of WebCT at the University of Pretoria within an institution-wide virtual campus frame. The process through which WebCT was selected as the most appropriate solution for the University’s current needs and the selection criteria used are shared and its integration with existing systems is highlighted. Information about the range of subject fields supported by WebCT is given and the spectrum of mere presence to interactive content indicated. Feedback from lecturers and students point to WebCT features that should be improved and are also indicative of the painful change process experienced by lecturers and students. Finally, a picture is given of the department of Telematic Education and what role it plays in support, training, and change management.
Mercedes Fisher
Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin USAfisherm@vms.csd.mu.edu
In the School of Education at Marquette University, faculty members have been delivering staff-development since 1997 using Lotus LearningSpace, a World Wide Web (WWW)-based course support system. The use of a web-based course support system has brought change in the methods of delivering staff-development. This paper considers the nature of that change. Lotus LearningSpace is described and examined, including the faculty, student, and institutional issues surrounding the development of Marquette’s WWW-based program. Our pilot course, Using Technologies for Instruction and Assessment is highlighted as the focus of the discussion. The course has built a collaborative learning environment utilizing the WWW and Lotus Notes Learning Space. The Marquette University School of Education designed the course for the Milwaukee Public Schools. The current model of the course features activities that demonstrate clearly designed performance outcomes, interactive instructional strategies, assessment, and a student-centered learning environment that maximizes cooperative learning while considering different learning styles of students. The paper explores a method and critical insights, which can be used by similar university programs to influence their thinking about how to best prepare future courses. Some changes brought about through the redesign process were obvious however, other design considerations were more significant in bringing quality courses online. Examples are included that not only describe what participants saw as enabling aspects of the support system but also ways in which universities can enhance program development by learning from other pioneers in this area.
Betty Collis and Wim De Boer
Faculty of Educational Science and Technology University of Twente Enschede, The Netherlandscollis@edte.utwente.nl,w.f.deboer@edte.utwente.nl
At the Faculty of Educational Science and Technology, University of Twente in The Netherlands, pioneer faculty members have been making innovative use of World Wide Web (WWW)-based course support sites since 1994. In 1996, seven instructors were active users of the WWW; by the first part of 1999 more than half the faculty are involved not only in the use of the WWW but more fundamentally in a new educational approach, and the rest will be involved by 2000. In addition we are working with other faculties to support the same progression. How are we doing this? In this article, the TeleTOP Method (http://teletop.edte.utwente.nl) is described, showing how it has developed based on an implementation model and the experiences we had already acquired with innovative use of the WWW for our courses. The eight aspects of the TeleTOP Method, including the pedagogical principles, the change strategies, the instructor-engagement strategies, and the technology, will be described, and illustrated with examples from several of the courses that have now been redesigned. In particular, results after the first year in terms of usage, in terms of usage, of instructional choices made by the instructors, of the diversity of instructional approaches that are supported, of the on-going formative evaluation, and of the adaptation of the TeleTOP Method for another faculty with a different pedagogical culture will be given. The applicability of the TeleTOP Method to other faculties and settings is discussed.
Christine Anne Brown
Faculty of Education University of Wollongong Wollongong, AustraliaChristine_Brown@uow.edu.au
As various institutions choose to purchase and ultimately adapt a course support system to their context, or even develop their own system, they need to give serious consideration to the design of associated professional development programs. At first glance, specific teams of professionals—teachers, administrators, instructional designers, content experts, technical support staff, and students, will need to learn how to use a particular integrated set of tools and communication protocols within their chosen course support system. More generally, the adoption of course support systems provides a catalyst for fundamental change, if the accompanying professional development programs target pedagogy, and help teachers to integrate course support tools within a re-conceptualised notion of their professional role in education.
Teachers are the practitioners who implement education policy, and the “users” for whom course support systems were designed. Our challenge is to introduce course support systems in such a way that we don’t alienate teachers through real or perceived lack of involvement, don’t lose the focus on pedagogy in a specific learning context, and don’t diminish the range and quality of learning experiences for our students. This article integrates the ideas and experiences of thirty-five individuals who attended a breakout session on “Teacher as Manager” at the 1999 EDMEDIA pre-conference seminar “Systems for WWW-Based Course Support.” It acknowledges and values the teachers’ perspective, recalls earlier research findings about teachers and information technology, and suggests a checklist of questions to help you tailor your professional development program to incorporate the notion of a teaching team.
Allan Ellis
School of Social and Workplace Development Southern Cross University Australiaaellis@scu.edu.au
http://www.scu.edu.au
The successful provision of instructor support requires not just an appreciation of online pedagogical issues and current web-based teaching and learning tools but a familiarity with institutional policies, an awareness of available resources, an understanding of individual instructors teaching qualifications, and experience, as well as a willingness to engage in change management practices and action learning.
As a framework for managing instructor support a four stage model is proposed for the delivery of information and skills training in a relevant and timely fashion while maintaining motivation and seeking to modifying academic workplace practices. A warning is issued that those providing this support are likely to be called upon to justify and defend online, web-based instruction.
Curtis J. Bonk And Vanessa Dennen
Department of Educational Psychology Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47401 USACJBonk@indiana.edu
vdennen@indiana.edu
This paper reports the results of a breakout session focused on learner issues within the context of the ED-MEDIA ’99 Seminar on WWW-based course-support systems. The authors summarize a large number of points that were discussed by the participants at the session, but place these comments in a broader perspective. Themes that emerged included: What works?, future tools, another type of university, and interesting trends, but all from the perspective of the student as learner.
Ron Oliver
Department of Library and Information Science Edith Cowan University, Bradford Street Mt. Lawley 6050 WAUr.oliver@cowan.edu.au
Catherine McLoughlin
Teaching and Learning Center University of New England Armidale, NSW 2351 AUWeb-based course support systems are essential for supporting online teaching and learning environments. They provide tools to enroll learners, to deliver the course materials to the learners, and to administer and manage the learning. All of these tasks are functions of the particular system in use and are typically achieved efficiently and effectively. Several commercial Web-based systems have been designed for this purpose and successful implementation requires little design and input from the teacher. But when we set about to examine how well Web-based systems support effective learning, the outcomes are far less automatic and are dependent on teacher input and activity. In particular, effective learning depends on the curriculum and learning resources that are integrated into the course support system and the manner in which appropriate learning activities have been designed and implemented. This paper will examine issues associated with the use of curriculum and learning resources within Web-based course support systems and the effectiveness of the resulting online learning environments.
Bruce Landon
Douglas College New Westminster British Columbia, CanadaRobby Robson
Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon USAThe three technical issues addressed are technological currency, technical infrastructure to support academic integrity, and providing educational access to persons with disabilities. The focus of the technological currency issue is the initiative by the Instructional Management Systems Project to develop metadata specifications for learning materials and it’s implications for large-scale change. The changing information technology has also combined with trends of social change to create new threats to academic integrity at several levels. These are explored. Lastly the technical issues of extending educational opportunities to persons with disabilities are briefly surveyed.