Creating Course to Enhance Learning - Assignment 3

Development ideas
Create your own learning weblog (Blog) in which you record your developing ideas about the practicalities of the proposed design of your course. You must address how you are going to provide an appropriate balance of face to face and flexible learning materials and assessment methods. The language and style may be quite informal, and technical assistance will be provided.

Marking criteria:
 Existing learning activities critically reviewed – what works and what doesn’t.
 Proposed learning objects, media and activities are described, as well as the way in which they will be used.
 Reflection on resourcing, including any new technologies, staffing and training provided.


1) Existing learning activities critically reviewed - what works and what doesn’t

Introduction:
A reminder about the course which i am proposing design changes
in. It is a compulsory course within the Yr 2 Bachelor of Nursing programme(Level) . I have been responsible for co coordinating this course for the last 10 years so have been able to observe trends in students participation levels and changes in student feedback during that time.Constraints around design changes which need to be noted are: 1) That the format of the course as listed in the curriculum document is
non negotiable. ie: 15 Credit course, 150 hrs total learning time 52 hours theory and 98 hours self directed hours. the course is delivered in 9 weekly blocks over two semester ie: full academic year. From an educator/course co coordinators point of view one of the key challenges I face is maintain learners interest in the course as these teaching blocks are in dispersed by clinical placements and of course holiday breaks. One of the motivating forces behind my design changes was to address this issue.

Current learning activities within the course i am proposing design changes in are:
Lectures x 27 hrs, Tutorials x 18hrs and self directed learning workbook. Each of these earning activities have limitations in the following ways: Lecture: The student group consists of 90-100 students. This means that the venues for lectures is usually large - and not Conducive to creating an atmosphere where dialogue and
Interchange of ideas between myself as facilitator and the learners
is possible. This is a variable which can not be changed without Timetable and room allocation. For those who do not attend lectures can only source the information via the Course on Student programme in PDF format of the lectures PowerPoint presentation slides. This limits student learning to the abridged version of the
lecture content. Another limitation is the non compulsory nature of the tutorial learning experience. Whilst this maybe seen as being the learners opportunity to have a smaller group learning situation - again the trend over the last 5 yrs is that attendance is dropping off to less than 30 %. ( This is a trend across the School of Nursing in a number of theory classes) In 2008 there has been no blackboard/moodle site. As a result of my GCLT learning I initiated a student evaluation survey of the 2008 students in regards to which learning mediums they would prefer to have access to a wider range of learning opportunities ie: blackboard or moodle sites which gave them access off campus, quizzes, workbooks, etc were also seen as being desirable changes. Other suggestions were Discussion boards and the need to have a wider range of ways to access teachers in the course for more direct feedback/advice particularly when they were not in polytechnic campus (when out on clinical placements) 100% of students identified that they
considered lectures to be their primary choice for learner engagement. Tutorials they saw as also being important and needed to be retained.


2) Proposed learning objectives, media and activities described as well as the way in which they will be used.

Proposed changes are consistent with my DFLP plan outline. ie:Information formats:Establishment of Moodle site (already started thanks to Terry M) Preparation of resources will utilise either Course Genie Communication Strategies: Discussion Board via Moodle site. Elluminate Sessions
Assessment: use of online drop boxes for potential assessment such as worksheets or quizzes. Turnitin Programme will be utilised for submission of assessment.


As always,,..your feedback and comments on my postings would be appreciated.