Syllabus
Master of Science in Education
EDU 634 – Navigating an Online Learning Ecosystem (Summer B 2022)
Credits - 3
Description
This course addresses factors that influence all aspects of an organization’s online learning ecosystem. Equity, availability of student devices and home internet, school and community culture, and availability of funding to support high quality online learning are discussed. Participants will evaluate and develop strategies to implement emerging learning technologies.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Students will:
- Apply best practices in online learning systems, including designing for equity and accessibility for all learners
- Navigate the online learning ecosystem and develop plans to implement emerging technologies
- Examine best practices for risk minimization and risk management in online learning ecosystems.
- Evaluate best practices to establish privacy guidelines for online learning ecosystems.
- Advocate for technology needs within the online learning ecosystem.
Assignments
Discussions
There will be weekly whole-class discussions.
Week 2: Learning Ecosystem Diagram
You will create a diagram or schematic of your learning ecosystem.
Week 3: Key Assessment Part 1
You will identify the opportunities for improvement in your learning ecosystem.
Week 4: Job Aid
You will create a job aid for vetting and implementing new technology at your institution.
Week 5: Privacy Evaluation
You will reflect on the project you have chosen through the lens of each of the areas that we have explored throughout the course: policy, privacy and security, and equity, accessibility, and inclusion.
Week 6: Business Manager Interview – Plan ahead!
You will interview your local Business Manager/Finance Director or a school finance officer about the budgeting process for technology needs at your institution. Schedule this early to accommodate busy schedules.
Week 6: Key Assessment Check-In
To review your initial thoughts on your Final Assessment proposal, you will schedule a one-on-one meeting with your instructor during Week 5 or Week 6.
Week 8: Final Presentations
The major assessment for this course is an inquiry-based evaluation of your online learning ecosystem, in which you will identify a challenge or opportunity for improvement then craft a presentation explaining your proposal for the next steps.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assignments | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussions | 10 discussions, 4pts each |
| Week 2: Learning Ecosystem Diagram | 8 |
| Week 3: Identifying the Opportunities | 5 |
| Week 4: Job Aid | 10 |
| Week 5: Summarizing Best Practices | 12 |
| Week 6: Key Assessment Check-In | 1 |
| Week 6: Finance Interview | 10 |
| Week 8: Final Assessment, Next Steps in Online Learning | 14 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Jun 22 – Jun 26
Week 2: Jun 27 – Jul 3
Week 3: Jul 4 – Jul 10
Week 4: Jul 11 – Jul 17
Week 5: Jul 18 – Jul 24
Week 6: Jul 25 – Jul 31
Week 7: Aug 1 – Aug 7
Week 8: Aug 8 – Aug 14
|
Week |
Topics |
Assignments Due |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Introduction
|
Introductions due Friday by 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
2
|
Nuts & Bolts
|
Discussion: Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM Assignments due by Sunday 11:59 PM
|
|
3
|
Policy
|
Discussions (two this week): Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM Assignment due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
4 |
Privacy & Security
|
Discussion: Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM Assignment due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
5 |
Equity & Accessibility |
Discussion: Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM Assignment due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
6 |
Budgeting for Ed Tech Needs (and Wants)
|
Discussion: Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Response due by Sunday 11:59 PM Assignments due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
7 |
The Fun Stuff! |
Discussion: Initial post due by Wednesday 11:59 PM, Responses due by Sunday 11:59 PM |
|
8
|
Final Presentations
|
Key Assessment Submission – for instructor grading and peer feedback by Wednesday 11:59 PM Peer Feedback due Friday 11:59 PM Reflection due by Friday 11:59 PM. |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Education Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/education/
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Policies
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.