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MASTER OF TEACHING PROGRAM
CTL1608 The Design of Online Environments: Theory & Practice
COURSE SYLLABUS TEMPLATE
MT PROGRAM VISION
Teaching excellence and scholarly research are the mutually reinforcing pillars of the Master of Teaching program. The program prepares candidates to become outstanding teachers and leaders who consult, critique, create and mobilize educational research. As a community, our faculty, students and graduates share a deep commitment to all learners and the building of a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
2. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will examine the theory and research underlying key learning theories that have informed online design, including constructivist learning and its historical and philosophical roots. We will consider various learning approaches that have informed these ideas, like problem based learning, collaborative learning and knowledge building, as well as more recent perspectives, including Universal Design for Learning and equity and inclusion considerations for creating safe online experiences for all students. We will examine how such concepts can inform and enhance the design and pedagogy of online environments.
In alignment with the pedagogical commitment of the MT program to anti-racism education, this course intentionally focuses on de-centering Whiteness and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within online learning environments. Through targeted learning goals, content foci, course readings, and assignments, the course challenges traditional narratives and emphasizes the importance of anti-racist practices. Course topics include:
1. Key learning theories that inform online learning design,
2. The distinction between online learning and emergency remote teaching,
3. Gamified online learning,
4. Effective facilitation methods for online environments.
These course topics will prepare you to design and create more inclusive and equitable online learning spaces.
3. COURSE DELIVERY MODES
A. Zoom
To ensure that you have ample access to me please know that I will be holding weekly virtual officer hours every Wednesday from 4pm-5pm starting on September 11, 2024. This weekly session is not mandatory, but please feel free to drop-in to say hello or to chat about assignments. The virtual sessions will take place on Zoom and the link can be accessed here. I will also post the Zoom meeting link for the virtual office hour in Pepper in the “Course Materials” folder. If you cannot attend this weekly virtual session please know that I can meet with you 1:1 at a more convenient time for you.
Zoom Link: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/82646641961
Information for Students:
If you have been invited to join a video conference via Zoom, click the invitation link sent by your host. You will be prompted to download the Zoom plugin; follow the prompts to join the meeting. You will be asked to verify that you would like to join the meeting using video from your device’s camera, and audio from your device’s microphone.
B. Standalone Pepper
Pepper: The course will use an online forum called Pepper where you will find this course syllabus, assignment information, discussion threads, resources, submission folders, and other relevant materials. Take some time to explore and familiarize yourself with the site. Please contact Jim Hewitt ([email protected]) if you need technical assistance or would like to be added to the community. You can sign-in at https://pepper.oise.utoronto.ca/Signin.html, and it is helpful to bookmark the site for easy access. Please create a Bookmark (or a Favorite) for this link.
Step 1: If you already have an account on Pepper, you can skip this step and go to Step 2. Otherwise, you will first need to create a Pepper account. To create an account, click on the "Register" button on the bottom of the sign in page. This will prompt you to enter your name, email address (please use your university email) and select a password. Once you do this, you will have an account. Please write down your user name and password so you do not forget it! Then return to the sign in page and login.
Step 2: After you login, you need to connect to our course. Click on "Join a community" and enter the following access code: scu3tj
Here is a video that shows you the whole process described above:
If you have any difficulty creating an account for yourself, please contact Dr. Jim Hewitt at [email protected] and he will help get you set up.
Information for Students:
There are two versions of Pepper: a standalone version and a version inside Quercus. For this course, we will be using the standalone version.
Pepper is a web-based collaborative workspace where you can access course materials like PowerPoint slides, course outlines, and other documents.
C. Digital Tools and Social Media Platforms
This class will require students to engage with social media, which may include the need to sign-up to use new platforms. If you are not comfortable using a particular tool or platform, please contact me so that we can explore alternatives. All provisions of the University of Toronto student code of conduct apply to social media use, as we aim to be safe and respectful in all our online interactions. When possible, we will use the #CTL1608 hashtag for our posts with social media platforms.
4. LEARNING EXPECTATIONS
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge:
· Defining online learning, emergency remote teaching, and its current state in education.
· Understand the role EDI has in online learning and online course design.
Research and Scholarship:
· Develop a critical understanding of the design of online environments in education through a blend of theoretical, research-based and professional readings.
· Explore research studies exploring online learning and teaching that consider different views on online teaching and learning as well as the design of online environments.
Level of Application of Knowledge:
· Explore and learn from peers’ lived experience with online learning from a social and academic perspective.
· Recognize and investigate your own biases, (dis)advantages, and predispositions in relation to the design of and teaching within online environments.
Professional Capacity/Autonomy:
· Identify, understand, and effectively use online environment features, recognizing both their benefits and the risks of not leveraging them properly.
· Demonstrate critical reflection on and understand how Constructivism, Problem-Based Learning, Collaborative Learning, Knowledge Building, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Community of Inquiry (CoI) frameworks support the design of online environments.
Level of Communication Skills:
· Demonstrate how digital tools can enhance student learning, communication, and meaningful collaboration in online environments.
· Demonstrate how effective facilitation methods can enhance student learning, communication, and meaningful collaboration in online environments.