Below is a list of course I took to meet the requirements for my OMDE program. The course title appears first followed by the course description from the UMUC website. My reflection appears in blue which is followed by a sample of my work. Before each class starts, UMUC has 1 week of "pre-week" which signals to the student and teacher to get ready for class. Students are expected to acquire their books, teachers greet their class online with a brief, yet positive message and typically release their syllabus for viewing and consideration for students to peruse although no work is allowed until the class officially starts. I found "pre-week" to be very helpful to get the students ready, set the tone of the class (and institution) and it optimized everyone's time so that it is was used most effectively and efficiently.
UCSP 610 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills
(Required within the first 6 credits of graduate study for all new graduate students and all inactive students who reapply for admission.) An overview of online library and information resources—material that is critical for 21st-century managers. An in-depth introduction to the library research process and to the tools necessary to succeed in graduate study is provided. Emphasis is on the efficient and effective use of a variety of electronic retrieval systems, including the online catalog of the University System of Maryland and affiliated institutions (USMAI), UMUC’s subscription databases and the Web. Discipline-specific research is conducted in order to gain experience in formulating viable research questions, selecting the most appropriate investigative methods and resources for research, locating relevant research materials, evaluating the scholarly value of sources and effectively citing sources.
The beginning of my UMUC OMDE journey began with an introduction on how to use the UMUC library resources and how to reference sources for assignments and term papers. I can remember thinking that the school offered this course foremost to make new or returning students as successful as possible in their educational endeavors. After all, if students are attending school virtually, they would need to know how to suffiently access it's virtual reference resources to perform research and to support their findings. Another added benefit I found was the fact that the course was a confidence builder. That is, I achieved my first bit of minor success by successfully navigating and completing the course online within the prescribed timeframe during my first semester in UMUC's OMDE program. With that said, I vowed to tackle my first introductory distance education course with equal passion.
OMDE 601 Foundations of Distance Education
(Developed by Ulrich Bernath of Germany and Eugene Rubin of the United States, in collaboration with Borje Holmberg of Sweden and Otto Peters of Germany.) An overview of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are required by a competent practitioner of distance education. Critical concepts and issues identified in the distance education literature are explored and the history and theories of the field are critically examined.
I discovered that even though I belonged to USDLA and TXDLA (2 US-based distance learning organizations; one national and the other at the state-level) that I really didn’t know that much about the field of Distance Education. I learned that distance education has a rich history with its roots in correspondence education. Feeling very fortunate that some of the notable experts in the field were available online to the class, I knew that I had a lot of DE history and foundational information to glean. Borje Holmberg was the visiting professor that semester. Like many other students, I pondered on his empathy approach. Holmberg suggests through empathy that “feelings of personal relations between student and teacher promote motivation, study pleasure and effectiveness” (Holmberg, 1996, p. 489). It was quite different from traditional education in which the teacher was viewed more as the dispenser of knowledge and "a connection" didn't necessarily exist between the teacher and students in a large lecture hall. I find that Holmberg's empathy approach is valuable in both my work and personal relationships as well in my ability to motivate others. Taking a unique and geniune interest in others in order to cultivate meaningful relationships proves to be more fruitful and productive than not engaging. Even more important, it lessens student attrition.
OMDE 603 Technology in Distance Education
A review of the history and terminology of the technology used in distance education. The basic technology building blocks of hardware, networks and software are identified. Analysis covers the characteristics of asynchronous and synchronous technologies and tools used in the teaching and learning, as well as the administration of distance education. The relationship between technology and the goals of the educational/training organization are critically examined. The relationship between information technology (especially online technology) and distance education is explored. Topics include the criteria and guidelines for selecting technologies for distance education and future directions of technology in distance education.
When I first attended school at my college alma mater in Denton, Texas, (University of North Texas), it was solely a brick-and-mortar school. Nearly thirty years later it offers both face-to-face classes and increasingly online learning courses. This course allowed me to look at a scenario in which I could examine the needs of DE students and make a proposal to an institution to meet those needs while growing student enrollment. The important point I took away from this class is that there are many institutitions that are looking to offer online courses whether for demand or to stay competitive. As DE practitioners we must be aware of the best available options to met those need by being able to advise on technology, services, structure and in a financial capacity.
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DEPM 604 Leadership in Distance Education
(Formerly OMDE 604.) An introduction to the organization, management and administration of distance education systems. Topics include management theory, organizational behavior, leadership roles, human resource management, employee relations, the impact of information technology, faculty/staff development, interinstitutional collaboration, planning, policy and change. Both education and training environments, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to function effectively in either type of organizational setting, are explored.
One of the interesting points about this class was crafting a job posting deliverable for a DE position. I was required to think about what a candidate needed to possess in terms of experience, responsibilities, education and skills to fill a position as director of distance learning. Likewise, its important to capture the right criteria to solicit the right DE candidates for the job.
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OMDE 606 Costs and Economics of Distance Education
(Developed by Thomas Huelsmann of Germany.) A study of the economics of distance education in the larger context of the economics of education. Various methodological approaches (including cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness analysis) are applied to the distance education context. Costing techniques and economic models are explored and applied to different institutional forms and levels of distance education.
I must admit that I'm not a numbers person, but Professor Huelsmann made this course more enjoyable than expected due to his Wimba tape recordings which walked students step-by-step through many of the calculations. He explained "how its calculated" behind "what is calculated". Figuring out the cost of distance education is an unavoidable task. We must know how to calculate and approximate the costs of resources and determine the break-even point if we are to remain an economically viable entity. Professor Huelsmann clearly gave me confidence in examining DE figures.
One of the first topics we studied in the class was the theory of human capital. Human capital is the totality of the human resource (e.g. competences, education, personality etc) to perform work in order to produce economic value. In contrast, we see the signaling theory in action as people acquire more education or skills to set themselves apart from others. Putting a figure on the cost and value of human capital can be difficult. What is more interesting is what happens to these valuations during hard economic times. Typically the education sector is more stable than many other business sectors; however, lately that has become a misnomer. None the less, I see this as an important factor to match the right person with the right job.
One of the first topics we studied in the class was the theory of human capital. Human capital is the totality of the human resource (e.g. competences, education, personality etc) to perform work in order to produce economic value. In contrast, we see the signaling theory in action as people acquire more education or skills to set themselves apart from others. Putting a figure on the cost and value of human capital can be difficult. What is more interesting is what happens to these valuations during hard economic times. Typically the education sector is more stable than many other business sectors; however, lately that has become a misnomer. None the less, I see this as an important factor to match the right person with the right job.
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DETT 607 Instructional Design and Course Development in Distance Education
(Formerly OMDE 607.) An examination of the instructional design process, its history and place in today’s course development efforts, and the use of instructional design components in practice. Emphasis is on the nature of learning and the requirements for effective instruction. The theoretical underpinnings of learning are explored and applied to the design of a prototype classroom. Management issues surrounding course and curriculum development efforts are discussed and a comprehensive curriculum management plan is developed.
This was actually my second introduction to ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) phases. The authors thoroughly explained that ADDIE is the basis for Instructional Systems Design (ISD) design and that as novices we are being introduced to the skeleton or bare-bones model. The authors pointed out that there is several extension of this model that we will review at a later time. ISD is based on the following three theoretical frameworks: Systems Approach, Psychology, and Communication. Needs Analysis, Tasks Analysis and Instructional Analysis are often lumped together. They are hard to distinguish because during a project team members sometimes go back and forth between the three points until more definitive conclusions are reached. When examining the evolution of Distance Education I learned about learning contracts and that ISD is not the solution for every problem/project. All alternatives must be examined.
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OMDE 608 Learner Support in Distance Educaton and Training
An introduction to the theories and concepts of support for learners in distance education and training. The various types of learner support—including tutoring and teaching; advising and counseling; and library, registrarial and other administrative services—are examined. Discussion addresses management issues such as planning, organizational models, staffing and staff development, designing services to meet learner needs, serving special groups and evaluation and applied research. Assignments include designing a learner support model for a particular context (e.g., public or private educational institution or corporate or military training).
This course allowed me to examine the critical nature of learning support by drafting a proposal for a fictitious HE institution. One of my recommendations was to seamlessly integrate support processes. Personally, I believe that UMUC performs this quite well. When an online student is thousands of miles away from campus, it is critical that he has multiple modes of access to services. This includes admissions, registration, advising and counseling, grade reporting, tutoring, technical support, library services and applying for graduation. I believe to the greatest extent possible students should be provided multiple ways to accomplish a task (including talking with a live person). Students should be encouraged to “self-serve” their own needs with minimal interventions.
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OMDE 610 Web-based Learning and Teaching and the Virtual University
(Dr. Som Naidu of Melbourne, Australia gave instruction.) An exploration of the online teaching and learning dynamic, including its theoretical foundation and best practices. The themes that shape the online teaching/learning relationship are addressed through individual and collaborative projects. Topics include philosophical frameworks; instructional, social and cognitive presence; interaction, collaboration and participation; community and engagement; and administration and management.
I truly enjoyed this class with Dr. Naidu! It is obvious that he is very passionate about the subject. This class allowed me to think about various aspects of online teaching in order to make online learning a successful and desireable experience for both the teacher and student.
DETT 620 Training at a Distance
(Formerly OMDE 620. Developed by Joachim Hasebrook of Germany.) An examination of the use of digital media in a variety of educational settings to identify properties, strengths and weaknesses of multimedia in different learning contexts. Basic psychological processes of perception, understanding and learning are introduced. Focus is on multimedia and instructional design for online learning systems, such as Web-based training. Hands-on experience with several multimedia and online learning and information systems is provided. Topics also include groupware and collaborative learning technologies, intelligent systems, instructional simulations and virtual reality systems.
One of the interesting take-aways from this course was the examination of DE from its beginnings to our current times. Beginning with correspondence study (which is still alive and well) and ending with a discussion about the internet. We are now looking at the use of iPods and PDAs as online learning tools. Similarly, I found the use of cell phones by elementary students in China and Keller, Texas to be fascinating. (Incidentally we studied the mobile learning work of Dr. Norris, a UNT CECS professor, in my class.) With each new innovative tool we must ask ourselves, "Is it a candidate for a learning tool?" Technology has changed the way we view devices and communicate in our global village.
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DEPM 622 The Business of Distance Education
(Formerly OMDE 622.) An examination of the highly competitive global business environment for distance education and training. Topics include the supply and demand of education services in emerging and existing markets, the competitive positioning of organizations and increasing reliance on collaborations. Emphasis is on the skills distance education managers need in planning and developing programs, products and services that are targeted to specific markets and cost-effective.
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DEPM 609 Distance Education Systems
(Formerly OMDE 609.) Prerequisites: OMDE 601, 603, and 608 and DETT 607 (or OMDE 607). An introduction to frameworks for analyzing the nature of distance education from a functionalist, interpretive or emancipatory systems approach. Appropriate diagramming techniques are used as a means to examine the organization and management of distance education systems.
This class allowed me to examine a real-work situation and to examine the application of various systems approaches. Oftentimes we approach a problem with a technical solution before truly understand the needs. I would have never thought about "getting people to care" as being an issue. However, when something is not mandated, this very issue can give rise.
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DETT 611 Library and Intellectual Property Issues in Distance Education
(Formerly OMDE 611.) An overview of the development and delivery of digital resources for distance education. Discussion covers the intellectual property issues affecting the use of copyrighted works in distance education, developing and delivering library resources online to a faculty and student population, and the future of digital information delivery and the impact of digital rights management (DRM) technologies and social networking.
This was truly an interesting class! Students constantly infused the classroom with information on current topics with daily events from the outside world. Additionally, Dr. Frank was instrumental in motivating students to take charge of their learning. One of the issues I found interesting was simply how an institution of higher learning has to take special care in defining what belongs to whom. For example, such factors as where the faculty member creates the piece of work and whether school facilities were used in its creation can influence who has copyright over the material. Furthermore, faculty members must gain permission to use student's work as it is protected under copyright law.
The topics covered in this class were clearly applicable to the outside world. It has surely caused me to check references to the material I create in my current job!
The topics covered in this class were clearly applicable to the outside world. It has surely caused me to check references to the material I create in my current job!
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OMDE 670 Portfolio and Project in Distance Education
(Formerly OMDE 690.) A capstone study of distance education and training designed to demonstrate cumulative knowledge and skills through two major projects: an electronic portfolio and a case study. The personal e-portfolio documents credentials and accomplishments to date and also serves as an ongoing resource and record of continuing professional development. The case study, which focuses on a distance education/training program or organization, involves in-depth analysis of the setting and application of concepts and strategies to enhance practice and performance in distance education and training.
Working in another field outside of DE has been a bit of a challenge at times, but none the less, I have enjoyed the OMDE journey. As my capstone project, I chose to write my paper on cheating because it is a well-known topic in the brick-and-mortar educational environment. Most people believe that because DE can afford the flexibility of time and space with learning that cheating would occur more often in comparison to brick-and-mortar environments; however, that notion is to the contrary. Please see the "Capstone Project" for more information.
This e-Portfolio is a representation of my past and present education, skills, knowledge and growth. It serves as a reminder of what I can achieve through effort and hard work. I am eternally grateful to the staff, support personnel and instructors within the US and around the world for sharing their knowledge, encouraging me to think critically, helping me to develop as a person and understanding the trials that working adults go through while trying to achieve their educational goals.
This e-Portfolio is a representation of my past and present education, skills, knowledge and growth. It serves as a reminder of what I can achieve through effort and hard work. I am eternally grateful to the staff, support personnel and instructors within the US and around the world for sharing their knowledge, encouraging me to think critically, helping me to develop as a person and understanding the trials that working adults go through while trying to achieve their educational goals.
DMBA 610 Ethical Leadership in Organizations and Society
Prerequisite: Completion of all requirements for the first degree of an approved dual-degree program. An examination and application of core knowledge and skills for managerial and organizational success in the competitive global marketplace. Emphasis is on effective ethical decision making for optimal organizational performance. A foundation in systems and critical thinking is provided. Topics include the legal environment of business, forms of business and nonprofit organizations, employment issues and practices, workforce recruitment and retention, conflict management and alternative dispute resolution, management of diverse virtual teams, ethical and legal conduct of domestic and international business, and corporate social responsibility.
DMBA 620 Effective Financial and Operational Decision Making
Prerequisite: DMBA 610. A study of sound decision making in business, focusing on financial analysis and operational issues found in every enterprise. Discussion covers economics, financial reporting and analysis, information systems and project management in an international context. The goal is to understand and apply the principles and techniques of effective management planning, control and decision making in the global environment.
DMBA 630 Marketing and Strategy Management in the Global Marketplace
An investigation of marketing and strategy and how they lead to value creation and value capture in different business contexts. Discussion covers marketing strategy and customer orientation in the context of strategic frameworks for industry analysis and achievement of sustainable competitive advantage. Global business and technology environments are assessed to determine strategic options for growth and profitability, leading to specific marketing plans and strategic decisions. Examples from personal work situations are applied to the concepts of both marketing and strategy management.