Technology-enhanced learning: practices and debates
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| 4 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
This course is designed for current or future professionals in elearning or ‘technology-enhanced’ learning. It is highly relevant if you already work in elearning in a university or college, in training, in heritage, health or non-formal learning – or if you’re considering moving into one of these areas. The course provides hands-on experience of a range of learning technologies, and enables you to explore the processes of designing, implementing and critiquing technology-enhanced learning. By the end of your studies, you’ll have developed your ability to act as a creative and effective professional within the broad field of technology-enhanced learning, teaching and training.
This course is available throughout the world.
Course content
The materials for H800 have been created by a team of leading-edge researchers and teachers in the OU’s Institute of Educational Technology. All of these materials are online, and you will explore them in small online groups in text-based discussion forums and live voice sessions, guided and supported by your tutor. You are also welcome to lead your own voice-based sessions, and to use the OU’s blogging tool or a tool of your choice.
You will also be supported in individual study and in seeking out new networks and sources of information on the internet – from e-journals to e-communities, from social bookmarking to the furthest edges of the web.
One purpose of the course is to give you direct experience of current and innovative learning technologies. But whether you are blogging or writing a wiki, talking online with your tutor and fellow students or trying out a new tool you have just found, we shall be asking you to keep in mind fundamental questions about the nature of learning and learning design. The course materials and your tutor will support you as you read papers from some of the leading thinkers in the field, and will enable you to sift evidence from researchers and practitioners around the world. By the end of the 32 weeks, you should find that you have new skills and a deeper understanding of the forces and debates shaping the world of technology-enhanced learning.
Vocational relevance
H800 is designed for current or future professionals in the broad area of technology-enhanced learning within university or college education, training in business and other contexts, the heritage or health fields, and a wide range of non-formal learning activities. The course is a core component of our MA in Online and Distance Education (F10), which you can study as separate modules and in any order.
During your study of H800 you will experience a range of learning technologies, and will explore the processes of designing, implementing and critiquing technology-enhanced learning. When you have successfully completed the course you will have developed your ability to act as a creative and effective professional within the broad field of technology-enhanced teaching and training.
Some of our Masters students are sponsored by their employers, and we expect this to be the case on H800. Employers have demonstrated that they value the vocational relevance of the programme and the positive impact of study.
Entry
To take this course you need to be ready for study at postgraduate level, usually demonstrated by having a first degree or equivalent qualification. You need easy access to the Web, but you don’t need to be experienced in blogging or in online discussion forums. Nor do you need to be working in technology-enhanced learning but you should be interested in developing some expertise in this area. All teaching is in English, and your proficiency in the language needs to be adequate for postgraduate study and for contributing to online discussions by text and voice. If English is not your first language, we strongly recommend that you make sure you can achieve a score of at least seven in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). To assess your English Language skills in relation to your proposed studies, you can visit the IELTS website.
If you have any doubt about whether the course is suitable for you, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
Although this is optional, it would be useful to explore the internet for examples or accounts of online teaching and learning, and to consider what you find interesting or distinctive about them.
Qualifications
H800 is a compulsory course in our
H800 is an optional course in our
- Postgraduate Certificate in Online and Distance Education (C23)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Online and Distance Education (D36)
Some postgraduate qualifications allow study to be chosen from other subject areas. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
In this course you are expected to use a wide range of resources, and to study emerging online technologies. Many of the materials will be delivered as web pages, pdf files and web-based tools. Tutorial and student-led discussions and activities will be carried out in text-based discussion forums online. In addition, some discussions and collaborative activities will take place as live voice-based events in our audioconferencing (audiographics) environment, which combines voice, text and images.
We have tried to avoid using inaccessible resources, but some material which is core for the course may not be easily accessible if you use assistive technology. Some students may also find the amount of reading from technically different sources challenging. In many cases there will be sufficient alternative activities and material to enable you to complete assignments successfully. Where this is not the case, you will be given individual support by your tutor in collaboration with other OU staff. Support for access to Library resources is available from the Library Helpdesk.
Since you will be asked to study the use of emerging online tools, and to participate in live online discussions in an audioconferencing (audiographics) environment, you may find it beneficial to have someone assisting you. Advice on this is available from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
H800 provides you with specially written web-based teaching material, learning activities for small groups of fellow students and for you to undertake individually, support from your tutor, live discussion online and message-based forums, the course website and other internet resources.
As an OU student, you can use the Open University Library website. This provides access via the Internet to a wide range of online resources such as databases, full-text e-journals, reference sources, e-books, newspapers, images and more to support your studies. You can use these to do a literature search, keep up to date with your subject, or read around a topic. Support for developing and improving your information searching skills is available on the Library website, and the Library Helpdesk is there seven days a week to provide help and advice on finding and using information.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you would like to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Computing requirements
This course has online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. The course software is provided on CD-ROM or DVD.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you can use an Apple Mac or Linux computer if you can run Windows using Boot Camp or similar.
You will need a headset with a microphone and earphones to talk to your tutor and other students online during some of the course activities.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
Your tutor will guide you on many aspects of the course, and will grade and comment on your written work; you may also ask your tutor for advice and guidance. You will be taught and assessed through a combination of media, including the internet, live discussion online and contributions to message-based forums, email and written assignments.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in February 2010. We expect the course to be available at the same time once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
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A postgraduate course in Education.
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