DISCIPLINE
Educational Technology

DURATION
Entire length of subject/unit/course (13 week session)

ICT USED

• Subject Web site with discussion forum and chat available (currently in WebCT).
• FTP space for each team.
• CD-ROM with copy of resources also available on Web.
• Copies of the CD-ROM products lent for the duration of the subject.
• Email for communication.

DELIVERY CONTEXT
A combination of online and face-to-face methods are used. The subject is offered on-campus and as part of an off-shore program in Hong Kong.

A print version of one of the cases has been developed to be used in a workshop format. This version has been significantly reduced in scope from the original because the period of engagement will be shorter in such situations.

TARGET AUDIENCE
This is a postgraduate subject, offered as an elective in the Graduate Certificate in Computer-based Learning, Master of Arts (IT in Education), Master of Education (IT) or Doctor of Education programs at University of Wollongong. It is an advanced-level subject which students choose towards the end of their degree program. It is assumed that students have completed pre-requisite subjects that have developed both their understanding of educational technology and technical skills. The class group is a mix of K-12 and tertiary teachers, and training professionals.

COHORT
The learning design is best for small classes of up to 24 students or a maximum of 6 teams, assuming only one lecturer. Larger class groups would require additional staff.

BROADER CONTEXT
This subject enables students to bring together their conceptual understanding and production skills and further develop them in a realistic project context. This is a culminating subject in terms of design and development and also gives the student experience working in a specialised role within a team. Students usually choose this subject towards the end of their degree programs.

This learning design aims to:

1. Enhance learners’ understanding of the design, process and project management issues that arise in multimedia product development.
2. Prepare participants to design and develop interactive multimedia packages in collaborative teams.
3. Develop learners’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the members of a multimedia development team.
4. Encourage learners to reflect on their team experience and articulate the lessons that can inform future practice.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
The assessment tasks are integrated into the three-stage learning design. Outcomes from each stage comprise the student’s set of assessable items. These are outlined as follows:

The assessment criteria for each task is outlined in detail in the subject outline and clarified through discussion at class meetings. Templates, focus questions and models are provided to guide students. All of the tasks are marked by the lecturer. There is no peer assessment component in the current design, although this could be added.

IMPORTANCE OF ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES USED
The assessment tasks are integrated into the subject and represent the outcomes of each of the three stages described above. There is no additional assessment, such as an exam or essay. The project component is an authentic activity in that it reflects the type of design task undertaken by real-world practitioners. The case and reflective components are designed to support the project work by setting multimedia development issues in context – first in the context of other real-life projects and then drawing on learners’ own project experiences. In this way the assessment tasks are integrated with each other.

WHY ICT IS USED
Although this is a campus-based subject both in Australia and Hong Kong, there are often limited opportunities for students to meet face-to-face due to work and family commitments, and long travelling times to campus. Computer-mediated communication and ftp access were used to overcome some of these difficulties.

Also, to create a rich and diverse set of case materials that provided access to visual materials, such as interface mock-ups, and to prototype versions of the products meant that an alternative to print was needed. Thus the cases were developed as a Web archive for students to explore.

HOW ICT USE HELPS
Firstly, the ability to support communication independent of time and place through asynchronous discussion tools was a key support for team work. So too the ability to store documents on a team ftp site which allowed team members to coordinate their individual contributions and to work remotely. And lastly was the ability to provide materials using various forms of media and with various file types.

MOST IMPORTANT ICT CONTRIBUTION TO LEARNING DESIGN
The support for collaboration and the presentation of rich materials are both critical to this design.