A practical model of development for China's National Quality Course Plan

The Chinese National Quality Course Plan is a large‐scale project by the Ministry of Education, which has led to the production of more than 12 000 courses from some 700 universities since 2003. This paper describes in detail the purpose of the project and how it is organized at all levels, including how individual courses get selected at university level, provincial level and national level. The paper discusses the similarities and differences between the Chinese project and Open Educational Resources projects around the world, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare. The Chinese project is unique, not only because of its highly centralized organization and funding but also because its purpose is not just to produce open resources but to use the production of open resources to drive curriculum reform and quality improvement in Chinese higher education.     

Factors Contributing to Improved Teaching Performance

This article focuses upon the quality and scholarship of teaching as it pertains to educational and faculty development. We outline what more than 200 faculty members at one institution have done over a 3-year period to make significant and sustained improvements in their teaching, surprisingly with minimal effort. The top three factors leading to improvement were active/practical learning, teacher/student interactions, and clear expectations/learning outcomes. We provide practical applications for change and suggestions for future research. Whitney Ransom McGowan  is a Ph.D. candidate at Brigham Young University (BYU), and she received an M.S. degree in Instructional Psychology & Technology from BYU. She is currently a research assistant for the Assistant to the Academic Vice President at BYU and also performs research at the Center for Teaching & Learning. She can be contacted at whitney.ransom@gmail.com. Charles R. Graham  is an Associate Professor of Instructional Psychology and Technology at Brigham Young University with a focus on technology-mediated teaching and learning. Graham received his Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. He received his M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois and his B.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, from BYU. He is particularly interested in studying the design and evaluation of blended learning environments. He can be contacted at charles_graham@byu.edu.     

大学开放教育资源项目能否实现资金的自给自足——来自美国杨百翰大学自主学习项目的案例报告

自2001年美国麻省理工学院（MIT）对国际社会宣布推行开放课件（OCW：OpenCourseware）以来,越来越多的大学创建了开放教育资源（OER）项目,很多OER项目创立之初是受外来资金的支持,当项目周期临近或者结束的时候,大学OER是否具有长期的可持续性是很多项目也是开放教育资源运动本身发展面临的重要挑战。聚焦OER项目可持续性,主要是关注大学开放教育资源项目能否实现资金的自给自足和成本的自我补偿。美国杨百翰大学实证研究回答了三个问题：自主学习项目的课程转化为开放教育资源的成本如何？开放教育资源对付费学习项目产生怎样的影响？如果这种影响是积极的,是否足够支持在自主学习项目中维持一个开放教育资源项目？研究结果有力地说明,杨百翰大学自主学习项目转向开放共享模式后在财政上是可以实现自给的。杨百翰大学自主学习项目的OER试点课程提供了一个积极的结论,那就是开放教育资源提供机构可以实现自我的可持续发展,同时满足了向全社会免费开放课程、提供公共产品的目标。     

The Creation of OpenCourseWare at MIT

This paper traces the genesis of the MIT OpenCourseWare project from its initial strategic precursors in 1999 and 2000, through its launch in 2001 and its subsequent evolution. The story told here illuminates the interplay among institutional leadership, and strategic planning, and with university culture in launching major educational technology enterprises. It also shows how initiatives can evolve in unexpected ways, and can even surpass their initial goals. The paper concludes with an overview of challenges facing OpenCourseWare in moving from the end of its production ramp-up and towards sustainability.

Educational distance from the perspective of self‐direction: an analysis

To establish which factors predict student intentions to contribute towards an OpenCourseWare site, an online questionnaire was distributed among University of Queensland students via email. The 320 participants completed items that were based on the theory of planned behaviour and were designed to measure attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Measures of altruistic motivation were also included as a predictor for intentions to contribute. Overall, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and altruistic motivation explained 43.1% of the variance in students’ intentions to contribute. Attitudes and altruistic motivation were the strongest predictors, accounting for 7.49% and 7.12%, respectively, with subjective norms accounting for 3.9%. Perceived behavioural control was not found to contribute to the explanatory model. The implications for universities creating new OpenCourseWare sites are discussed. Further research should investigate the effects of barriers on student intentions to develop and contribute and should examine the determinants of faculty support.     

开放共享提高——MIT开放式课程的运行机制、特色及启示

教育信息化是提高教育质量的重要手段,优质网络教学资源的建设与共享是高等学校信息化建设的重要内容。本文阐述了美国麻省理工学院开展的“开放式课程网页计划”的运行机制,揭示了其在教育资源共享方面对我国高校的启示。即以精品课建设为先导,促进精品课程资源共享;以本科教学工作水平评估为契机,逐步推动全部课程资源共享;积极探索多种形式的课程资源共享机制。     

Integrated cluster of independent courses: An ideal curricular cluster

The Integrated Cluster of Independent Courses is a Curricular model that takes one traditional course from each of three different academic departments and modifies the presentation of the content of all three courses so that overlapping themes are emphasized and developed in parallel. Synthesis of ideas across disciplines is further encouraged by a one-hour-per-week seminar taught jointly by the three course instructors.The model is a cost-effective way of creating the excitement and integration of concepts possible in team-taught interdisciplinary courses while retaining traditional departmental control and structure of the three courses.The prototype Integrated Cluster of Independent Courses, Twentieth Century Man, was funded by a grant from the Association of American Colleges and the Ford Foundation.     

Course Format and Student Learning Styles: A Comparison of Political Science Courses

ABSTRACT

This study investigates whether differences in learning styles exist between students in online and face-to-face (FTF) sections of political science courses taught by three instructors. Some studies suggest that student preferences regarding online or FTF formats are influenced by their preferred modes of learning. Independent learners, for example, may prefer online courses since they provide individualistic opportunities to study outside of the traditional classroom. This study uses original survey data to assign students one of six learning styles in order to assess whether independent learners are more common in online courses. Our analysis finds no significant differences in independent learners when comparing the two formats. This finding runs counter to studies that argue that independent learners tend to prefer online courses. In fact, the only learning style where we observe a meaningful difference among online and FTF formats is among dependent learners. Contrary to expectation, students enrolled in online versions demonstrated a greater tendency toward dependent modes of learning. Further survey responses suggest that student lifestyle drove course format selection rather than learning style. These findings have important implications for universities that increasingly turn to online courses to address decreasing enrollments and attempt to remedy the high attrition rates associated with those courses.     

基于语料库的英语词义历时演变研究——以单词“gay”为例

英语作为一种国际性的语言,其最显著的特点之一便是新的词汇不断产生或新的词义的不断涌现。本文主要研究英语中单词的词义是如何随着时间的发展而产生演变。本文借助BYU时代杂志语料库的帮助,以单词＂gay＂为例详细分析了英语词义的历时演变过程。     

The effect of distributed practice on students’ conceptual understanding of statistics

In this study the effect of the reduced distribution of study activities on students’ conceptual understanding of statistics is investigated in a quasi-experiment. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error free knowledge structures. Students need time to construct such knowledge structures. A curriculum reform at our university resulted in statistics courses which were considerably shortened in time, thereby limiting students’ possibility to distribute study activities. Independent samples of students from before and after the reform were compared. To gauge conceptual understanding of statistics, students answered open ended questions in which they were asked to explain and relate important statistical concepts. It was shown that the reduction of distributed practice had a negative effect on students’ understanding. The finding that condensed courses make it more difficult for students to reach proper understanding of the subject matter is of interest for anyone who is engaged in reforming curricula or designing courses.     

Grass roots: Using satellite technology for educational program delivery: The Iowa experience

Abstract

Flexibility in location, scheduling, and delivery of courses and programs through distance education can provide disabled students with what may be their first real access to higher education. Distance educators must stay abreast of developments (particularly technological developments) that will improve future services; in this way, they can take a proactive stance in providing and delivering courses, instruction, and testing in accessible formats. This article states a philosophy for serving disabled learners and describes practical applications of that philosophy for distance education programs based on the experiences of the Independent Study program at the University of Wisconsin‐Extension. Issues addressed include information dissemination, planning, instruction, testing, and faculty training and support.     

麻省理工学院怎样做开放课程

基于对互联网经济时代如何发挥领导力的探讨,麻省理工学院于2001年秋宣布启动开放课件项目,并带动了全球高校的开放课程运动。本文综合多种来源的资料,从思路形成过程、项目动员策略、项目组织结构、课程材料构成、项目工作流程、网站可用性设计、项目筹资策略、项目评估方法、项目推广策略等九个方面,对MIT OCW项目进行了详细考察,总结出15条可供中国高校组织开放教育资源项目时借鉴的经验,包括在学校层面重视教育技术变革、将项目目标与大学使命相关联、适度外包及内外优势组合等。     

Principles of Technology Integration and Curriculum Development

Abstract

To better prepare pre-service candidates for teaching in the information age, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has defined National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) to guide technology integration into teacher education programs. Based on these standards, Brigham Young University (BYU) has implemented strategies for technology integration into their teacher education program by creating curriculum design teams composed of School of Education faculty, public school personnel, and instructional design and technology specialists. This paper describes basic principles that have led to the successful development of curriculum design teams for systemic reform in teacher education.     

Engaging in the ‘course efficiency’ discussion: national drivers and local responses

Abstract

This article presents a method to evaluate undergraduate and postgraduate course teaching efficiency systematically, alongside measuring effectiveness of curriculum content and delivery. We argue that efficiency is aligned to cost and revenue while effectiveness is a quality-related construct. These potentially antagonistic elements – cost, revenue and quality – must be kept in balance if courses are to be attractive to students (high quality) and financially viable. Curriculum data collection and analysis spanned micro (unit), meso (course) and macro (faculty) level. Revenue data consisted of annual teaching student enrolment numbers by unit of study, aggregated to course level. Cost data included academic and administrative staff costs, and student professional experience placement expenditure. A teaching revenue to cost of delivery ratio metric and course quality score metric were developed to enable comparisons of units and course performance. Over time, these metrics, when utilised together, could be used to determine the impact of quality improvement interventions on teaching cost and revenue and vice versa. We argue that this approach supports strategic planning and actions to improve both efficiency and effectiveness of units and courses, without negatively affecting quality.     

自主学习模式与公共教育学的教学改革

公共教育学是师范院校师范生的一门具有奠基性质的专业必修课,其目的是培养师范生教育教学素养和教育教学技能.然而,这门课程的教学效果却一直不尽人意,在学校里常常被师范生列为"最没兴趣"的课程之一而被抛在一边.自主学习理论强调学习者的能动性、自主性、独立性、自我评价,较为适合公共教育学教学改革的需要.因此,如何把自主学习模式贯彻到教育学教学中来是一项有研究意义的课题。     

Perceived attitudinal learning in a self-paced versus fixed-schedule MOOC

This study (N = 427) examined perceived attitudinal learning gains (i.e., cognitive, affective, and behavioral learning) related to the course topic by comparing a self-paced version of a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) with a fixed-scheduled version. Independent samples t-tests revealed that those in a self-paced classroom were more likely to perceive higher levels of attitudinal learning gains and satisfaction than those in a fixed-scheduled MOOC. Those enrolling in the self-paced course also identified significantly more diverse reasons for enrolling. Learners in both courses identified course videos as the most impactful instructional component. Implications for the design of self-paced MOOCs are discussed.     

Student barriers to online learning: A factor analytic study

This article reports on a large‐scale (n?=?1,056), exploratory factor analysis study that determined the underlying constructs that comprise student barriers to online learning. The eight factors found were (a) administrative issues, (b) social interaction, (c) academic skills, (d) technical skills, (e) learner motivation, (f) time and support for studies, (g) cost and access to the Internet, and (h) technical problems. Independent variables that significantly affected student ratings of these barrier factors included: gender, age, ethnicity, type of learning institution, self‐rating of online learning skills, effectiveness of learning online, online learning enjoyment, prejudicial treatment in traditional classes, and the number of online courses completed.     

独立学院思想政治理论课建设的现状与思考——以湖南省某独立学院为例

思想政治理论课是高校落实立德树人根本任务的关键课程。独立学院作为我国高等教育的重要组成部分和新型办学实体,必须理直气壮建设好思想政治理论课。以湖南省某独立学院为调研样本,对其思想政治理论课建设现状进行实证调研,从课堂教学、实践教学、课程考核、教学资源、改革成效五个维度分析思想政治理论课建设现状、存在的不足,并提出相应的改进对策,以期为同类院校思想政治理论课建设提供些许参考。     

独立学院创新实验室建设与管理

独立学院作为高等教育的一种形式,他特殊培养目标要求他在人才培养的模式上要有一套新的培养路线.东南大学成贤学院创新实验室的建立、开放和管理模式和方法,探索出了一条新的培养路线,为独立学院的生存和发展探索出一条新的路子.