MATHEMATICS EDUCATION FORUM

March 29, 2024

Mathematics Education Online Case

 

presented by: Kevin Pitts, Seneca College

I've put together a couple of samples of online math curricula developed for students at Seneca College. Participants can access as follows:
1. Go to http://bbdev.senecac.on.ca
2. Login with username: math and password: demo
3. Once in, click the link to "Math Samples" in the "Courses" box.

One of things we've been struggling with over the past few years is how best to develop and deliver online curricula. There does seem to be distinction between the two components (i.e., development and delivery) and each requires a set of questions to be thought through. This is not to say that they are mutually exclusive as each does impact on the other.

The role of the teacher changes as he or she moves from one to the other. On the development side, for example, the teacher becomes the subject matter expert who works with a development team to create engaging and, hopefully, effective material that uses the best the web has to offer. A number of skill sets are required on the development team (such as instructional design, graphic design, technical design, content expertise, and production). No one has all the skill sets required. As a result, teaching becomes more of a team-based activity in the online world as opposed to a more solitary activity in the traditional teaching and learning world. Depending on your point of view this is either a good thing or a bad thing. What’s your take on this issue?

It has been suggested that the role of the teacher changes from (mostly) a deliverer of content to (mostly) a facilitator of learning when one teaches online. Is this true? What has been your experience?

One of the benefits of working through the process of developing and delivering online curricula is the refocus (second-look) at teaching and learning in general. For example, the instructional designer in conjunction with the teacher will ask questions like:

  • What learning theory should we use based on a given audience? (e.g., problem-based, scenario-based, situated learning, constructivist, etc.)
  • How should the content be organized, sequenced, chunked?
  • What assessment strategy should be used? Etc.

The graphic designer will ask questions like:

  • What media will enhance meaning making?
  • What standards (accessibility and usability) should we adhere to? Etc.

The technical designer will ask questions like:

  • What tools should we use?
  • How will the teaching and learning materials fit within a given infrastructure/architecture? Etc.

There are many other questions to ask. Working through these questions ultimately provides for a more reflective look at how teaching and learning is/should be done. Do you agree? Whether or not this translates into more effective teaching is another thing. What’s your take on this?

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