COMET EDTEC 700 Course Descriptions*

Attendance requirements: Students will be expected to participate in all scheduled class hours to receive full credit. Students will need a cable or DSL internet connection. In addition, a headset/mic is strongly recommended. Times and Days to be determined prior to the beginning of each semester.

*Topics may be subject to change

Educational Podcasting:

Podcasting in both audio and video forms have become established as exciting media with great educational potential. How can you use it in K-12 and corporate settings? What tools and formats are appropriate? We'll design, create and disseminate our own audio and video podcasts and tell the world our stories.

Teaching in Second Life:

What could you teach in a virtual 3-D world where the surroundings and learners can change their appearance at will? We'll look at simulations, role-plays, cross-cultural exchanges, 3-D WebQuests and more while examining issues of identity and etiquette. Participants will create a lesson plan, a reflection piece, and a well-dressed avatar.

Tools for eCollaboration:

Learn how to use free web-based tools as vehicles for knowledge construction and cooperative learning. Topics and possibilities include using a blogs or wikis as collaborative exercises, as an electronic portfolio, or knowledge base.

Facilities Design:

Instruction isn't just about content and content delivery; also important is the physical space in which learning or training takes place. Educators in any setting need to understand how the design of physical space impacts the instructional process. We often argue that any space can become a learning space, especially given today's rapidly evolving technologies. But what makes a learning space effective? Participants in this course will evaluate existing learning spaces, and design a physical learning space in accordance with well-established learning principles using a needs assessment process that engages critical stakeholders. The course is devoted to introducing you to the art and science of learning space design.

GPS in the Classroom:

In the last few years, we’ve seen an explosion of new online tools that allow us to attach information to specific locations. Learn about geocaching, geotagging, and geo-you-name-it as ways to enliven the teaching of history, math, language arts and (of course) geography, as well how to organize your photos and data geographically.

Learning Management Systems:

A CMS organizes information and makes it easy for registered participants to contribute to it. It can include discussion forums, calendars, resource lists, media repositories and more. Participants in this course will design and create their own CMS for use within a school, course, training effort, or informal learning environment. Using the open source Drupal platform, you'll develop a working website ready for public use. (Note: participants must have access to a web host with PHP and MySQL. Pointers to low-cost options will be provided.