Getting started
Underlying themes/principles
Welcome to the course. This is a six week online programme that aims to help you clarify your thoughts about distance learning (DL) and to consider a range of ways in which you can develop your role as a DL tutor to improve the student learning experience. The course provides activities and discussion about distance learning in general and the specific skills of giving feedback and using online communications.
To get started, you will need to become familiar with the Brookes Virtual environment we will be using on this course. You also need to introduce yourself to the other distance learning tutors you will be working with.
Tasks
Task 1: Familiarising yourself with Brookes Virtual
The welcome e-mail described how to login to Brookes Virtual and you clearly have done this because you are reading this. Please post a message in the Arrivals Lounge to let us know that you have arrived safely: read the introductory message from a course tutor and click reply to announce your safe arrival.
For more help on navigating and posting discussion messages, see the guide: Guide to Brookes Virtual (in PDF format)
We will introduce ourselves more thoroughly in the Unit 1 introductions discussion.
Task 2: Time managment quiz
Taking part in a distance learning course makes all sorts of demands on your working and home life. If online learning is new to you, these demands are likely to be even more so. Based on the experiences of many previous course members, we have created a light hearted look at some of the issues we think it will be helpful to think about before the course start: our time management quiz.
Task 3: Communications Guide
Read the Communication Guide from the UK Open University, prepared by Gary Alexander for use on various Open University courses.
As you participate in our Arrivals Lounge discussion, see if you can start to identify where we are demonstrating some of these principles of good practice.
Resources
Gary Alexander's Communications Guide is available from http://lawoflaws.com/uni/OnNetiquetteSocialConventions.htm
Guide to Brookes Virtual (in PDF format).
