Teaching Online Open Course (TOOC) course aims and outcomes
Who is TOOC for?
This introduction to teaching online is designed primarily for new university lecturers, part time lecturers and other sessional teachers, graduate teaching assistants, or those who support learners in departments such as the library or computer services.
Course approach
The course takes a reflective, experiential approach (view Kolb experiential learning cycle tutorial) to developing the skills of an online tutor. All of the learning will take place online, sometimes synchronously through a virtual classroom environment, mostly asynchronously via the Oxford Brookes University Open Online environment (Moodle). As a guide, we expect participants working towards assessment and credit for the module P70408 to spend at least 6 hours per week for each of the 6 weeks of the course doing a variety of online activities, not including reading and preparing for the final assessment.
There is a very strong emphasis in this course on enabling frequent opportunities for self and peer assessment and regular feedback from tutors and peers. Throughout the course you will be asked to find, consider and critique examples of e-learning techniques and applications. Sometimes this will mean giving feedback directly to each other on your ideas or plans. Our intention is that the giving and receiving of feedback in this way will be supportive, constructive and, ultimately, useful.
The course is organised as a series of weekly, online tasks. As well as reading and contributing to online discussions, participants will carry out a formative online group task that involves co-authoring a presentation online. This formative task will also lead to a subsequent exercise around peer review and assessment of group tasks.
For those of you taking the course for assessment (formally enrolled in the Oxford Brookes University module P70408) the course is assessed through a single 2000 word essay assignment focusing on analysis of an online student support issue. Visit the P70408 Information tab for more details.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course you should be able to:
- explain the characteristics of online communication and use strategies for communicating effectively in the online environment
- apply key theoretical concepts to designing online learning environments and supporting online learners
- design and use a repertoire of appropriate online activities including generating online activities from familiar offline tasks
- analyse, using a variety of evidence types, online learner support problems and recommend appropriate responses
- effectively use a variety of digital technologies for learning and teaching, including collaborative writing tools and both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments
- identify your continuing professional development needs and aspirations within higher education
