My asynchronous
courses in the Virtual Classroom are structured (see flow diagram below)
to help students maximize learning and mastering the subjects in each unit.
They are learner-based, learner-organized, and self-directed; thus, they
facilitate the education that the learner is seeking for. My online courses
follow andragogy as a didactic method in the teaching-learning process
which requires the courses to be designed according to a well-defined Course
Plan (see diagram below).
The
Course
Plan is the contents of the course, that is,
all the materials that make the course. The contents is divided into large
segments called Sections
that contain smaller segments of contents or Units
of specific topics. The units are grouped into Sections because a common
geologic feature.
Every
Unit
contains a Unit Plan
which is made of three components:
(1) Contents
(a list of topics to be studied). This component of the unit plan corresponds
to the question of WHAT to study in andragogy.
(2) Activities
(specific readings and web site links -browsing- that students must
do). An often worry that students have is: How many levels of links should
I do? A very close indication that one has mastered the subject covered
in the unit is when you are able to address the items listed in the abilities
sections of each unit. So this component corresponds to the question of
HOW to study in andragogy.
(3) Abilities
(a list of issues that the students should be able to address or resolved
based on the activities and readings). This component contatins a variable
number of questions and or issues that the student must be able to address.
The list of abilities is an index of performance in the class, so thet
are treated as assignments that studnets must submit electronically at
fix dates. The abilities component of the unit plan corresponds to
the question of FOR WHAT purpose in andragogy.
The mastering
of the abilities ensure the acquisition of Competencies
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