Web-based instruction course a success
Just before Christmas, 26 adventurous faculty and staff members completed a semester-long program that explored the use of the Web to enhance instruction. The course included an introduction to instructional design, graphics and skills in using course management systems, primarily WebCT. The Medical University currently has a site license for WebCT, one of the most widely used course management systems in the world. The course was developed and taught by a team of MUSC faculty including Rich Hernandez, Dr.P.H., and Thierry Bacro, Ph.D., as primary faculty, and assisted by Mary Mauldin, Ed.D., Valerie West, Ed.D., Frank Starmer, Ph.D., and Judith Wisniewski.
Web
Development Course participants back row from left: Mindy Blackwell, James
Nicholson, Thierry Bacro, Matt Appenzeller, Jeanette Weiner, Grady Adkins,
Robert Swain, Melissa Blair, Karen Messenmen, Ken Cheng, Diane Richardson,
C.D. Smith, Bob Poyer, Lisa Nichols, Robert Holmens, Valerie West, Rick
Albenesius, Linda Bellig, Bob Ogilvie, Starr Hazard, Rich Hernandez, Mary
Mauldin. Front row from left: Lilless Shilling, Elise Davis-McFarland,
Sandy Nelson, Stephanie Auwaeter, Michelle Woodbury, Anne Kilpatrick, Kathy
Gatten. Not pictured: Robin Bissinger, Bill Bogan, Kathy Chessman, Deborah
Holly, and Marilyn King.
Recognizing both the potential of Web-based learning tools and growing faculty interest in using them, West, associate provost for educational programs, initiated a proposal for the course last year. With the approval and support of Rosalie Crouch, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs, the course was offered to faculty volunteers from all colleges. Each college selected faculty and one staff member to participate in the 15-week class. Six students applied and were selected as teaching assistants. They worked with faculty on an individual basis both in-class and between classes and helped the primary faculty prepare the teaching laboratory.
Through the creative thinking of Starmer, an exciting surprise awaited the program participants on their first night of class. Each was given a laptop computer to use throughout the course. The laptops were loaded with software necessary for web development. Participants may keep using the laptop as long as they continue their work, share their new expertise with colleagues and produce a new web-based course. By providing the laptops, all participants learned valuable lessons about integrating laptops into the teaching environment. They also had all the tools they needed to maximize learning in the course. Opening night was quite exciting and participants were appreciative of Crouch’s financial support for this unexpected “bonus.”
As a result of using laptops, a new “teaching laboratory” configuration needed to be setup. The entire program could not have been done without the extraordinary effort put in by the Tom Basler, Ph.D., and the staff of the MUSC Library, particularly Skip Anderson, David McCabe, Vivian Scarborough, Robbie Weaver, and Wisniewski. They created a wired laboratory for the laptops each Wednesday evening.
Course evaluation comments support the value of the course in preparing faculty to teach using web-based tools. One participant stated, “I now have confidence I can develop a course for WebCT and I’m not afraid to try something like this.” Another said, “Knowing how to use WebCT opened up a whole new way of teaching for me. I feel liberated.” The participants particularly liked the inter-college nature of the program and the chance to learn and laugh together. As one participant commented, “Faculty, regardless of age, can still act up and play.”
The participants have decided to keep learning together. Every other Friday at noon they meet in a library computer classroom and share experiences, ask questions, and follow their imaginations as they explore ways to improve their work—the education of students, faculty and staff. Creating an environment for mutual support and learning was a goal of the program and this has been realized through the enthusiasm of the participants.
As one participant summed up, “You are teaching us to fish, not just
giving us fish;” a worthy outcome.