Cases: Consistency Across Modes- Annemieke Craig

Keywords
Resource-based learning; teamwork; time management; online facilitation; undergraduate education.

How online learning can be used to provide consistent experiences across large and disparate groups.

Click on the microphone to hear the entire case study or select relevant sections from the text below. [AUDIO TRANSCRIPT]

Annemieke Craig is a Lecturer in the School of Information Systems in the Faculty of Business and Law and her project as a 2003 Online Teaching and Learning Fellow focused on MSC 228 ‘Systems Analysis and Design’ which underwent a complete overhaul and a shift from a structured approach to an object orientated one, bringing students together and giving consistency to the course.

Initially Annemieke goes into this development of a single site to support a large number of students providing them with a coherent experience. She talks about her use of the library, the challenges faced by teamwork and about providing resources that students really need. Pacing and time management were also priorities and Annemieke’s concern for this reflects a general theme of concern for learners and their circumstances across the fellowship.

In the following section Annemieke talks about some of the challenges and how these were turned into excellent learning opportunities for the students:

“For us it was a real bonus that a couple of things didn’t work out quite as well as they should have”

Students experienced the unit and felt that they were involved in the creation of a new system (ideal for systems analysis students!) . Indeed, Annemieke and her students experiences in the unit can serve as a valuable lesson for any institution implementing new systems.

Annemieke goes on to talk about her experience teaching online and enhancements that she believes could be possible . From a facilitator's point of view she senses a move from a transmissive mode of education towards a sharing arrangement and embraced this as a skilled teacher (which will be of considerable interest to those considering issues such as time management and moving online as a teacher !)

Finally, Annemieke reflects of her experience as a Fellow .