Linking Classes Project Faculty Resource Guide

Essentially this project allowed the participating instructors to link class sessions from separate disciplines with one another. One of the unique features of our approach was the utilization of online teaching tools as a means of linking the classes. This guide has been written as an aide to other faculty who might be interested in creating a 'linked' class to another class, or in using online teaching tools to enrich a traditional class.

What is the Linking Classes Project ?

Beginning in September 1998 , five College of the Canyons faculty- Claudia Acosta, Spanish; Donna Davidson-Symonds, English; Floyd Moos, English ; Elizabeth Russo, Biology ; and Michael McMahan , Philosophy- began a project to create shared learning opportunities and sessions for selected classes. This project, supported by the Fund for Instructional Improvement and the College of the Canyons, sought to improve the quality of instruction in these classes by providing the students multiple perspectives on the course material and by giving students in the separate classes the opportunity to interact with one another. In order to achieve these goals, the faculty participants developed shared curriculum and were trained in the use of instructional technology that they could use to provide for student interaction and communication. One of the exciting features of this project has been the creation of class sessions and resources which will be available over the web allowing students to go into greater depth and research on the material, access additional lectures, and to participate in group discussions with students from other classes. Our initial offering of these classes will take place during Fall 1999.

Planning our "links"

One of the primary goals of the project was not to just change our way of delivering instruction, but to actually improve the quality of instruction. In our discussion, it became apparent that by planning the links we would be able to integrate course material and resources from outside each of our own expertise that would allow us to provide a better understanding to our students of the topics that we were focusing upon. Another dimension of our collaboration was the ability to share and provide online learning tools for the students that wouldn't normally be covered in the course. So, for example, students in the Environmental Biology course gained a 'mini' course in Ethics, and the students in the Ethics class gained a short lesson explaining the Scientific Method.

In the planning process when we were working on curriculum design, we used the SCANS Competencies (http://www.ttrc.doleta.gov/SCANS/) as a means of establishing goals for our revised curriculum and assesing the anticipated outcome of our new curriculum. Using the SCANS competencies helped us to shape our lessons to provide certain concrete skills our outcomes- such as, for example, acquisition of computer skills and the ability to critically evaluate online resources. We also realized the need to educate and concern ourselves with the advantages and disadvantages of teaching and learning online. These issues became the core of an online workshop for the participants where we learned about pedagogical issues in distance education and convened an online discussion group. One of the most useful of the online resources which we used is the article by Stephen Ehrmann, Implementing the Seven Principles, Technology as Lever. (http://www.aahe.org/technology/ehrmann.htm)

To view the rest of the workshop, click here: Linking Classes Workshop (http://www.coc.cc.ca.us/workshops/site/linkingcourses.html)

Tools for Online Teaching

Once we were acquainted with the pedagogical issues involved in our project, our next project was to evaluate and train on various online teaching tools. During the curriculum design phase,we decided that we'd like to include these tools for our courses: quizzing, online discussion groups, and chatrooms. By arrangement with the Virtual Teaching Program at Cal State University Northridge,a series of workshops were held for Project participants covering the use of Quizmaker (this allows the instructor to easily create online quizzes and surveys), HyperNews ( this allows the instructor to set-up asynchronous group discussions for her students), and IRC or Internet Relay Chat ( this enables the instructor to hold 'real time' class discussions or virtual office hours). Interested faculty cfind resource material on these online tools at the following websites:

HyperNews

Quizmaker

Internet Relay Chat

Linked Classes Fall '99

The Linking Classes Project was completed by the faculty participants working in pairs on their linkings or individually on their own specific material.In order that students would have a central location to link to their material we created a project website with student directions, information, and links to(and from) each of the linked classes websites. We plan to get together during the semester to coordinate our assignments and to make adjustments. To evaluate the projects effectiveness, students will be surveyed and this information will be used in order to make changes prior to Spring 99.

Linking Classes Website

Questions and Comments on Linking Classes: Michael McMahan, Project Coordinator