ICDE 22 September 2006 SIM UNIVERSITY Singapore

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ICDE 22 (September 2006) SIM UNIVERSITY
(Singapore)
WRITING COURSES CONTEXT, CHALLENGES
COMMITMENT NEELAM AGGARWAL
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CONTEXT

• A young university, the only one in Singapore for
  working adults
• Face-to-face classes (tutorials lectures)
  offered, but attendance not mandatory
• Significant amount of developmental activity
• Selection of course writers (part-time) largely
  based on subject expertise

3
CHALLENGES

• Need to conform to a standard, structured
  (seemingly interminable) process stretching from
  initial outline of course to possible revision
  after first presentation, with ongoing scrutiny
  at each stage
• Radically different experience for a majority of
  course writers most not familiar with
  requirements for independent self-study
  materials, and the fact that course development
  will involve not simply writing, but a multitude
  of issues relating to how the course will be
  taught and the kinds of assessment to be used.
• Deadlines /relentless pace onerous for
  part-timers
• Part-time nature of work makes it difficult for
  course development teams to become attuned to the
  universitys learning ethos and to develop a
  sense of ownership

4
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

• Samples of good self-learning materials
• Training Manual designed specially for course
  writers
• Training sessions to share the process
  know-how/skills to write self-learning materials
• Sharing of experience/best practice sessions by
  Programme Heads
• Check-lists templates
• Feedback at various stages
• (Provision of facilities equipment, costing
  management of av / computer software support,
  editing layout processes, storage
  distribution of materials)

5
COURSE WRITING

• CHALLENGES
• Need to conform to a standard, structured process
  stretching from initial outlines to possible
  revision after first presentation, with ongoing
  scrutiny at each stage
• Not familiar with requirements for independent
  self-study materials due to little or no
  experience in writing courses for this context
• Deadlines /tight time-frame onerous for
  part-timers
• Part-time nature of work makes it difficult to
  become attuned to the learning ethos and to
  develop a sense of ownership

• INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
• Samples of good self-learning materials
• Training Manual designed specially for course
  writers
• Training sessions to share the process
  know-how/skills to write self-learning materials
• Sharing of experience/best practice sessions by
  Prog Heads
• Check-lists templates
• Feedback at various stages

• CONTEXT
• A young university for working adults
• Significant amount of developme-ntal activity
• Selection of course writers (part-time) largely
  based on subject expertise

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• THANK YOU