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This course provides an introduction to the use and creation of Internet-based resources for the elementary and secondary classroom.  This course is primarily intended for K-12 teachers, administrators, counselors or librarians, from pre-service to master teacher level.  Students will have the opportunity to learn how to create basic web pages, how to find educational resources on the Internet, and how to design Internet-based activities.  This course is offered by the Indiana University School of Education Distance Education Program and is a fully online, three-graduate-credit-hour course.

Upon completion of this course, students will have accomplished the following objectives:

1. ‣Gained experience in utilizing current Internet communication technologies:
   

2. ‣World Wide Web, including a web-based course management system
   

3. ‣Email
   

4. ‣Discussion forums and newsgroups
   

5. ‣Listservs/mailing lists
   

6. ‣Instant messaging
   

7. ‣Social Networking
   

8. ‣Podcasting
   

9. ‣Blogging
   

10. ‣Wikis
    

11. ‣Webquests
    

12. ‣Learning management systems
    

13. ‣Web 2.0   
    

14. ‣Adobe Connect (text/audio/video/conferencing)
    

15. ‣Read and discussed about how these technologies could be used with K-12 students
    

16. ‣Learned the basics of HTML (the language of the web)
    

17. ‣Read and discuss issues of copyright, plagiarism, and fair-use
    

18. ‣Created a basic educational website
    

19. ‣Written a paper outlining a series of Internet-based activities they would be able to use with their (current or future) students
    

There are no required course textbooks for this course.  Readings will be comprised of web resources and articles provided by the instructor.  However, I have listed some recommended books for those that are interested.

Submitting Assignments:

Assignment due dates are firm; Any assignment or other required activity submitted past the due date will lose 5% credit per day, unless arrangements for late delivery have been made with me well in advance before the due date.  All assignments will be submitted via Oncourse.

Assignment Information:

Readings will be assigned for each week, and the latest information about the class will be communicated via Oncourse.  Online threaded discussions are an important part of this course, and I expect all students to participate.  Your grade will be based on 5 individual assignments, and participation in all synchronous and asynchronous activities.

1. ‣See list of course assignments.
   

Grading Scale & Policy:

The following definitions of letter grades have been defined by student and faculty members of the Curriculum Steering Committee and have been approved by the faculty as an aid in evaluation of academic performance and to assist students by giving them an understanding of the grading standards of the Indiana University Grading System.

To receive a passing grade in this course, you must turn in all of the assignments and fully participate in course activities.  You cannot pass this course without doing all of the assigned work (which includes the final project), however, turning in all of the work is not a guarantee that you will pass the course.

To earn a B in this course your work must consistently demonstrate and/or include:  1) a base line level of competence, 2) an understanding of lecture content and reading assignments, 3) correct and/or complete answers.  To earn a higher grade you must surpass the criteria and expectations for a B.

Class Communication & Access to IU Resources:

In this course, we will be using a learning management system called OnCourse. This will be our primary means of class discussion and communication.  For most of the semester, you will be asked to answer questions related to that week's topics in the Discussion Forums Oncourse. These postings need to be completed by Sunday at midnight each week to receive full credit for that weeks participation.

To access Oncourse, you will need an IUB Network ID and password.  If you do not have one, go to http://itaccounts.iu.edu and fill out the form there.  Please do this ASAP so you will be ready to begin participating on the first day of the semester.

My Response Policy:

I will check Oncourse Email regularly, as well as my indiana email address.  I will also typically be available during regular business hours (Mon - Fri) via Instant Messaging (IM).  I will do my best to respond to student questions within 24 hours, and do typically respond within a few hours.

Incomplete Policy:

Our courses are designed to be highly interactive and to include regular dialogue between student and instructor and between students. Because of this, we need students to participate regularly, and to keep up with the course readings and assignments. If a student does not complete a course within a given semester, it is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with his/her instructor regarding how and on what timeline they will finish up the course. Students should not assume that they will automatically be granted an Incomplete grade at the end of the semester. 

Each student is expected to complete all coursework by the end of the term. A grade of incomplete [ I ] will be assigned only when exceptional circumstances warrant.

If a student has not completed the course requirements for the course by the end of the semester, the instructor will give the following grade that is most appropriate:

•FN (failed for non-attendance) should be used to indicate that the failing grade was earned because the student failed to participate in the course or stopped participating, rather than for poor performance. Participation in an online course consists of communication with the instructor and other students, turning in assigned work on time, etc.. A student that has ceased communication with his/her instructor may receive this grade.

•I (Incomplete) may be used to indicate that the work done is satisfactory as of the end of the semester, but has not been completed; This usually means that the majority of assignments have been done and only a fraction remain. The student also needs to make specific arrangements with his/her instructor regarding how and when the rest of the required work will be submitted. The maximum time allowed for the removal of an Incomplete grade is one calendar year, but most incompletes should extend for only a few weeks or months. After 12 months, the university automatically converts an Incomplete to a grade of F.

•If a student has completed some, but not all, of the required coursework, and has not made arrangements with the instructor to complete the rest of the requirements, the instructor may give a grade that reflects the graded coursework up to that point.

Academic Dishonesty:

There is extensive documentation and discussion of the issue of academic dishonesty here in the Indiana University “Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct.”  Of particular relevance is the section on plagiarism:

3. Plagiarism  A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:

a.  A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, opinions, theories, formulas, graphics, or pictures of another person without acknowledgment.

b.  A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever:

1. Directly quoting another person’s actual words, whether oral or written;
2. Using another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories;
3. Paraphrasing the words, ideas, opinions, or theories of others, whether oral or written;
4. Borrowing facts, statistics, or illustrative material; or
5. Offering materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections                         without acknowledgment.

From: http://dsa.indiana.edu/Code/Part_2acad.html

Here is another good resource for understanding plagiarism. 

Indiana University and the School of Education policies on academic dishonesty will be followed.  Students found to be engaging in plagiarism, cheating, and other types of dishonesty will receive an F for the course.  As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, cite the source!

NOTE: The instructor reserves the rights to change, omit, or append the W505a Course Syllabus whenever he deems it appropriate to do so.

Last updated: August 20, 2008
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~w505a/
Copyright 2008 Mark Millard