Cost for the course: $150.00
Contact: the Guidance Department, Susquehanna Twp. High School
Instructor: Mr. Gaffey, email at wgaffey@hannasd.k12.pa.us

-Pre-course meeting for students: June 20th, 9:00 a.m. in Room 206, parents are welcome to attend also. Textbooks and instructions will be issued at this time.

What Makes A Good Online Course?

The higher education administrator's role in quality assurance of online learning.
By Lee R. Alley - November 2001
(http://www.convergemag.com/magazine/story.phtml?id=3030000000003540)Design Web Courses to Help Students Construct Knowledge, Not Simply Transmit Information. In order to emphasize student construction of knowledge, skills and abilities versus instructor transmission of information, the Web site needs to be more "student centered." That is, the Web site is designed as a learning environment for students, rather than a bulletin board upon which to post cognitive knowledge. 
Align Styles. Many faculty, and even most students themselves, underestimate the significance of a complementary fit between "learning styles" and "teaching styles." Some students' lifestyles are simply unsuited to the online environment. Discussions between parents, teachers and students during the precourse meetings should help make a determination that is best for each situation.

The construction of our course addresses the10 Keys to Quality In Online Learning A high-quality, student-centered online course helps students when:

1 Knowledge is constructed, not transmitted.
2 Students can take full responsibility for their own learning.
3 Students are motivated to want to learn.
4 The course provides "mental white space" for reflection.
5 Learning activities appropriately match student learning styles. 6 Experiential, active learning augments the Web site learning environment.
7 Solitary and interpersonal learning activities are interspersed.
8 Inaccurate prior learning is identified and corrected.
9 "Spiral learning" provides for revisiting and expanding prior lessons.

Mr. Gaffey, Summer Global Instructor