University of North Texas
2004-2005 Learning Enhancement Grant Application
1. Project Title Proposal to Develop Online Version of Core English Composition Courses 2. Project
coordinator
Kathryn Rosser Raign
3. Project abstract Currently, the University of North Texas English department offers no online writing courses. In order to meet the needs of students who may not be able to successfully complete a course that requires that they be on campus a minimum of three hours per week, I propose offering two of the department’s core courses, English 1310: Composition I, and English 1320: Composition II online.
The university currently loses many students to area community colleges because students are forced to choose based on location rather than on the quality of education. By offering composition I and II, courses required by the majority of UNT students, online, the university will be able to offer students who live in outlying areas the opportunity to take these important core courses from UNT’s highly trained staff of English instructors.
4. Description of the
project Introduction
Currently, the University of North Texas English department offers no online writing courses. In order to meet the needs of students who may not be able to successfully complete a course that requires that they be on campus a minimum of three hours per week, I propose offering two of the department’s core courses, English 1310: Composition I, and English 1320: Composition II online.
The university currently loses many students to area community colleges because students are forced to choose based on location rather than on the quality of education. By offering composition I and II, courses required by the majority of UNT students, online, the university will be able to offer students who live in outlying areas the opportunity to take these important core courses from UNT’s highly trained staff of English instructors.
Current Course Structure
Currently, the course requirements for Composition I include: • The completion of Five 3-4 page essays
• Completion of a Writer’s Notebook, which must include the following:
• Drafts of papers • Revisions
• Comments from peer reviewers.
• Participation in a minimum of 5 peer review sessions. • Extensive group exercises.
• A minimum of two teacher conferences. The course requirements for Composition II include:
Completion of Two 3-5 pages essays Completion of a research portfolio
o Outline of research project o Annotated bibliography o Notecards
o Abstracts
Completion of 8-10 page research paper
These requirements were designed to meet the Exemplary Educational Outcomes designed by the SACS coordinating board.
Currently, this work is completed both in-class, with the instructor’s assistance, and outside of class. The students meet with the instructor in the instructor’s office, and all materials are turned in as hard copies.
Integration of Technology
In order to ensure that the course retains its academic integrity, we intend to continue using the existing criteria; however, the fact that course is being offered online will alter how we achieve these goals. We will use two tools:
WebCT—This online educational tool is used by UNT and supported by the Center for Distributed Learning.
MOO—A MOO is an on-line chat room environment that provides a space for students and teachers to meet synchronously online. The creators of the Acadiana MOO have allowed us to have access to their MOO until we create our own. They will not charge us for this service. Students will meet with the instructor in the MOO two times a week for 80 minutes in the designated “cyber classroom.” At this time the
instructor will discuss assigned readings, writing assignments, and group work. Attendance at these meetings is required. The materials that the students need, other than the book, which must be purchased before the class begins, will be available in WebCT Vista:
• Syllabus • Course Policies • Assignments
• Power Point Presentations • In-box for turning in materials • Bulletin board for posting messages • Grammar and Punctuation Exercises
The students will also be responsible for meeting with their assigned group at other times, in order to complete group work. This group work will be submitted and discussed during scheduled online class times. The course criteria will be met in the following manner:
• The completion of Five 3-4 page essays
Students will write their papers using computers, and will submit them to the instructor electronically. The instructor’s WebCT Vista course will include a specific location for papers. • Completion of a Writer’s Notebook, which must include the
following:
• Prewriting exercises • Drafts of papers • Revisions
• Comments from peer reviewers.
Rather than turning in a standard hard covered notebook, the students will create electronic folders for each of the categories above and will store their material in these folders. At the end of the semester, the students will submit this work electronically. • Extensive group exercises.
When doing group work, the instructor will have the students meet and work in a MOO—an online chatroom environment, in which instructors can create virtual rooms. By using the MOO, the instructor will have the option to either participate or listen and can keep a recorded transcript of the sessions to ensure that each student is participating appropriately. The instructor will create the groups, then allow the students in each group to select a
time to meet. The students will provide the instructor with this information so that he or she can attend.
• Participation in a minimum of 5 peer review sessions.
When peer editing, the students can either meet as a group in a pre-selected location in the MOO, or they can work via email. Again the instructor will play a role in facilitating these meetings, and he or she will review the transcripts of the meetings.
• A minimum of two teacher conferences.
Each instructor will have a “cyber office” that students can visit either voluntarily or by appointment. As with a standard office, each instructor will hold designated office hours. Each class will also have a “cyber classroom” in which the students can meet to work or talk, as well as a “cyber library,” where the instructor can store reading material for the students.
Conclusion
Rather than limiting the amount of contact between the student and teacher, the students will actually have more direct one-to-one contact with their instructors. Furthermore, because all communications, and conversations must be written, the students will exponentially increase the amount of writing they produce over the course of the semester. 5. Coordinator’s
experience with teaching online
Dr. Raign has participated in the creation and management of two freshman composition computerized classrooms, but she has never taught an online course.
6. Additional faculty or staff members on project
Brant Deranger is a PhD candidate who has given presentations on the integration of technology into the writing process.
7. Department funding commitments
None available.
Class No. of students
projected 1310: Composition I (Fall 2005) 52 1320: Composition II (Spring 2006) 52 8. Number of students projected in class/program 9. Market surveys or analysis conducted
By not providing online composition courses, UNT is failing to compete with other Texas Universities that do offer such courses. Comparable universities offering online courses include:
• Texas Woman’s University • University of Texas at Arlington • Texas A&M Commerce
• Texas Tech University
10. Marketing plan In order to market these courses, we will speak with advisors across campus, and make them aware of this new option. We will also announce the
development of these new courses at new student orientation. Finally, we will post information regarding the new courses, on the English Department’s website.
11. Evaluation plan for the course(s) or program
As a member of the University Core Assessment Committee, Dr. Raign is responsible for assessing both 1310 and 1320—the courses being proposed as online courses. She will implement the same methods for assessing these courses that she currently uses to assess the current classroom based versions of theses courses. See attachment.
Activity or accomplishment: Date: Develop Course Model for
1310
Summer I 2005 Develop Course Model for
1320
Summer II 2005 Teach 2 sections of 1310 Fall 2005 Teach 2 sections of 1320 Spring 2006 12. Timetable for
course development
Item or expense Cost: Equipment or software (list)
2 Laptops—the computers currently provided to faculty and staff by the English department do not have the necessary technical
components or mobility to allow the instructors of the proposed courses to
effectively teach the courses outlined in this proposal.
$3,000 13. Budget
Wages (show number of hours and hourly rate) 2 student assistants @ $10 an hour for an average of 405 hours covering the period of Summer I 2005 through Spring 2006.
$8800.00 (To be paid by course fees in future.
Summer faculty release time salary Kathryn Raign—2 course release
Brant Deranger—2 course release
$10,000.00 (One time fee) $4800.00 (One time fee)
Total LEG Funds Requested $26,600
Course Faculty Member Date Signed
1310/1320 Kathryn Raign
14. Intellectual Property
Agreement (For online courses)
Participant: Date Received 15. Planning
Activities Date that project participants received or will receive CDL’s
certificate for web-based courseware (For Technology
Priority): Kathryn Raign Brant Deranger Spring 2005 (Dates have not been announced.) Project design is feasible
Wages are appropriate and equitable
Course or program approval process has been followed 16. Center for
Distributed Learning Certification
Course fees for distributed learning courses, if necessary, have been requested
Department Chair: 17. Approval
