Online groupwork
The course focused on theories and principles of instructional design, strategies for developing multimedia and for applying design models, and evaluation of related educational software. It was delivered through myCourses, which was used to deliver online courses through various communication tools such as chat rooms, discussion boards, and emails.
In the beginning of the semester, the participants were randomly assigned to online groups by the instructor. Each group was then asked to select a group leader, who was responsible for facilitating the flow of the groupwrok (e.g., coordinating specific tasks among the group members such as designing the website, incorporating relevant images, and writing up the paper). The final group project required each group to select a genuine instructional problem, to design and develop a plan to solve this problem, and to present its evaluation. The participants were required to involve various discussion activities with their members through myCourses.
Guidance and training on group collaboration were provided throughout the project planning, execution, and reflection process. When planning the project, the participants received written guidelines with evaluation criteria for individuals and groups. Training was then offered for each group leader in online chat rooms relating to group function. In addition, each group was asked to present its proposal with required contents including division of labor and time management. Advice was then solicited from peers and the instructor. Following that, online tutoring was offered to tackle specific problems encountered by respective groups to them to timely adjust group collaboration in the process. The participants were further asked to include in self-reflection in their presentation on how they approached collaboration.