Online Learning Resources
Distance Learning is a planned learning or teaching experience that frees participants from having to be in a fixed location (e.g. a physical classroom) or a fixed time.
On these pages I have assembled Distance/Online Learning resources that may be of use to DePaul University students, staff and faculty. We attempt to use online learning extensively in the College of Commerce. There are three types of online classes you are likely to encounter:
- Online: A course in which 100 percent of the regularly scheduled classroom time is replaced by online activities. The final exam or student project/presentations may take place entirely online, on campus, or at a proctored location. Your syllabus will indicate which options apply.
- Hybrid: A course in which 50 percent of the regularly scheduled classroom time is replaced consistently by online activities. The face-to-face meetings typically occurring weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 or 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. The eleventh week is either the final exam or student project/presentations. Schedule is adjusted for summer classes.
- Web-enhanced: A course in which some of the regularly scheduled classroom time is extended with online activities.
In the College of Commerce, online, hybrid and Web-enhanced classes are delivered through our Learning Management System (LMS), which was 2000 to 2010 was Blackboard, but is now Desire2Learn. Once a student registers for their course and the quarter begins, they are able to login to the LMS and view all of their course materials.
Most fully-online courses are taught in an asynchronous fashion. Asynchronous means that the students do not have to be online at a specific time. The students can progress through weekly content at their own pace. However, there may be weekly deadlines and assignments to complete.
The technology requirements for online learning courses are:
- Frequent access to a computer that connects to the Internet.
- A working e-mail account that is checked regularly (and that is updated in Campus Connection).
- Access to a software suite such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point). If a student does not have access to Office, they can download a free, open source alternative such as Open Office http://www.openoffice.org that provides the same basic functionality.
- The ability to view video files, either in a streaming (Flash) or downloadable (QuickTime, iTunes, 3GP) format.
- Administrator access to a computer to install software (if required).
The syllabus will specify the exact requirements for a particular course.
Resources For Students
Instructional Technology Development (ITD)
ITD provides online and in-person training for students at DePaul.
Technology Contact Center
The Technology Contact Center provides general support at +1 312-362-8765. You can also request assistance through Campus Connection, or e-mail via helpdesk@depaul.edu
Resources For Staff and Faculty
Business Technology Center (BTC)
The Business Technology Center (BTC) collaborates with Information Services to implement University-wide initiatives withing the College of Commerce. The BTC provides faculty and staff with resources to meet technology needs.
Information Services
Also known as IS. Responsible for the university's hardware, software, network infrastructure and telecommunications systems. This short video provides a short overview of classroom technology:
Faculty Instructional Technology Services (FITS)
FITS (previously IDD) collaborates with faculty from all schools and colleges to design, develop, and implement effective instruction. FITS Consultants provide specialized support to each of DePaul's schools. IDD has a blog which can be found at http://iddresources.org
FITS has a dedicated consultant to the College of Commerce (Joann Golas) who has an office on the 6th floor of the DePaul Center. Her contact information is:
- e-mail: jgolas@depaul.edu
- Telephone: +1 (312) 362-8856
- Mobile: +1 (312) 40-6553
Instructional Technology Development (ITD)
ITD provides online and in-person training for faculty at DePaul. Supported resources include Blackboard, QuickData, Respondus, Turn-It-In and more.
Office for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (TLA)
The Office for Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) promotes approaches to teaching and assessment that improve student learning; supports scholarly research that advances our understanding of student learning across the University; facilitates faculty sharing of teaching, learning, and assessment issues; and examines institutional policies and structures for their impact on teaching and learning.
Teaching Commons
The Teaching Commons is DePaul's collaborative teaching resource site.
Recommended Tools and Technologies
Technology Tuesdays
Each month, I promote informal, internal presentations focusing on educational technology and best practices for online and hybrid/blended learning. More information and the option to RSVP can be found on the Technology Tuesdays page.
Desire2Learn
Our new Learning Management System (LMS) is Desire2Learn. Commerce and IDD will be providing training before the system launches in 2011. In the meantime, you can check this site for updates or create a D2L Community account at https://community.desire2learn.com and read D2L's online documentation and tutorials.
iTunes U
iTunes U is one of the methods we use to distribute downloadable video. iTunes U is closely tied to our student registration system, so we can restrict access if need be, or provide public content. Certain of our Commerce faculty have used this tool to create introductory videos:
- Ali Fatemi
- Animesh Ghoshal
- Dan Heiser
- James Moore
- Jin Choi
- John Ahern
- Kelly Pope
- Kevin Stevens
- Mark Alford
- Mark McCarthy
- Patrick J. Murphy
- Rocky Perkovich
- Roger Lall
- Soni Simpson
- Thomas Mondschean
- Tom Berry
Skype
Skype is a free and easy way to provide limited videoconferencing and teleconferences.
Twitter is a great way to enhance to way you communicate with students. For example, I have used my MKT595 account in my Internet and Interactive Marketing course (and my P_I_Marketing account in my Practical Internet Marketing Certificate Program).
Video
For Commerce course we have found that students prefer to be able to watch and/or download short video lectures (ideally no longer than 15 minutes in length). We either film in dedicated facilities, or faculty can use tools like Camtasia (PC and Mac) or ScreenFlow (Mac only) to create their own video. Streaming video is hosted through Ooyala (http://www.ooyala.com) and embedded into our LMS. Ooyala allows for detailed usage reports. Downloadable video is hosted on either iTunes U (http://itunes.depaul.edu) or on dedicated university servers.
Videoconferencing
DePaul has a long history of videoconferencing (pre-1999). The university has equipped several dedicated room and has portable units. Our preferred system is Polycom – these units work via IP (free calls over the Internet) or leased lines (calls have a per-minute cost). The university has invested in high-definition (DVD quality) units at several of our campuses. DePaul is part of Internet2 (http://www.internet2.edu). This infrastructure provides a guaranteed connection to other institutions on Internet2.
Wimba
Our LMS is supplemented by Wimba. Wimba is a synchronous learning/webinar tool (video, audio, whiteboard, shared screen), which allows faculty and students to interact from anywhere with an Internet connection. Communication scales down to 56K modem use (and telephone). Wimba was integrated into our LMS in 2008.
For Commerce course we have found that students prefer to be able to watch and/or download short video lectures (ideally no longer than 15 minutes in length). We either film in dedicated facilities, or faculty can use tools like Camtasia (PC and Mac) or ScreenFlow (Mac only) to create their own video. Streaming video is hosted through Ooyala (http://www.ooyala.com) and embedded into our LMS. Ooyala allows for detailed usage reports. Downloadable video is hosted on either iTunes U (http://itunes.depaul.edu) or on dedicated university servers.
Videoconferencing
DePaul has a long history of videoconferencing (pre-1999). The university has equipped several dedicated room and has portable units. Our preferred system is Polycom – these units work via IP (free calls over the Internet) or leased lines (calls have a per-minute cost). The university has invested in high-definition (DVD quality) units at several of our campuses. DePaul is part of Internet2 (http://www.internet2.edu). This infrastructure provides a guaranteed connection to other institutions on Internet2.
Wimba
Our LMS is supplemented by Wimba. Wimba is a synchronous learning/webinar tool (video, audio, whiteboard, shared screen), which allows faculty and students to interact from anywhere with an Internet connection. Communication scales down to 56K modem use (and telephone). Wimba was integrated into our LMS in 2008.