Associate of Arts in Distance Learning Program Audience Entry Requirements Degree Requirements Course Descriptions Program Audience The Associate of Arts in Distance Learning is designed for teachers and trainers, and other practitioners who may be called upon to train and teach colleagues in business and industry, education, research, and the professions. Entry Requirements The Associate of Arts in Distance Learning is sequenced from the Certificate in Distance Learning. Students pursuing the Associate of Arts are permitted to bring forward and apply all 21 credits earned in the certificate program. Degree Requirements Associate of Arts in Distance Learning (Required: 63 credits) Certificate in Distance Learning (Required: the following 21 credits) SIT 503: E-Learning Theory and Models (3 credits) SIT 510: Synchronous Instructional Development (3 credits) SIT 511: A synchronous Institutional Development (3 credits) SIT 530: Creating the Virtual Learning Environment (3 credits) SIT 535: The Effective Online Instructor (3 credits) SIT 793: Independent E-Learning Project (3 credits) Plus: One additional 3 credit course from any program or division that compliments the student’s study of the E-Learning Environment. (3 credits) General Education (Required: 21 credits, as follows) ASC 101: English Composition (3 credits) ASC 102: Social Communication Skills (3 credits) ASC 111: History of the United States (3 credits) ASC 120: Introduction to Sociology (3 credits) ASC 130: Introduction to Psychology (3 credits) ASC 140: Basic Mathematics (3 credits) ASC 141 Introduction to Life Sciences (3 credits) Major Requirements (Required: 21 credits, as follows) SIT 536: Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning (3 credits) SIT: 537: Effective Communication in Distance Learning (3 credits) SIT 538: Counseling and Mentoring Students at a Distance (3 credits) SIT 539: History and Development of Distance Learning (3 credits) SIT 540: Current Teaching Methods and Methodologies in Distance Learning (3 credits) SIT 541: Designing & Developing Effective Curriculum for Online Instruction (3 credits) PLUS (one of the following three-credit courses: WWL 543: History and Culture of Spanish Speaking People (3 credits) WWL 546: History and Culture of Asian People (3 credits) Course Descriptions SIT 503: E-Learning Theory and Models (3 credits) This course is an overview of primary adult learning models and implications of their effective use in the online environment. Theories are selectively critiqued theoretically and empirically. Teacher-centered versus learner-centered theories will be discussed. Students will gain a critical understanding of psychological factors influencing e-learning and explore the effectiveness of teaching methods in the online learning environment. Analytical papers and case study will be required. SIT 510: Synchronous Instructional Development (3 credits) Real-time, instructor-led e-learning leverages the Internet to improve education and training efficiency and effectiveness. This course explores the major concepts for creating scalable, systematic, and sustainable live instructional programs. Theory of interaction will be researched. Participants will study the foundations, technological requirements, and instructional techniques needed for successful online live instructional delivery. Papers and a practical field project are required. SIT 511: Asynchronous Institutional Development (3 credits) This course explores the major concepts for creating scalable, systematic, and sustainable e-learning programs. Participants will study the foundations, technological requirements, and instructional techniques needed for successful self-paced online content development. Students will become familiar with instructional uses of various delivery environments such as chat rooms, bulletin boards, and classroom applications. Papers and practical field projects are required. [Instructor: Dr. Kathleen Barclay] SIT 530: Creating the Virtual Learning Environment (3 credits) This course explores the role of distance learning in today?s education and training environments. Topics include structural differences in distance learning programs, benefits of online learning, startup factors, marketing issues, technological issues, future trends, and international education considerations. Principles for effective distance learning will be examined. Students will develop a project applicable to their field of study. SIT 535: The Effective Online Instructor (3 credits) Students explore online instructor elements and techniques from analyzing student needs for course requirements to designing and delivering a course for the global audience. An overview of offering materials that motivate learning using web technologies to create 21st century alternatives to traditional courses. Students will develop a project applicable to their field of study. SIT 536: Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning (3 credits) This course is designed for any current or potentially future person seeking to become faculty that wishes to teach online. Class participants will learn the theory of how to develop online learning communities. Participants will learn how to rethink their face-to-face course procedures and grading for teaching in the online classroom arena. The learner will collaborate together with the instructor in a variety of learning activities that will enable them to transform any face-to-face course in any discipline to an online venue. This course is structured so that learners experience what it is like to be an online student as well as an online instructor. Topics to be included depending on student’s experience and background include: creating an effective online classroom environment, creating student learning activities, classroom management issues and use of online interactive tools. Students will be expected to complete a project in online teaching. (Author and Instructor: Mr. Antonio Cardona) SIT 537: Effective Communication in Distance Learning (3 credits) This course is structured to provide information and application of communications modalities that create effective interpersonal communications in the virtual asynchronous environment. Topics such as: establishing classroom mode, ways of giving and encouraging class participation amongst students, feedback, online "listening," dealing with social an intellectual disagreement and conflict. Important to this course is the development of effective uses of technology in teaching students to provide the most effect ways to communicate their thoughts, their projects concepts and research in online learning. This process will define the “mentor” and facilitator process of online instructors. Participants will be expected to develop a communication project assignment to meet requirements of the course. (Author and Instructor: Mr. Antonio Cardona) SIT: 538: Counseling and Mentoring at a Distance (3 credits) This course will provide students with an understanding of how to counsel and mentor students in the virtual world. The main role is to give you practical ideas of how to do this since Instructors are by default the main counselors and mentors online. The why and benefits of this process will be explored by means of readings and virtual practice sessions that will help you learn ways to foster student engagement, demystifying online learning, providing respect and support to all students, clarifying, providing constructive feedback, spelling out work expectations and dealing with a diverse and wide-array of students from all walks of life. (Author and Instructor: Mr. Antonio Cardona). SIT 539: History and Development of Distance Education (3 credits) Over the past decade Distance Learning has reached exponential growth in number of enrollments and the numbers of institutions that provide distance learning courses are growing. New technology and the Internet is bringing access to education to nations that previously had literacy problems. It is predicted that by 2025 about 95% of learning will be virtualized. What is the historical development of distance learning and what has been and will be the impact on traditional universities as we know them today? This course is a reading course and students will be required to search online for articles and obtain and read current journals and books relevant to the course. The student is required to write a paper on the historical development of distance education and its impact on education from a global perspective. (Author and Instructor: Dr. LaWanna L. Blount) SIT 540: Current Teaching Methods & Methodologies in Distance Learning (3 credits) Although much of the methodology of teaching distance learning courses is similar to that of face-to-face teaching, there are some unique characteristics. This course discusses the instructional design, the role of the instructor, the role of the learner, the choice of technology to be used, the implementation of courses, and specific resources needed for distance learning courses/ (Author and Instructor: Dr. Donald Logsdon) SIT 541 Designing and Creating Effective Curriculum for Online Instruction (3 credits) The online environment has some unique characteristics that shape how an effective curriculum is developed. This course discusses the steps in the process of development including: determining if courses will be purely we-based courses or blended courses, the teaching approach to be used whether constructivist or behavioral, and choosing and training facilitators for the courses. (Author and Instructor: Dr. Donald Logsdon) WWL 543: History and Culture of Spanish Speaking People (3 credits) Students examine the culture of the Hispanic speaking peoples of the world through tracing currents in historical, social, and political developments of Spain. The current position of Spain in the world economy is addressed. Students are expected to pursue readings, research and selected works of Spanish historians and writers. (Instructor: Dr. Merton Bland or Mr. Antonio Cardona) WWL 546: History and Culture of Asian People (3 credits) Through this course, students pursue a selected reading list in History and Culture of the Asian People, under the direction of qualified faculty. This course is intended to help students to add to their knowledge of the culture and history of Asian people through research and reading. Students may select a particular Asian country upon which to focus their reading. Students pursue selected foundational readings in support of their specific topics of interest and conduct online searches. A scholarly paper, of the quality suitable for publication is required. The goal of this course is to open for closer student inspection a selected and defined area or topical area study in the History and Culture of Asian People which the student may wish to pursue in the future. (Instructor: Dr. Anthony Payne and Sachi Payne) SIT 793: Independent E-Learning Project (3 credits) Students pursue a directed project with focus on significance or application of the Internet to their field of study. This course allows students to advance their knowledge through research and reading, field explorations, or completion of a special project that demonstrates appropriate research and learning. Approval of topic prior to registering for this course is required. ASC 101: English Composition (3 credits) This course is designed for students to study the basics of English grammar, spelling usage, punctuation , sentence structure and paragraph development. Students will be required to practically apply English fundamentals to their work and business needs. Projects and papers will be required depending on student’s career needs. (Instructor: To be assigned) ASC 102: Social Communication Skills (3 credits) This course looks at fundamental, unique, and key attributes of human communication processes and behavior including skills for understanding, connecting, and facilitating discourse with others in diverse social contexts. Specific social assessments, readings, and project activities will be discussed with the student to enhance understanding and use of communication and formal presentation skills as related to career interests of students. [Instructor: Dr. David L. Johnson] ASC 111: History of the United States (3 credits) This course is designed for students to review the History of the United States from the early settlement period, the Civil War and reconstruction period or from the Reconstruction period to the present. Students will focus on the United States and its current position in peace and international relations. Students will write a paper related to their historical interests (Instructor to be assigned) Students may also select a three credit history course from the Center for Sustained Human Development, The Institute for Studies in the Humanities, Institute for Diplomacy and International Relations, or Institute for Political and Legal Studies as recommended by primary faculty advisor. (Instructor to be assigned) ASC 120: Introduction to Sociology, Understanding Society, Groups, and Social Relationships (3 credits) This course aims to increase the student’s awareness and understanding of sociological perspectives, concepts, processes, and relationships in the study of how a given society functions, survives, and changes. Students will examine how cultural values, age, gender, social class, socialization processes, role and group individual behavior influence life-style and every day life experiences. Individualized student objectives and assignments my focus on how sociological study can enhance one’s genealogical career and broaden an understanding of the past. How do societal traditions, kinship ties, sentiments, ideals, written records, prejudices, and conflicts persists in meaningful relationships, and events today, and which ones point to social innovations and prospective changes in the future. Prerequisites: high school diploma or equivalent and two or more years of independent career work in genealogical studies. Duration: Maximum course duration 16 weeks. Restrictions: Open to students in Associate of Arts programs.[Instructor: Dr. Ruth Huffman-Hine] ASC 130: Introduction to Psychology: Understanding Self, Personality, and Human Behavior (3 credits) This broad based course will give the student a comprehensive overview of Psychology, including research methods, the historical roots and current issues in psychology, the function of the brain in mental health and illness, learning theory and intelligence, developmental issues, psychological disorders and psychotherapies. [Author and Instructor: Dr. John Laughlin] ASC 140: Basic Mathematics (3 credits) This course focuses on a foundational understanding of basic mathematics principles, including arithmetic, decimals, fractions, percentages, linear equations with one and two variables, and sipple geometry (Author and Instructor: Dr. Donald Logsdon) ASC 141 Introduction to Life Sciences (3 credits) This course is designed for the non-science major and will exmine life from th e simple to the complex and from th e conceptual to the specific. This course will apply bioloical concepts to relevant issues from the beginning of cells through the dynamics of Earth’s ecosystems. The topics include cells, inheritance, evolution, and eclogy. (Instructor and Author: Dr. Donald Logsdon)