EDU630

Online Teaching and Learning

Below is a link for a timeline for the history of online education in America beginning with the creation of the modem in 1958 by Bell Industries and ending with 2019 first IVY League School going online.

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/2125244

EDU630 Final Paper

Evaluation of Intro to Forensics Course

Final Project

Lynette Markey

            When a student wants to go to college what do they look for? They look at the cost for the education, the accessibility of the school and classes and if the school offers what they are looking for. Once the student starts their college career the next item is what will keep them going to the college that they chose. This would be good and engaging classes. The way to make sure that this keeps the students at the university is to do an evaluation, periodically, on the courses that are being offered. To start one needs to look at if the right courses are being offered and dealing with current issues. The second time is to see if the courses that are being offered are current, up to date, and engaging to keep the student’s interest.

The following paper will discuss how to critique and analyze an on-line course.  It will review why the course was selected as well as what is technically needed to take the course.  There will be examples given in the relationship to educational theories with links to the best practices for on-line teaching.  The paper will conclude with a connection to the use of tools in on-line course evaluations.

The on-line class chosen for review is the criminal justice course of Forensics I offered at Post University.  The class is a science requirement for the criminal justice program.  This class is a basic introduction to the forensic science field that is used for crime scenes.  The first unit begins with the history of the field of forensic science and how it can be separated into five basic services provided by the crime laboratories.  The crime scene is reviewed first and discusses how to preserve the evidence, collecting and photographing as well as making sketches, all to make a preliminary examination of what might have been left by the perpetrator.  This section also reviews the proper collection, documentation and removal of evidence according to protocols. The unit then goes into physical evidence objectives and shows how to understand the process and tests needed to identify substances found within the crime scene.  This section reviewed characteristics of the crime to rule out a person who could be involved in a crime such as fingerprints, DNA, bullet markings and more.  There are a few projects within this section that are interesting one including fingerprints.  One project asks that you create a mock crime scene and use photography with the encouragement to have fun.  This seems to be very interesting and encouraged the reader to look further into the course.

As the course continues to unit 2 students learn about fingerprinting.  They learn how to understand what each ridge and pattern looks like and how it is unique to a person as well as how to collect prints from different types of objects.  There is an excellent video on the identification of fingerprints to watch in this unit.  The topic of firearms and what markings are made on bullets are reviewed and the fact that no two barrels have the same markings just like fingerprints. This is called Ballistics and helps to determine which gun might have fired the bullet.  Besides firearms there is a discussion about impressions left by shoes or tires.  The highlight of the section is the use of a virtual comparison microscope through a download (firearmsID, 2019).

The next unit is Unit 3 which focuses on trace evidence which includes grass, soil, hair, fibers, and paint.  The unit is broken down into sections as to how to collect the evidence and the basic comparisons of what is collected.  The first topic reviewed relates to matter which is anything that has mass, solid, liquid or gas.  Light and refraction is also discussed in reference to glass and breakage.  The section concludes with metals, paints, and soils which are usually small quantities.  There are three videos explaining how to collect, analyst, and compare hair samples as well as one separate video for soil and paint.  Each one is easy to view and understand. 

Unit 4 is an overview of how to identify blood and forensic serology.  This is very technical and probably the most scientific topic in the course. It explains about DNA and what the make-up of DNA is. It looks at how blood and semen are analyzed to help determine who the individual that committed the crime is. It then explains how to pack evidence, including in airtight containers to avoid contamination and not in plastic bags because it can “bake” the sample.  Several readings for this activity with printable lecture notes are available.  This was a long section and a bit confusing.

The next unit, Unit 5, is an overview of documents and handwriting analysis. Just like in other forensics areas, documents can show many things in helping to determine who the criminal is. Documents also can be forged. Analyzing documents are done, to a great extent, when dealing with white collar crime. Handwriting analysis can help determine if an individual actually wrote the documents. An example of this is to determine if someone actually wrote a check or it was forged. This unit also reviewed information that can be retrieved from computers and mobile devices which falls under the area of cybercrime. There are unique videos and a handwriting comparison exercise that was interesting and made the reader want to trace letters to see if there were differences.  To sum up the unit there were power point slides.  This unit was another interesting and interactive part of the course.

One big issue in the United States is drug usage. Unit 6 discusses abused drugs and their effects on the body.  Toxicology and DUI crime scenes are also reviewed.  There are definitions of what a drug is as well as how to find it in the body through toxicology.  Within this unit there is further discussion about drug laws and categories as well as how the drugs are examined in a lab.  In a reading there is a discussion about breathing instruments used in the conduction of DUI checks.  This unit was full of information as well as the Drug ID Bible (Amera-Chem, 2018) but in order to open the link it is necessary to click on link once then click on the link again outside of blackboard to review.  It showed how to take any pill and compare it to others of the same shape and color and with the id number on the pill identify what it is.   Very interesting and fun to try.

In Unit 7 reviews the concept of fire and accelerants used to commit arson is discussed.  There is a section on how to collect evidence from a fire or explosion as well.  An interesting video is included in reference to a staged truck explosion.   Looks like there is nothing left to collect as evidence until, under closer inspection, one can see metal parts and tires to collect and review as evidence.  There is a mention of the guide for fire and explosive investigations, but the link will not allow it to be opened to view the document.

The course concludes with Unit 8. This last section of the course discusses the reconstruction of bloodstain patterns that are at a crime scene. It shows how the blood was splattered can determine the angle that someone was attacked and where the attacker was standing, their height and even if they are right-handed or left-handed. There are two videos from a tv show called Dexter which show strings to distinguish a pattern.  The second video was a short documentary about blood spatters, but it did not work.

Overall the course seems very interesting from unit 1 through till the end.  With the acceptations of some of the links and videos not working the class makes the learner want to open each link to enjoy the exercises available.  This course was not gory as the title may suggest which makes it a good place to begin when entering the field of criminal justice.

            The reasons for choosing this course to review has to do with the on-line learning theories of John Dewey.  He believed that education should be more progressive.  The hands-on approach of this course immediately applied to Dewey.  Through hands on experiences a student can absorb more information and stay engaged.  The instructor in this course is a guide to the hands-on experiences offered within the course.  With the crime scene activity to be set up as well as the use of the microscope there are many ways to apply Dewey’s theories as referenced in the article D is for Dewey. (Mike, 2017). 

For a student to make this class enjoyable and successful, technology must be in place.  High speed internet as well as a good computer or laptop is a must.  Since there are videos to review a video player is also needed.  If a student wants to make use of the lecture notes they are available for print so a printer as well.  A VitalSource account is required to open a textbook needed and use a student email to set up the account and most import is the use and understanding of Blackboard.  There are links to other website that allow you to either upload or open different types of items to use in the course. Some of these are items like a comparison microscope to see two items next to each other and use of other items to help determine fingerprints and handwriting analysis.

            After completing the review, there are several links related to on-line teaching and theories that apply.  Within the book, The Online Teaching Survival Guide on page 10-11, the course reviewed is an excellent example of how to use the 4 stages of a course needed in order to make it successful to the learner (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010).  There was a clear understanding as to what was to be reviewed which is discussed in phase 1 under reviews how the class is launched.  Phase 2 is considered as the early middle of a class and is meant to “keep the ball rolling”.  The forensic course put videos and exercises to try in this area which made the learner want to see what comes next.  Phase three is the letting go stage but this course continued with more details so the instructor is still giving more information to retain, and the learner cannot self-pace or take control of the class work.  Phase four is the are where the class is to be wrapping up or the closing week.  More new information is still being issued and not much way of a closure to the class.  It seemed to get the learner ready for the next class to be taken within the major so may be this is the closure to the section.  However, the online teaching and survival guide does mention that each stage is different depending on the learner so it is possible this review could be taken in different ways depending on who reviews it.       

            Another theory comes from My Pedagogic Creed which mentions that classwork is easier to understand if it is used in daily tasks or included within a current job (Dewey, 1897).  As forensic students take this course, they are encouraged to look at the world around them and analyze what is happening, be observant.  But most importantly they must remain neutral since society permits education to be individual but only to what society allows.  People are trained from birth to view things a certain way according to their own culture.  Forensics must be examined by an unbiased way of thinking.  This course reviews how to relate to facts only.  Not thinking dictated by society.

Besides the works of Dewey being applied to this course one could also refer to Jerome Bruner and his theory of constructivism.  His area discussed discovery and use of trial and error.  This class particularly the student needs to uncover concepts and ideas within each crime scene.  One of his main points is that a learner has to make decisions and hypotheses then test them for effectiveness and all of this relates to the review of this class (Rhalmi, 2016).

There is an article about Jerome Bruner’s Discovery learning theory.  He believed in a method of question-based instruction, in other words the student finds a fact to learn themselves.  The student is placed in the role of problem solver and relates their own life experiences to learn.  Bruner believes that people remember more if the situation relates to one’s own experiences.  The critics believe his method makes it difficult for educators to detect problems and misconceptions but most believe being creative, independent, problem solving students will help direct the learning experience to benefit each person and “ anything can be taught if presented properly” (David, 2017).

          As discussed in learning styles and eLearning it is clear that all people have different ways they like to learn material.  There are three ways to categorize learning preferences.  Dependent, which is where a person prefers instructor directed, collaborative, which is a preference for social interaction and autonomous which is when a student prefers centered programs.  The forensic class actually uses all three.  The instructor guides the course as to what will be discussed and in what order, the social interaction comes in a form of the discussion boards and the student-centered programs comes into play with the individual crime scene set up through photography.  The course reviewed is an excellent use of E-learning meaning using electronic devises for web-based learning (Bencheva, 2011). 

There are several practices within on-line teaching that can be applied to this course besides the ones previously listed.  Instrumentalism directly relates to this class since what is being learned will be relevant for students to be active within this class.  Once the degree is completed it would have shaped the learner’s future in society.  Since Dewey also mentioned that school must represent real life his theories continue to pertain to this review. 

Course feedback is important since it enhances teaching and the quality of information for the student. There is an article that has results of a project done at the University of Ottawa to see the impact of online evaluation of courses, student’s participation and the scores on the evaluation when compared to courses evaluated and completed in class(Groen & Herry, 2017). There are two factors effecting the completion of the evaluations by students. The first is the idea that only the professor uses or sees the information. The second is the students don’t benefit from evaluating because the class is over so why bother to complete the evaluation (Groen & Herry, 2017).

Another means of evaluating a course is through the evaluation of the design through the eyes of the learner. In an article by Pappas (2014) he talks about having 5 ways to evaluate the course and the learner. The 5 ways to assess the eLearning audience and how to design deliverables that meet the objectives so students’ experiences are educational and enjoyable are discussed.  How to do this is by (1) Survey your core eLearning Course audience to determine prior knowledge, (2) Gain a clear understanding of expectations through eLearning Course audience feedback, (3) Current Skills vs. Desired Skills Assessments, (4)  Are They Interested in the Topics Being Explored?, and (5) Determining the Real-World Applications of your eLearning Course (Pappas, 2014). No course is complete endless you can use it in the real world.  One way to achieve this is to interview current and perspective learners.  By doing this one can gain an understanding of what will benefit the learner (Pappas, 2014).

In conclusion the process of a course critique is important to verify if a class is still relevant to the major it pertains to.  It is necessary to review the course for technological checks to make sure each video works and the links are still available.  If questionnaires are included in the end of the courses, then they also need to be reviewed to see if improvements can be made to further enhance the learners experience and material retention.  If a course designer remembers the 5 ways to assess the learner audience each course will be successful and enjoyable to the learner to ensure content retention. 

References:

Amera-Chem (2018). Drug Identification Bible. Amera-Chem Inc Publishing

Bencheva, N. (2011). Learning Styles and E-Learning Face-to-Face to the Traditional Learning, Russian University, Ruse University, Scientific Works, 49(3.2), 63-67.

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide.CA: San Francisco, Jossey-Ross.

David, L. (2017, Feb 2). Discovery Learning (Bruner). Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/disocvery-learning-bruner.html

Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogic Creed. Current publishing Lightening Source Inc (2011).

FirearmsID (2019). Virtual Comparison Microscope. Retrieved from http://www.firearmsid.com

Groen, J. F., & Herry, Y. (2017). The Online Evaluation of Courses: Impact on Participation Rates and Evaluation Scores. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 47(2), 106–120.

Mike (2017, Aug 30). D is for John Dewey: His approach to education [Blog]. Retrieved from http://www.thepositiveencourager.global/john-deweys-approach-to-doing-positive-work/

Pappas, C. (2014, Sep 25). 5 ways to effectively assess your eLearning course audience. Retrieved from http://www.elearningindustry.com/5-ways-effectively-assess-elearning-course-audience

Rhalmi, M. (2016, Apr 17). Implications of Bruner’s learning theory on teaching. Retrieved from https://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/implication-of-bruners-learning-theory-on-teaching/