APPENDIX+5+-+Project+Learning+Contract

__Group Assignment Learning Contract__ The purpose of this Learning Contract is to help ensure that each group has a successful collaborative working experience undertaking the group assignment for Curriculum Design and Development for Blended and Online Learning. Once your group membership is confirmed your first key task as a group is to complete and agree this contract. The contract should then be sent your group’s tutor by the **end of week 4, by Sunday the 3rd October.** Your group chairperson should post the completed contract to your group discussion area. After having read and discussed the group assignment specification, please complete all sections of the Learning Contract (section 6 is optional). __Group members:__ Meg Soosay Usman Arshad Karen Campbell Group tutor: Colin Gray The proposed module for review is an Edinburgh Napier healthcare module called Therapeutic Communication in Healthcare, which help students learn how to critically review the theory and practice of communication issues in a variety of situations in practice. The module makes use of the blended approach where collaborative learning activities take place on the WebCT discussion board, which are used extensively. Contributions to the online topic-related **Unit Discussions** are an integral and essential part of the course and will contribute considerably to the learning experience and the written assignment, which students are expected to engage with. Northover (2002) and Rovai and Barnum (2003) assert that it is the encouragement of networked learning (student-to-student, student-to-tutor, student-to-content) that is the focal point of a constructivist learning approach that has made discussion boards the mainstay of online course delivery in most disciplines. Therefore for the purpose of this appraisal we will be focusing on the coursework, which includes learning activities and assessment. We will evaluate how well the teaching and learning activities and assessments are aligned with the learning outcomes by looking at relevant literature. We will also evaluate the design of collaborative learning opportunities, in specific the discussions that take place on WebCT. Northover, M. (2002). //Online discussion boards - friend or foe?// In Williamson A., Gunn C., Young A. and Clear, T. (Eds.), //Proceedings of the 19th Annual Conference of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education//. pp 477-484. Auckland: UNITEC Institute of Techology. Rovai, A.P., Barnum, K.T. (2003). //On-Line Course Effectiveness: An Analysis of Student Interactions and Perceptions of Learning//, //Journal of Distance Education,// 18(1), pp 57 - 73. 1. Introduction and overview of appraisal as a Camtasia screencast. In addition (time permitting), an interview with module leader Jackie Nicol presented as audio file – KAREN 2. Description and evaluation of course delivery: a. Description of coursework and assessment scheme – KAREN b. Evaluation of the constructive alignment of activities and assessment with the learning outcomes – MEG and USMAN c. Critique of the discussion activity in terms of its alignment and effectiveness – MEG
 * Trimester 1 2010/11**
 * 1. Group chairperson:** Meg
 * 2. Focus.** Please describe your chosen focus for the project here.
 * 3. Agreed roles and responsibilities.** Please use this section to provide an overview of key tasks assigned to each member of the group.

3. Use of literature relating to constructive alignment – USMAN, MEG and KAREN

4. Recommendations for improving curriculum design and conclusions – USMAN, MEG and KAREN

5. Presentation and referencing style (and coherence of final draft) – MEG
 * 4. Key dates.** Please indicate agreed deadlines for completing aspects of the work that you have agreed, and who has chief responsibility for meeting them.

28th Sept – 3rd Oct – Agree on focus, roles and responsibilities, key dates, modes of communication with team members present: ALL 30th Sept – Enable access of module to be reviewed: KAREN 3rd Oct – Hand in Project Learning Contract: MEG 4th – 8th Oct – Develop screencast: KAREN 4th – 8th Oct – Review module learning, teaching and assessment design and literature: ALL 9th Oct – 24th Oct – Evaluate module learning, teaching and assessment design, and critique based on constructive alignment: Collaborative write-up of assignment on wiki: ALL 22nd Oct – Script and record interview with Jackie Nicol: KAREN 22nd Oct – Draw up recommendations and conclusions: USMAN 24th Oct - Check coherence of final draft: MEG 31st Oct - Hand in final deliverable (group assignment): MEG Besides the WebCT discussion board, we will be using Elluminate to hold our meetings and Wikispaces for collaborative report writing. We will be meeting twice per week during evenings of weekdays – Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8pm. Time permitting, an audio recording with the module leader (Jackie Nicol) will be added to the wiki. This interview will provide an introduction and overview of the aspects of course design that’s being appraised. Jackie will be asked for feedback regarding how her students found the discussions, were there any issues of engagement etc. Wikispaces wiki, Camtasia screencast and audio file (time permitting).
 * 5. Group communications.** Detail below any arrangements you have agreed for how you will communicate and collaborate online, including regular online meetings. Please note though the expected use of the WebCT discussion board as the place where the bulk of communications should take place.
 * 6. Other considerations.** Please use this space to record any other points your group has raised or agreed in preparing to undertake the project.
 * 7. Format.** Please indicate here the chosen format for your group work submission (e.g. report in a word doc or wiki, narrated screencast, powerpoint presentation or poster, podcast). Use your tutor for any advice you need here.

Weekly backup of wiki as a zip file by Usman. Date of learning contract completion (chairperson to record): 3rd October 2010 Every group member agreed contract? (chairperson to type YES or NO):
 * 8. Back ups.** Please indicate here who will be responsible for making regular back-up copies of any work not published in WebCT and the frequency with which this will take place.

NO – as Bob has yet to meet up and discuss with the group