SPRING 2010

EDIT 6900 Research Methods in Instructional Technology
Wednesday, 4:40-7:40 pm, January 7-April 29, 2010
Course Call #: 14-273

This page last updated on October 16, 2009 .

If you decide to register for the course, please email Lloyd Rieber to alert him of your intent. He will create a class email distribution list and will send you an email about one week prior to the first day of the course with important updated notes about getting ready for this course. Included in this email will be your course account information (Lloyd will set up a username and password for you to be activated by the first day of the course).

Please order/acquire the textbook as soon as possible:

You will need the following book starting the very first day of the course:

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2009). Practical research: Planning and design (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

This has been ordered through the UGA Gwinnett Campus Bookstore. Books can be purchased at the bookstore's physical location, or online. Contact the bookstore directly for information (ugagwinnett@bkstr.com - 678-985-6788). You can also purchase this book yourself online using Amazon.com, or a similar online bookseller (if you choose to purchase a used book, be sure it is the 9th edition).

Some Critical Dates

• January 13 (Wednesday), 5:30 pm: First class meets in at the UGA Gwinnett Campus (more information about this is below)
• February (date and time TBA): Library Search Workshop, UGA Library (UGA Gwinnett Campus)

Notes from Lloyd on getting ready for this course (first class is on January 13)...

• It is strongly recommended you come to Gwinnett for a face-to-face meeting on the first class on January 13: We will meet at 5:30 pm at the UGA Gwinnett Campus (the room has not yet been identified; check here for an update later; note that parking is free). (Please note that this is a little later than the scheduled time in order to give everyone a little extra time to drive to class. I will demonstrate the technology that we will be using in the course and provide a good thorough orientation to the course. This ensures that we start off on the right foot. If traveling to Gwinnett on January 13 is difficult for you, you are still expected to attend via the Horizon Wimba virtual classroom.
• This course will be offered online. An online class is a very different learning experience from a traditional on-campus class. The flexibility inherent in an online class is balanced by the need for individuals to have a positive attitude toward learning at a distance, coupled with good personal time management skills.
• This course will use both synchronous (same time, any place) and asynchronous (any time, any place) technologies. Because of our use of synchronous technologies, you must be available for each schedule live class (synchronous) which begins promptly at 4:40 pm on Wednesdays. This means you need to get online and set up no later than 4:25 pm.
• Required textbook:
  Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2009). Practical research: Planning and design (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
• Required hardware and software: You must have easy access to the following:
  • Windows or Macintosh computer with Internet Explorer, Foxfire, or Macintosh Safari with cookies enabled with the security setting set no higher than "medium high;"
  • Access to the Internet with a high speed Internet connection.;
  • Microsoft Office (primarily Word and PowerPoint);
  • a Google gmail account;
  • Computer headset with microphone and earphones (even the cheapest should work, just make sure you buy this from the computer section of a store such as Best Buy, K-Mart, etc.).
• Your computer must be compatible to use the "Horizon Wimba virtual classroom" for synchronous live online class meetings: This is one of the main technologies used in the course. It will allow us to meet as a group to discuss the various course topics and participate in other activities. To find out if your computer system is compatible with the Horizon Wimba technology run the following "Setup Wizard" (note: if you are missing a component, this wizard will guide you through the steps in downloading and installing the component; and almost everyone will need to install at least one component enabling two-way audio):

Click here (or anywhere on the graphic) to run the wizard.

If your system does not pass all of the tests conducted by the wizard, you should contact UGA's Student Technology Support (STS) for assistance. They provide special support to students enrolled in classes that use the Horizon Wimba classroom. Students may get assistance by e-mailing hlive@uga.edu or calling STS at 706-542-3333. (If you are unable to resolve the technical problems, you will need to wait and take the on-campus version of this course.)

• Skills you must already have:
  1. Ability to send and receive e-mail (with attachments);
  2. Able to use all aspects of an Internet browser;
  3. Proficiency with Microsoft Word (and at least some familiarity with PowerPoint);
  4. Ability to change basic system configurations and control panels (such as adjusting audio and screen size);
  5. Ability to download and install software components from the Internet as needed (i.e. browser plug-ins such as for Flash);
  6. Ability to troubleshoot basic computer problems (especially those common with Internet connections);
  7. Ability to work independently.
• Attitude you need to have and maintain : 1) positive; 2) not willing to give up at the first sign of trouble; 3) sees this course as a unique opportunity to learn about distance learning by experiencing it; 4) able to keep in check the inevitable frustrations that are bound to crop up in an innovative course like this.
• The Add/Drop period at UGA goes from January 7-14.
• If you have questions about this course, please do not hesitate to contact me at UGA via email (lrieber@uga.edu) or telephone (706-542-3986).