Peer Review

11.124 Introduction to Education: Looking Forward and Looking Back on Education (MIT)

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Reviewed:: Dec 29, 2014 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This material is the first part of a sequence of two undergraduate courses for aspiring K12 STEM educators. The course materials can be used for F2F, blended and online environments. Issues related to education are discussed as well as modes of teaching. Classroom observations are also outlined.
Type of Material:: Online course
Recommended Uses:: The materials can be used in-class, as homework or a supplement to a course, by an individual, or with a group. The course contains assignments, assessments, video lectures, and hands-on work.
Technical Requirements:: • Requires a web browser and Flash to view videos and game. Adobe Acrobat is needed for .pdf documents. o Tested using NetRenderer: Acceptable rendering in IE8. o Runs on Firefox 33 from Mac o Runs on Safari 8 from Mac o Renders perfectly on iPhone 6+ (iOS8) via Google Chrome. Crashes using Safari on iPhone6+.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The purpose of the material is for the learner to come away with: • Sustained interest in education, grounded in knowledge of educational theories, history, and current events • Understanding of a wide range of teaching and learning styles in K-12 • Appreciation for the constructivist approach, particularly hands-on, project-based, collaborative work • Ability to pursue further courses, work, or other experiences related to education
Target Student Population:: • No prerequisites are needed. • The course is geared toward math and science majors. • The course could be used by university students who are and are not alternative certification, in teacher education programs • New teachers who want assistance with math or science teaching Much of the content can be adapted for any aspiring educator in any discipline.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic computer navigation skills are needed. Math and science backgrounds would be helpful.

Content Quality

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Strengths:: The structure of the course is good, the learning materials are varied and current, and the assignments presented are engaging and centered around adult learning principles. There are are also many good resources available to the learner. The core concepts emphasize constructivist learning theory and provides an environment that allows learners to experience the theory in practice. The course materials can be adapted to all three learning modalities: F2F, Blended, and Online.
Concerns:: The course is very much self-contained but would need changes to reflect context in which it is administered. For example, online discussions may not be viable in a face-to-face class setting. Research is not cited. Textbooks and videos must be purchased and rented and some materials are not in the online version of the course, such as the demo and lectures in the Modes of Teaching section.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: The learning objectives are clearly stated, and the learning materials and assignments presented are geared toward the objectives. The materials can be used and adapted in a variety of ways and situations. The course is an hands-on experiential approach to constructivist learning theory and provides learners with real-life implementation of a theory.
Concerns:: There is some building on prior knowledge, and although there are assignments and projects outlined, there is no way for the online viewer to evaluate their learning. There is no one facilitating this version of the course, so would need to incorporate it in with another blended course. Since the course was built in 2011, it may need to be tweaked with updates over time.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: The embedded videos have written transcripts, the course is simple to follow, and flexible to use. Materials are available for download so that they can be migrated to an institution's LMS. Materials are very well-organized and easy to follow. Navigation is accessible. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 US (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US)
Concerns:: There are few if any instructions. There is a section for frequently asked questions, but it has mostly to do with the downloading of the course. Many assignments and activities require a learning management system, or another way to interact, which is not available in the current form. Adding some images would spruce up the user interface a big. Larger text or the ability to allow the user to make text larger would make the material more accessible.

Other Issues and Comments:: The materials and assignments included are current and of good quality. One big concern is the cost to purchase books or rent videos that are part of the course. The structure of the course is clear and easy to follow with the calendar and syllabus, but there are no instructions for users in each section. Also, all the links open within the same window which can be confusing. There should also be more information about the course download, and if what is available online is intended as a stand alone course or should be incorporated into a blended environment, more instruction on intended use. The course was written in 2011. While basic theories are unchanged, the current events in education today and some of the technologies discussed may have updated since then.
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