MEd program students should complete MDDE601 and MDDE602 prior to all other courses.
Early access to the Moodle Learning Management System begins a few days before the official start date of your course. At that time, you will have limited course access.
Overview
Emerging Issues in Distance Education Technologies provides learners with the pedagogical foundations for examining emerging technologies and their implications for online teaching, learning and our digitalized society. Through a series of practical exercises, learners will apply emerging technologies in problem-based educational scenarios, then analyze and reflect on:
artificial intelligence in education (AIEd)
gamification and interactive multimedia
immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) learning environments,
blockchain and micro-credentialing,
technology ethics and policies
Outline
Unit 1: Foundations of Educational Technologies
Provides an overview of emerging technologies for teaching and learning
Unit 2: Extending Perception and Reality
Discussion of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and the metaverse
Unit 3: Transforming Teaching, Learning and Education
Examining artificial intelligence, games and simulations and other technologies
Unit 4: Digital futures: Technology Implications for Education and Society
A look at cybersecurity, techno-ethics and surveillance
The Fourth Industrial Revolution?
Learning outcomes
Evaluate a variety of emerging technologies, appropriate applications, as well as their implications for education and research
Identify key issues and challenges related to the uptake, ethics, and policies surrounding learning technologies
Critically analyze future trends in emerging technologies for teaching and learning
Evaluation
To receive credit for this course, students must participate in the online activities, successfully complete the assignments, and be familiar with the Graduate Grading Policy.
The following table summarizes the evaluation activities and the credit weights associated with them.
Activity
Weight
Course and peer engagement: Course engagement and participation based on the quality and quantity of your contributions. Please expect to dedicate at least 3-5 hours per week towards asynchronous course materials, activities and forum discussions. Learners will also attend synchronous sessions on a monthly basis.
10%
Learning Exercises: Throughout the course, you will be prompted to complete several activities that require your application of emerging technologies for specific scenarios. There are a total of 6 options and you must complete at least 3 of these learning exercises to maximize your mark for this assessment component. Each learning exercise will include reflective and analysis components.
45% (3 x 15%)
A Digital Future: AI-Blog critique and demonstration: With AI support, write a blog reviewing an emerging technology of your choice and discuss its implications for teaching and learning. Then, create a video/multimedia recording of you teaching one example of how to apply this technology in an educational context.
30%
Learning Journal: Based on writing prompts, you will reflect upon your experiences in the course.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.