NTU Academic Model

The process of coupling rich media created by Contributing Scholars (CS) with real-time support by course instructors is central to NTU's vision of ensuring a high-quality student experience. Table 1 shows the Model Components

TABLE 1

Learning Model Components	Online Classroom Elements	Instructor Deliverables
Purpose Why are we learning this? • What's in it for me? A statement or demonstration of why this information is included, and how achieving the objectives will help increase success. Learning Principles: Direction, Foundations (Readiness), Goal Alignment	Location: Weekly Overview Page Topic Subheading:	Purpose or description statement for each topic or lesson.
Objectives Tell me what I'm going to learn. • A statement of objectives; what the student will be able to do at the end of the lesson. Learning Principles: Direction, Foundations (Readiness), Goal Alignment	Location: Weekly Lesson Page Topic Subheading: Objectives	A set of competency objectives for each topic or lesson, set from the student point of view. (“At the end of this lesson, you will be able to…”)
Your Assignments Tell me what we're going to do, when, and how. • A list of the activities to be completed for this lesson, in order, and where to find them. Learning Principles: Activity, Direction	Location: Weekly Overview Page Activity Summary and Assignment Page	A brief list of the tasks to accomplish for each week – readings, videos, assignments, discussions, self-check quiz, exams, etc.
Lesson Content Tell me/Show me. • The “Must Know” lecture notes in detailed outline form- processes. • Presentations on concepts, with examples, demos, best practices. Includes media, readings. Learning Principles: Brand Promise, Activity, Foundations (Styles, Modalities), Appropriate Delivery	Location: Weekly Lesson Content Page	• Lecture notes (usually synched with video) for each lesson topic or video. • Readings (text, article, website). • Additional written or graphic materials needed to illustrate or explain particular concepts.
Self-Check Let me make sure I've got it. • Self-check quiz, not graded so there is no risk of failure. Learning Principles: Activity, Evaluation	Location: Weekly Self-Check Quiz (using eCollege tools)	Self-Check quiz questions for each week, presented as multiple choice, true-false, short answer, engineering problem or essay. Answers will be provided to students
Activities • Assignments, homework, other activities. Learning Principles: Activity, Brand Promise, Foundations (Styles, Connections, Application)	Location: Weekly Discussion area, Weekly Assignment page	• Specific instructions for assignments in weeks that have them. • Discussion questions for each week, or a list of suggested discussion questions for the instructor to choose from.
Check Your Progress Let me see how I'm doing. • Link to check all grades and status, summative tests. Learning Principles: Brand Promise, Evaluation, Foundations	Location: Weekly Check Your Progress page (link to grade book)	None.

Learning Model Philosophy

Technical professionals learn well by viewing/listening to presentations, then exercising that understanding while communicating with experts and fellow students. The act of doing something is critical to actual learning. Self-tests are important. Absorbing lecture materials can be done off-line, but online office hours must be available at a time when students are studying. Online office hours mean being able to connect with content experts via phone, whiteboard, chat, and application sharing. It means being able to meet online in small groups getting personalized support as needed.

Unless there is some kind of interactivity on at least a weekly basis, distance students can become out-of-touch or “missing in action”. We provide mechanisms within the online classroom as well as supporting faculty and an online Concierge to ensure that students are constantly engaged and provided with academic and non-academic assistance.

Each NTU online classroom contains the same components in the same location. When students enter the classroom, they find their course homepage. From here, students access all components of their class.

The students are able to view a comprehensive syllabus that outlines the course requirements and policies. All syllabi are organized the same so students will know what information is contained therein and where to find it. The homepage also provides links to the class calendar so students can keep track of their tasks and deadlines.

Students are encouraged to actively participate in class discussions with their instructor and peers in the Class Café. These discussions tend to be less formal and replace the face to face option students have in a traditional classroom where they can talk to each other about assignments or other issues. There is also a ClassLive option where students can communicate in real time and share documents as required with the instructor or each other. eCollege also has a Resources link where additional readings and information for the course can be found.

The course is organized around lessons, which are defined as discrete topic areas that may or may not correspond to weeks. Since the model is asynchronous, instructors are free to organize content in logical chunks that are of appropriate length to cover the topic at hand. Students may cover several lessons within each week or may use several weeks to cover one lesson.

When a student enters each week's overview link, they see a list of the week's topics and an activity summary for the week. This page outlines all of the lectures, readings, and assignments that will be addressed throughout the week. Students then begin working through each Lesson Content link.

The Lesson Content links outline the concepts being presented in specific lectures and reading assignments and list specific learning objectives to be met. The purpose or description statement for each topic (lesson) is presented here. NTU believes that it is important to tell students why they are learning the material and how it helps them achieve the objectives for the lesson. This helps prepare students for learning each lesson in accordance with research that indicates learning is most effective when students are ready for it.

They can then proceed to the lessons for the week. Each contains lesson competency objectives that tell students what they should be able to do as a result of the lesson. The required readings are also listed clearly. Students can then click on the links to the video lectures and supporting materials, which may include lecture notes or PowerPoint slide reproductions. After the student completes the lesson contents, there are specific directions to indicate what the next task is. These help keep students oriented and directed.

Upon completion of the topic areas covered within a week, the student can review the Key Points, as defined by the instructor. After the student completes this review, there is an opportunity for a non-graded self-check exercise. This may be a quiz or another feedback mechanism.

Other links within each week include links to a more formal discussion board where required discussion topics may be held. This allows the instructor and students to continue discussion threads that pertain to the lesson content. Assignments and other homework activities are linked from within each week also so it is clear to the student what they are to do to complete the learning activity.

Finally, within each week the student can check their progress by checking the grades posted to-date. This provides them a real-time status check.

Beyond this standard format, instructors have the freedom to add other educational components and resources within the classroom as appropriate to their content and teaching philosophy as long as they do not conflict with NTU's Learning Model. The instructional design team is there to help CS faculty determine how to best integrate other course materials into the online classroom.