FYI

>>> [log in to unmask] 02/20/04 11:49pm >>>
I would like to promote to members of the ITForum a new book that I and
Fathi Elloumi have edited from Athabasca University. It is entitled Theory
and Practice of Online Learning.

I don't feel too bad about the self promotional aspect of this posting, as
the book is licensed for educational and non commercial use, download and
printing under a Creative Commons license. We have released it as open
source so that it can be more easily accessed by professionals and hopefully
used in coursework by learners throughout the world.

The URL for the full text as well as a link to purchase a print copy is
http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book.

In a nutshell the book has chapters by practitioner/scholars involved in the
major systems components of large scale online program development, delivery
and support - as well as a few theory based chapters. I've attached below a
promotion blurb by Sir John Daniels, incoming President of the Commonwealth
of Learning and currently Asst. Director General of UNESCO and a copy of the
Table of Contents:

Sir John Daniel writes:
Back in 1982, one reviewer hailed Athabasca University's book Learning at a
Distance: A World Perspective as "a miracle of educational publishing." Open
and distance learning has evolved through several mutations since then, and
Athabasca has now brought us up to date with a wonderfully perceptive and
complete guide to the theory and practice of online learning. Most of the
authors are from Athabasca University and their shared experience of
developing online learning within that extraordinarily successful open
university allows them to analyse online learning for the wider world in an
admirably coherent manner.

Starting with a comprehensive summary of relevant educational theory, the
book revisits, in a lively way, the great dichotomies that have marked the
history of open and distance learning. How should we balance the social and
individual aspects of study? What is the right mixture between independent
and interactive learning? Should courses be paced for cohorts of students,
or unpaced for the benefit of individuals? Succeeding chapters give helpful
and well-informed guidance on vital aspects of online learning practice,
such as copyright, multimedia editing, supporting asynchronous discussion,
library support, and quality assurance. The concept of the value chain is
used to set online learning in the context of today's competitive
educational marketplace in order to help institutional leaders decide where
their own advantage might lie. I am delighted that educators all over the
world will be able to enjoy this book at no cost because, in the true
academic spirit of an open university, Athabasca has published it as an open
source book under a Creative Commons License. UNESCO strongly encourages
this form of publication as a way of bridging the digital divide and thereby
helping to bring online learning to all the world's people.

Sir John Daniel
Assistant Director-General for Education
UNESCO

C O N T E N T S
Part 1 - Role and Function of Theory in Online Education
Development and Delivery
1 Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning  - Mohamed Ally
2 Toward a Theory of Online Learning - Terry Anderson
3 Value Chain Analysis: A Strategic Approach to Online Learning - Fathi
Elloumi

Part 2 - Infrastructure and Support for Content Development
4 Developing an Infrastructure for Online Learning - Alan Davis
5 Technologies of Online Learning (e-Learning) - Rory McGreal & Michael
Elliott
6 Media Characteristics and Online Learning Technology - Patrick J. Fahy

Part 3 - Design and Development of Online Courses
7 The Development of Online Courses - Dean Caplan
8 Developing Team Skills and Accomplishing Team Projects Online
- Deborah C. Hurst & Janice Thomas
9 Copyright Issues in Online Courses: A Moment in Time - Lori-Ann Claerhout
10 Value Added-The Editor in Online Courses - Jan Thiessen & Vince Ambrock

Part 4 - Delivery, Quality Control, and Student Support of Online Courses
11 Teaching in an Online Learning Context - Terry Anderson
12 Call Centers in Distance Education - Andrew Woudstra, Colleen Huber, &
Kerri Michalczuk
13 Supporting Asynchronous Discussions among Online Learners
- Joram Ngwenya, David Annand & Eric Wang
14 Library Support for Online Learners: e-Resources, e-Services, and the
Human Factors - Kay Johnson, Houda Trabelsi & Tony Tin
15 Supporting the Online Learner - Judith A. Hughes
16 The Quality Dilemma in Online Education -`Nancy K. Parker



Terry Anderson
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Distance Education
Athabasca University
#320 10030 107 St
Edmonton AB Canada  T5J3E4
Ph. 780 497-3421          Fax 780 497-3416



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