ELMG 566: Computers in Education
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Dr. Lee Nickles
by appointment
Killian 101; 828.227.3299, LNICKLES@wcu.edu
I. Rationale/Purpose
This course will train you in current technology to support teaching and school business practices. We will
concentrate on appropriate use of technology and issues surrounding it.
II. Course Aims and Objectives:
• This course is designed to teach you:
o Technology skills: hands-on skills you can use in the classroom
o Knowledge and Analysis of Issues and Trends: introducing major trends and issues in
educational technology
• We will also:
o Inspire your creativity
o Make you more comfortable with technology
o Help you learn how to develop your own technology skills
III. Course Materials
We do not have a printed textbook. We will look at various readings and other materials available online as
assigned.
You will find your course materials and assignments in the WCU Blackboard system. Assignments will be
submitted on Blackboard.
You MUST bring your flash drive to class every class meeting. We will save your work and resources to them
so you can take them back to your classroom.
IV. Faculty Expectations of Students/Course Policies
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students with
documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. Students who require reasonable accommodations must
identify themselves as having a disability and/or medical condition and provide current diagnostic
documentation to Disability Services. All information is confidential. Please contact the Office of Disability
Services for more information at (828) 227-3886 or lalexis@wcu.edu. You may also visit the office’s
website: http://disability.wcu.edu.
Academic Integrity Policy
Students, faculty, staff, and administrators of Western Carolina University (WCU) strive to achieve the highest
standards of scholarship and integrity. Any violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is a serious offense
because it threatens the quality of scholarship and undermines the integrity of the community. While academic
in scope, any violation of this policy is by nature, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and will follow the
same conduct process (see Article VII.1.a.). If the charge occurs close to the end of an academic semester or
term or in the event of the reasonable need of either party for additional time to gather information timelines
may be extended at the discretion of the Department of Student Community Ethics (DSCE).
Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy include:
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Cheating - Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic
exercise.
Fabrication - Creating and/or falsifying information or citation in any academic exercise.
Plagiarism - Representing the words or ideas of someone else as one’s own in any academic exercise.
Facilitation - Helping or attempting to help someone to commit a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy
in any academic exercise (e.g. allowing another to copy information during an examination)
Faculty members have the right to determine the appropriate sanction(s) for violations of the Academic
Integrity Policy within their courses, up to and including a final grade of “F” in the course. Within five (5) days of
the instructor’s knowledge of the alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the instructor will inform
his/her department head (Associate Dean of the Graduate School when the student is a graduate student) in
writing of the allegation and proposed sanction(s).
The Academic Integrity Policy, Process and Faculty Reporting Form can be found online
at: academicintegrity.wcu.edu.
Please visit dsce.wcu.edu for further information.
For this course, helping each other is allowed except for the final exam or otherwise noted. Note that the exam
will have a practical component, so it is in your best interest to know your content and be able to use all
technology yourself without assistance.
Attendance Policy
This is a highly compressed course, thus attendance in all classes is expected except in cases of personal
illness, personal emergencies, or other program activities planned at the same time as normal class meetings.
If you need to miss class, inform the instructor beforehand if at all possible. You must provide documentation
for your absence.
If you need to make up assignments, contact me to discuss a schedule and deadline for doing so due to the
compressed nature of the course.
You are here to learn, not be perfect. However, I expect you to do your best; the more you stretch yourself the
more you will learn.
Professionalism
We are all professionals and we will treat each other as such. I welcome your feedback if you believe I am not
treating you in a professional manner.
If you have a cell phone, set it to vibrate or silent mode before class begins.
Course Technology
We will make use of various technologies in this course. This includes Blackboard, GoToMeeting, Google Site,
and others that are not controlled by Western Carolina University. For various course assignments, you may
need to sign up or register for an account with companies not associated with WCU to access these accounts.
I will only select free services and technologies. If you are not able to sign up for an account with one of these
services, you must provide a written explanation to me and if I consider it justified we will work out an alternate
arrangement.
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V. Grading Procedures:
Attendance and Participation
Analysis Papers
Hands-On Assignments (HOA)
Google Site
Percentage of Grade
10%
20%
30%
40%
100%
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following:
Grading and Quality Point System
Grade
A
B
C
F
Interpretation
Superior
Good
Passing
Failure
Quality Points
4
3
2
0
Range
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
<70%
Late Assignments:
Due to the accelerated nature of this course in the summer, I will deduct 5% from each assignment for each
half-day period it is late after the specified due date and time. For example, if you turn in an assignment 1 hour
late, I will deduct 5%. If you turn in an assignment 11 hours late, I will deduct 5%. If you turn in an assignment
14 hours late, I will deduct 10%. No credit will be given for assignments that are more than 4 days late.
No assignments may be turned in late after midnight on the final day of class.
VI. Resources
There are several university resources that can help you with this course:
The Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC), located in BELK 207, provides free small-group course tutoring,
one-on-one writing tutoring, and online writing and learning resources for all students. To schedule tutoring
appointments, log in to TutorTrac from the WaLC homepage (http://walc.wcu.edu/) or call 828-227-2274. All
tutoring sessions take place in the WaLC or in designated classrooms on campus.
ClassTIPS (http://www.wcu.edu/academics/campus-academic-resources/it/gethelp/technology-commons/training/index.asp)is a service of our campus Division of
Information Technology. They are located on the ground floor of Hunter Library in the Technology
Commons and are open through the summer session for the same times as the library. They can assist with
learning different types of software and access to university computer resources.
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VII. Course Schedule
May change as needed
Topics
Technology
Course Introduction
Education &
Technology
Digital Palette
Art of Presentations
Technology
Classroom Design
Course Tools:
Blackboard,
Google Sites
Gradebooks and
Graphs
Power of Text
Technology
Evaluation
Excel
Gradebook
Google Sites
Online Learning
MOOC’s
Teacher Evaluation
Midpoint feedback
Audio Editing
Video &
Editing
More Google
Sites, Video
work time
Online
Teaching
Module,
Video
Online Teaching
PowerPoint
Assignments to be
Given
• Initial Tech Assessment
• HOA: Classroom
Layout in PowerPoint
• HOA: Topic
Presentation
• HOA: Gradebook
• Analysis Paper 1
• Google Site – Stage 1
•
•
•
•
HOA: Edited Audio
HOA: Edited Video
Analysis Paper 2
Google Site – Stage 2
• HOA: Online Teaching
Module
Assignments Due
• HOA: Classroom Layout
• HOA: Topic Presentation
• Analysis Paper 1
• Google Site – Stage 1
•
•
•
Analysis Paper 2
Teaching Circuits
Gamification
Social Media,
privacy, bullying,
digital citizenship
Teaching Module
Presentations
Video &
Google Site
Video &
Google Site
Video &
Google Site
•
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Teaching Module – Final
Version due at beginning
of class – turn in the
filled-in rubric on paper