By Leanna Johnston and Geraldine D. St-Pierre The Changing Face of Communications in AU: Technology and Curriculum Development By Leanna Johnston and Geraldine D. St-Pierre

Developing ENL0076 Communications: Preparation for Degree Programs

Overview of Communication levels at Algonquin college Why did we develop a degree prep comm? There has been a clear gap since degree programs have been introduced to the colleges. AC currently has 10 degree programs.

ENL0076 Communications: preparation for degree programs Communication, reading, academic writing, and critical thinking skills are necessary for success in college, university, and daily life. Students develop and write academic essays and reports for different purposes. Emphasis is placed on generating ideas, developing a thesis, collecting and evaluating secondary sources and the correct citation of sources. Students acquire greater control over academic writing through coherent and grammatically correct use of academic language. Students read, interpret and respond critically to a variety of texts for a variety of purposes. Students create and present a multi-media oral report. This course is accepted as the English prerequisite for Algonquin College bachelor degree programs requiring ENG4U. It is a 14-week course with a total of 112 hours (8h/week for 14 weeks).

Process Consult with Coordinators of Degree Programs Review Ontario Grade 12 University level curriculum Create Course Learning Requirements (CLRs) Create Modules (Evaluation and Assessment) Work with Curriculum and Faculty Development to develop the Course Outline Request validation from Curriculum Services Canada Request that ENL0076 counts towards ACE Certificate Create the course on Blackboard

Consultation with Degree coordinators What do students need going into degree programs? The ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their learning (Bloom’s Taxonomy). Analyze and evaluate different kinds of texts Conduct effective research Use APA guidelines in essays and reports Write for a variety of purposes

Mapping our curriculum against Ontario ministry’s ENG4U strands ENL0076 Curriculum Ontario Strands 7.1 Critical Thinking and Reading 7.2 Introduction to Research 7.3 Persuasive Essay 7.4 Literature Study 7.5 Media Analysis 7.6 Research Essay and Oral Presentation   Oral Communication (OC) Reading and Literature Studies (RL) Writing (W) Media Studies (MS)

Course learning requirement Overview Course Learning Requirements When you have earned credit for this course, you will have demonstrated the ability to: 4U Module Ontario Strand 1. Read, analyze and evaluate a variety of academic texts written for different purposes. 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 RL, W 2. Conduct research using a variety of sources 7.2, 7.3, 7.6 W 3. Use APA citations and guidelines 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.6 4. Write a persuasive essay with a minimum of two secondary sources. (1,000 words) 7.3 5. Write a research essay with a minimum of four secondary sources. (1,500-1,800 words) 7.6 6. Analyze and report on short fiction. 7.4 7. Analyze and evaluate a media text 7.5 MS 8. Prepare and deliver an oral presentation OC

Curriculum Services Canada Based on the Course Learning Requirements (which lists the key areas of learning) and the Evaluation (which outlines the weighting of modules for the course), the Algonquin College Communications: Preparation for Degree Programs course of study substantially addresses the following areas of the Ontario Curriculum English, Grade 12 University: Speaking to Communication (OC) Applying Knowledge of Conventions (W) Reading for Meaning (RL) Understanding Media Texts (MS) Understanding Form and Style (RL) Understanding Media Forms, Conventions, and Techniques (MS) Developing and Organizing Content (W) Reflecting on Skills and Strategies for Reading and Literature Studies, Writing and Media Studies Using Knowledge of Form and Style (W)

OALCF (Ontario Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework) How does a degree prep comm fit into OALCF? It is clearly stated in the Goat Path Description for Practitioners and Learners. Arlene Cronin gave the okay for the course to be part of the ACE Certificate.

HOQAS Quality in online teaching and course design is, at its heart, about the quality of students’ experiences with learning in the online environment of any course. Algonquin’s Hybrid and Online Quality Assurance Standards (HOQAS) define expectations for the basic elements that go into the design and development of an online or hybrid course, which include: The Course Overview and Introduction Learning Objectives and Competencies Assessment and Measurement Instructional Materials Learner Interaction and Engagement Course Technology Learner Support Accessibility

Communication 4: Making it Hybrid and updating content Journals Transitions activities Paragraph module Videos Prezi Digital activities Discussion board Online quizzes Updating Content Going digital

Journals Used to be one size fits all Now diverse and on Blackboard Articles about current issues and general interest: veganism, success strategies, women in the police force, friendship, etc. Different tools: discussion board, video (Playposit), vocabulary section, etc.

Transitions Activities Mix of online content and a pen-and-paper activity Online only Pen-and-paper material only Balance of online and pen-and-paper activities TechSmith Relay video collabo with Curriculum Services -prompts face-to-face feedback -suits different types of learners

Paragraph Module Before: persuasive paragraphs only (5 in-class and 1 test) Now: 1 personal paragraph, 1 descriptive paragraph, and 3 persuasive paragraphs Benefits: Learn to implement the basics (transitions, compound and complex sentences, outline) Get familiar with different types of texts Build confidence in writing skills gradually

Interactive content Videos Prezi TechSmith Relay: Record your own video: https://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-techsmith-relay.html Playposit: Add questions and modify pre-existing videos: https://www.playposit.com/ Prezi Fun alternative to Power-Point: https://prezi.com/ Digital activities, discussion board, and online quizzes Algonquin College tools Check with curriculum department at your college

Questions? Tools to share? Feel free to email us if you have any questions: Leanna Johnston: johnstl@algonquincollege.com Geraldine D. St-Pierre: dionstg@algonquincollege.com Thank you for listening!