This first core course in Athabasca University's Master of Distance Education program is required for all program students. It provides students with an overview of the field, addressing issues such as: what distance education is; where it came from; whom it serves; how it serves; and what its major problems are. It provides descriptions and examples of what distance education is and how it works, and encourages students to critically analyze and question both current practice and rhetoric in the field.
MDDE 610 will allow you to experience and critically evaluate a number of the computer-based technologies currently used in distance education. Different technologies will be used for content presentation, notification and communication.
MDDE 620 is intended to develop students' knowledge and understanding of educational technologies, and their planning skills in relation to the introduction of technology into existing educational and training systems.
MDDE 701 is the first course of 12 thesis/project credits for those program students who have opted to pursue the thesis or project route. The course focus is on both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods.