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Welcome to UNC's online course in Assessment, part of the Severe Needs: Vision program. I am pleased that you have enrolled in this course.
If you have taken other courses in this distance program, you will find the structure of EDSE 542 to be very similar. I suggest that you begin by reviewing the syllabus to get an overview of the course. Course objectives, requirements, and required texts (2) are included in the syllabus, along with a list of optional texts. The required texts can be found in the UNC bookstore; the optional texts can be purchased anywhere.
Next, look at the Schedule page. This section describes the topic, readings, and activities for each week. Readings are either from the assigned texts, an online PowerPoint presentation, or another online document. Activities include assignments, follow-ups to the readings, reminders, and links to the Aspen Room for our online chat sessions. Online chats in the Aspen Room are scheduled for one-hour time periods about once a month.
Be sure you select an assessment for review and e-mail it to the listserv of enrolled students (EDSE542@vision.unco.edu). In case two people submit the same test to review, the earliest message will prevail.
This course includes three case studies for which you will write a report and develop IEP recommendations. These reports are not due until later in the semester, but you will actually start the case studies on February 15, with an introduction. You will conduct these case studies as an itinerant teacher of students with visual impairments. In the beginning, you will be given little information about the three students, and it is your job to figure out what other information you need and to ask for it.
Also, the Test Library is open. The Test Library is a collection of formal and informal assessments for use with students with visual impairments. These documents are ONLY for your use during this course. If you wish to use them in your professional work, please purchase your own copies. The publishers of these assessments have given us permission to post copies but expect us to protect their rights. We expect you to do the same.
If you scroll forward on the schedule, you will see that during that week you should submit a copy of a current CPR certification (required for this course) and return any videotapes sent to you. The CPR training can be completed any time during the semester, or you can submit a copy of a current CPR card. Please make sure that I have it by the time I compute grades. Videotapes loaned to you must also be returned by this week or I will submit an "Incomplete" as your grade until I receive them.
The Resources page provides links to the sources of information needed to complete course activities. A supplemental bibliography on assessment is available on the Resources page as well.
The Assessment page gives information on each of the requirements, how much they count in the final grade, and the rubrics that indicate how your work will be evaluated. Before you submit an assignment, you may want to review the appropriate rubric, so you know what I will be looking for in your response.
The Discussion page is an area to check
regularly. Every week, I will post at least one question that I will expect
everyone to respond to. Usually my question will address something related to
your other activities that week. You may want to visit
this page every couple of days to see what's new.
The Standards page displays the underlying Colorado, NCATE, and AER standards that must be met by graduates in the Severe Needs: Vision program. We have identified these for this particular course, although many are covered in multiple courses.
We will request your feedback at the end of the semester. Be honest about what worked and what did not. Your evaluation of us (me, UNC, the Webmaster, other faculty) is what will make us better. We count on that, and you should, too.
Finally, thanks for your patience as we struggle to make all the parts fit together in this distance education advanture. If you skip ahead to something and it doesn't appear, it probably means that we have not worked on that part yet. We are learning as we go, and changing our minds as we go, too. Please understand that we are continuing to expand and improve this course as we go along (and as we hear from you). You expect that flexibility in a face-to-face course, and we want to do that with out online courses, too.
Best of luck in your efforts to provide the best possible education for students with visual disabilities! Your work is important, and I am honored that you have chosen to study with us.
Dr. Paula Conroy
Division of Special Education
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This EDSE 542 course website was designed and developed by
Dr. Kay Ferrell, Stephanie Roberts, and Nathan Lowell using the Severe Needs:
Vision template. © Copyright 2002. All rights reserved. Contact: Web Administrator. |
Schedule | Resources
| Discussion | Assessment
| Standards