About this course: This competency-based, skill-building course will help non-U.S. students, first generation immigrants and foreign-born professionals better understand and master American e-Learning, as well as other U.S. virtual environments, for college and career success. To excel in American online learning and work environments, international students and foreign-born professionals need to know how American universities and companies use the Internet to organize study and work, develop and execute projects, communicate ideas, collaborate, and solve organizational and technical problems. By taking this course, you will learn how to enhance your cultural knowledge and assess potential skill gaps that may hinder your online experience or negatively impact your performance in U.S. virtual work environments. Throughout the course you will systematically review competencies required for online work, come to better understand common barriers for non-native students and professionals, learn how to detect and overcome competency gaps, and develop plans for self-improvement. We hope that you will enjoy the course and invite you to share your own experiences with other students.
Created by: The State University of New York
Taught by: Dr. Valeri Chukhlomin, Professor
SUNY Empire State College
Taught by: Dr. Anant Deshpande, Associate Professor
SUNY Empire State College
Taught by: Dr. Tonka Jokelova, Coordinator of Curriculum and Instructional Design
SUNY Empire State College
Taught by: Amy Giaculli, Coordinator of Student Services
SUNY Empire State College
Taught by: Dr. Bidhan Chandra, Professor
Business, Management & Economics
Taught by: Dr. Michele Forte, Assistant Professor, SUNY Empire State College
Community and Human Services
Taught by: Dr. Dana Gliserman Kopans, Associate Professor
Literary and Cultural Studies
| Commitment | 5 weeks, 4-5 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
International learners in U.S. online education
In this introductory module, we explain why many international online learners and foreign-born professionals experience problems in American e-learning environments and how they can use a competency-based approach to overcome barriers and become fully proficient for college and career success. Your instructors for this week are Dr. Valeri Chukhlomin, Dr. Dana Gliserman-Kopans, Dr. Michele Forte, and Amy Giaculli. Guest lecturers are Prof. Xenia Coulter and Lorette Pellettiere Calix.
21 videos, 6 readings, 4 practice quizzes
- Video: The iMOOC: What this course is about
- Video: Meet Alex, the Global Web-Surfer
- Practice Quiz: Do you need this course? Take this self-assessment practice quiz!
- Video: How this course works
- Reading: How this course works
- Reading: How I can contribute
- Video: Capstone Project (video and text descriptions)
- Video: Bonus interview: International students in American online courses
- Video: Alex: How does it work, actually?
- Video: The problem that we are trying to solve in this course
- Practice Quiz: Week 1 Self-assessment
- Video: How to use a competency-based approach to overcome barriers
- Video: What is uniquely American in U.S.-based online education?
- Practice Quiz: Week 1 Lesson 2 practice quiz: Barriers and competencies
- Video: Bonus lecture: The anatomy of a U.S.-style, student-centered, online learning environment
- Video: Bonus interview: A faculty perspective on working with international students in online environments
- Video: Alex: What do you want to know about the online classroom in the U.S.?
- Video: Classroom navigation
- Reading: Navigating the online classroom
- Reading: Important skills for online learners
- Video: Getting help
- Reading: Tips for success in the online environment
- Video: Student information center
- Video: Student services
- Video: Disability services
- Video: The U.S. academic system
- Video: Academic qualifications and degrees
- Practice Quiz: Week 1 Lesson 3 Practice Quiz: U.S. online education
- Video: Bonus lecture: The philosophy of American education
- Video: Bonus lecture: The methodology of American education
- Reading: Week 1 Learning journal
Graded: Week 1 Final quiz: Barriers to U.S. online education
WEEK 2
Overcoming barriers of technology, language, and culture
This week covers three lessons to help you address the key barriers of technology, language, and culture. The first lesson on technology will help you become familiar with the general expectations regarding the technological competencies necessary for your success in the U.S. university environment. Our goal is to make you an expert user of technology which will empower you navigate comfortably through your online learning program with ease, no matter the school or program in which you are enrolled. The remaining two lessons are designed to help you understand the critical language and cross-cultural factors that might either hinder or help your success as a student in an American setting. The main objective is to master the language and cultural competencies that are needed to fulfill the required tasks for efficient and effective cross-cultural communication. Your instructor for this week is Dr. Bidhan Chandra, capstone task facilitator - Dr. Michele Forte.
12 videos, 11 readings, 4 practice quizzes
- Video: Introduction to technology, language, and culture
- Video: The basics of technology for American e-Learning
- Reading: The basics of technology for American e-Learning
- Video: Getting through, obtaining information, using systems
- Reading: Getting through, obtaining information, using systems
- Video: Refining working skills
- Reading: Refining working skills
- Video: Using e-Learning infrastructure
- Reading: Using e-Learning infrastructure
- Video: Bonus Interview: A Faculty Perspective on Technology-Related Barriers
- Practice Quiz: Week 2: Lesson 1 Practice Quiz
- Video: Introduction to language and culture
- Reading: Language barriers in eLearning
- Reading: eLearning vocabulary and other support services
- Practice Quiz: Week 2: Lesson 2 Practice Quiz
- Video: An International Faculty Perspective 1
- Video: An International Faculty Perspective 2
- Video: Culture in general and culture shock
- Reading: Introduction to culture and culture shock
- Reading: Avoiding stereotyping and using generalizations
- Video: Some critical cross-cultural skills
- Reading: Some critical cross-cultural skills
- Reading: Basics of American society and culture
- Video: Conclusion to language and culture
- Practice Quiz: Week 2: Lesson 3 Practice Quiz
- Reading: Week 2 Learning journal
- Practice Quiz: Week 2 Self assessment
Graded: Week 2 Final Quiz: Technology, Language, Culture
WEEK 3
Navigating the U.S. academic system
In this week, you will become familiar with the U.S. academic system, concentrating especially on communications and the culture of online environments. We will look closely at the American online classroom and review necessary skills. Your instructor for this week is Dr. Dana Gliserman-Kopans, capstone task facilitator - Dr. Michele Forte.
13 videos, 16 readings, 4 practice quizzes
- Video: Introduction to Week 3
- Reading: Entering the American Classroom
- Video: Understanding the American Education System - A student's perspective
- Reading: Student Roles and the Learning Environment
- Video: The Role of the Online Instructor
- Reading: Faculty Roles
- Video: American Culture in the Classroom - A student's perspective
- Reading: Classroom Culture
- Video: Understanding the Philosophies Behind American Education - A student's perspective
- Practice Quiz: Week 3: Lesson 1 Practice quiz
- Video: Participating in Classroom Discussions - A student's perspective
- Reading: Addressing Faculty
- Video: Overcoming Language Barriers - A student's perspective
- Reading: Class Discussions
- Video: Communicating With Your Instructor - A student's perspective
- Reading: Intercultural and Cross-Cultural Communication
- Video: The Online Learning Environment
- Practice Quiz: Week 3: Lesson 2 Practice quiz
- Video: Online library
- Reading: Becoming a Better Writer
- Reading: The Varieties and Purposes of Writing
- Video: Evaluating Information Sources for Audience and Purpose
- Reading: Audience
- Reading: The Writing Process
- Video: Narrowing Your Topic
- Reading: Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
- Reading: Thesis or Claim
- Video: Your Research Question and Thesis Statement
- Reading: Essay structure
- Reading: Tone, Diction, and Mechanics
- Practice Quiz: Week 3: Lesson 3 Practice quiz
- Reading: Week 3 Learning journal
- Practice Quiz: Week 3 Self assessment
Graded: Week 3 Final quiz: The U.S. Academic System
WEEK 4
Navigating U.S. professional environments
In this week, you will become familiar with the professional contexts of U.S. working environments. We will look closely at employability skills such as self-management, problem solving, creativity, and self-directed learning. We will also examine how ethics, leadership, and teamwork skills may contribute to your success in the U.S. professional context. We will close the week by exploring professional contexts in specific areas. Throughout this week, you will be provided with example scenarios to help you get acquainted with the type of interactions that happen in U.S. environments – both work and learning. Your instructor for this week is Dr. Anant Deshpande, capstone task facilitator - Dr. Michele Forte.
23 videos, 8 readings, 4 practice quizzes
- Video: What are employability skills?
- Video: Self-management: Introduction
- Reading: Self-management
- Video: What is self-management and its importance in online learning?
- Video: What is problem solving and why is it important?
- Reading: Problem solving
- Reading: Creativity
- Video: What is self-directed learning?
- Reading: Self-directed learning
- Video: Employability skills - An interview with Sam Conn
- Video: What is needed for new hires in the US?
- Video: How can you be successful in online classes?
- Practice Quiz: Week 4: Lesson 1 Practice quiz
- Video: Bonus video: How can you successfully compete in US environment and importance of pre-requisite courses for classes
- Video: Bonus video: International students in online environments
- Reading: Leadership in the U.S.
- Video: Leaders and followers (Case animation 1)
- Video: Leaders and followers (Case animation 2)
- Video: Leaders and followers (Case animation 3)
- Video: Leading and working in a virtual team
- Video: What are the competencies required to successfully navigate the American professional environment and what is needed to be successful in the US workforce?
- Video: An example of participation in a U.S.-based virtual team
- Video: A case scenario of a foreign national in the US: Is it an ethical behavior? (Case animation 4)
- Reading: Teamwork and Ethics in U.S.-based professional environment
- Video: Ethical leadership in the US context
- Practice Quiz: Week 4: Lesson 2 Practice quiz
- Video: Professional contexts in specific areas: Introduction
- Reading: Pre-requisites, professional culture and legal contexts in the US based work environments
- Video: The importance of pre-requisites
- Video: Getting acquainted with the U.S.-based working environment
- Video: How can you better transition to a U.S.-based professional environment
- Video: A case scenario of a foreign national facing a dilemma about seeking legal help in a U.S.-based workplace (Case animation 5)
- Practice Quiz: Week 4: Lesson 3 Practice quiz
- Reading: Week 4 Learning journal
- Practice Quiz: Week 4 Self-assessment
Graded: Week 4 Final quiz: U.S. Professional Contexts
WEEK 5
The final week: Capstone Project and course review
Whether taking an online course or taking a training module, navigating American e-Learning systems can be rewarding – but also very challenging.In this week, you will submit a Capstone Project. This project will ask you to identify a barrier you might face in this environment, think about the competencies implied in that barrier, and then create your final project -- a plan for improvement. Complete the Capstone Project peer-review assignment and the-end-of-the-course survey. Your instructors for this week are Dr. Michele Forte, Dr. Anant Deshpande, Dr. Valeri Chukhlomin and Dr. Tonka Jokelova.
3 videos, 4 readings
- Reading: Overview for the Capstone Project: A Plan for Self-Improvement
- Reading: End-of-the-course survey
- Video: Stefan Van der Vyver, South Africa
- Video: Iman Sedighi, Iran
- Video: Irina Zakharova, Russia
- Reading: Course Developers and Contributors
- Reading: Re-use of Course Materials
Graded: The Capstone Project: Your Plan for Self-Improvement
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This course is excellent for any student who dreams of e-Learning in America!