Social Inequality E-learning Course

1. Social InequalityE-learning Course

2. Group 3 Participants Miriam Niblack Lee Rogers Jeanine Salifou Michelle Smith

3. Course Highlights 3 credit graduate elective course for MSW students Mainly print-based with audio tapes as supplements 120 hours of study time and offered once a year

4. Costs Analysis Course Overhead (Recurrent) Development Costs - Overheads (Fixed) Development and Production Costs (Fixed) Maintenance Costs (Fixed) Annual Presentation Costs (Variable) Income (Tuition/Fees)

5. Course Overhead - Recurrent

6. Development & Production Costs

7. Maintenance Costs (fixed)

8. Annual Presentation Costs

9. Bates ACTION Model Access is available to our target audience of graduate students are working adults between the ages of 21 – 34 via online for the MSW course. Targeted group will have access at appropriate locations that include at home, on campus computer labs with Internet access and at the local centre for open learning. Costs and cost drivers include direct fixed costs of development such as course materials such as study guides, CD-ROM, and DVD.

10. Bates ACTION Model continued Direct costs of presentation include tutoring and counselors. Costs associated with student support are variable costs that can increase or decrease with the volume of student enrollment which can include packaging and postage. Teaching and learning for the course will use a Humanistic and Constructivism approach as both utilize social processes and use individual experiences and shared dialogue and discussion for reflection in a class that deals with social aspects of society

11. Bates ACTION Model continued Media in the form of books, audio cassettes, computers and Internet as each bring a differing content structure that can help in regards to the different styles of learning being used in the class. Interaction will be in the form of two-way asynchronous communication via the Internet with course conferences as well as one-way synchronous communication of email. Organization issues include hiring technical staff and training for teachers. Use of Internet and providing access to students is important and available through the use of computer labs and open learning centres.

12. Bates ACTION Model continued Novelty wise we will continue to use low cost media such as print-based and cassettes but will work slowly to implement new technologies as to ensure proper training of staff and technical support and digital literacy training for students. Speed is a factor that will include high speed Internet access in our facilities for students to access classes and we will continue to development and do regular maintenance to ensure learning and teaching is at its optimal level.

13. Conclusion In conclusion, in order to implement and develop the 3 credit graduate course of Social Inequality over one year and accounting for increased student enrollment over seven years we must do a cost analysis. After doing the cost analysis, it resulted that the course would see returns in year five and beyond. This is due to the increased student enrollment as the costs of the course are shared because the fixed costs of designing and producing the course are divided among larger numbers.

14. References Ashley Crossmanhttp://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of-Social-Inequality.htm Quick Study. (2000). Sociology: The Basic Principles of Sociology for Introductory Courses. Boca Raton, FL: BarCharts, Inc. http://definitions.uslegal.com/s/social-inequality/ Bates, A. W. (2005). Technology, e-learning and distance education. New York: Routledge. Rumble, G. (1997). The costs and economics of open and distance learning. London: Routledge.