Master of Education in Open, Digital, and Distance Education (MDDE) 665

Overview

Educators with the ability to collaborate and mentor effectively are leaders in their learning communities, facilitating collaborative and mentoring success in themselves and others. Being an exceptional collaborator and mentor, and facilitating these abilities in others, requires specific skills, knowledge and attitudes. MDDE 665: Collaboration and Mentoring in Educational Environments is designed to support the development of your abilities in these areas, so you are able to establish, sustain and maximize the potential of collaborative and mentoring relationships.

Using a variety of e-learning strategies, theory and practice are brought to life. The course provides opportunities to practice what you learn, as you learn. Through a series of learning activities and assignments, you will learn about collaboration by collaborating. Each element of the course is designed to engage you as a learner, and to challenge you as an educator, both personally and professionally. As you progress through the course, you will gain new perspectives about what it means to work collaboratively with your colleagues and others in your workplace, as well as with various groups including children and youth, parents/guardians/families, community partners, allied professionals, and others. You will also explore the theoretical foundations of effective collaborative and mentoring relationships so that you can engage in these roles with confidence. Most importantly, beyond generating enthusiasm for collaborative and mentoring relationships, this course will equip you with strategies and skills for success.

Outline

The course is composed of the following four modules:

• Module 1: Collaboration (weeks 1-6)
• Module 2: Mentoring as a Collaborative Relationship (weeks 7-9)
• Module 3: Special Cases in Collaboration and Mentoring (weeks 10-12)
• Module 4: Wrap-Up (week 13)

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of MDDE 665: Collaboration and Mentoring in Educational Environments, you will be able to attain or exceed the learning goals listed below.

1. Discuss the importance of collaboration and mentoring in educational organizations, and describe their role in teaching and administrative practices.
2. Examine theoretical and conceptual frameworks that underpin effective collaborative and mentoring relationships.
3. Identify the characteristics of successful collaborative and mentoring relationships and explain how these relationships can be attained, maintained, and/or enhanced.
4. Explore strategies for developing collaborative and/or mentoring relationships with colleagues, children and youth, parents/guardians/family members, community partners, allied professionals, and others.
5. Discuss the ethics and professional responsibilities associated with collaborative and mentoring relationships.
6. Critically analyze collaborative and mentoring relationships, identify their strengths and limitations, and suggest ways in which they may be improved.
7. Reflect upon your personal attitudes, skills, and knowledge related to collaboration and mentoring, and make plans for the ongoing use of these attributes and for further professional growth and development.

As a participant in this course, you likely have goals of your own that are not reflected in this list. One of the first activities in this course is to articulate these goals to the other participants so that you can work to find ways of attaining them in your exploration of collaboration and mentoring in educational environments. In this way, the course becomes, at least in part, your own creation, as it is only through interacting, building on others’ ideas, and reflecting on one’s own experience, that a ‘‘course” actually comes into existence.

Evaluation

Students are graded on the basis of three assignments and course participation.

Please note that some changes in schedules and/or specifics of assignments may be made from time to time or by individual instructors.

Important links

• Course schedule