Οbjectives and Themes of Written Assignments: A Case Study at the Hellenic Open University
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Abstract
The topics of written assignments in Open and Distance Education and the texts that accompany them (instructions, assessment criteria) are an important part of the educational material – multitexts – and provide scientific and methodological directions. In our study we investigated the teaching and learning objectives of multitexts formed by the Coordinator of Module EKP65 (Open and Distance Education) of the postgraduate programme "Studies in Education" in Hellenic Open University (HOU). Specifically, we categorized the topics of the Module’s written assignments, depending on their educational objectives whilst considering the perspective of the Module’s Coordinator on the design of the assignments, from the selection and formulation of the topics to the creation of the assessment criteria. For this purpose, we used a mainly qualitative approach to process the topics of the written assignments of Module EKP65, over the period 2005 to 2016, and to formulate the groups. Subsequently, we clarified concepts and procedures relating to the design and development of the topics of written assignments, and the accompanying multitexts, through a semi-structured interview with the Coordinator of Module EKP65. The research showed that the topics of written assignments cover the objectives of the Module, move to higher levels of goal setting, cultivate critical thinking, follow satisfactorily the standards of educational material in Distance Education and require actions that link theory with practice.
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