Outline Course Delivery - Research Paper Example

ONLINE DELIVERY INTRODUCTION Education and learning in general have come a long way especially with the onset of technological advancements, due to globalization. Unlike how it was in the past, education and learning have been transformed greatly, to an extent that students or learners can now be able to access their courses outside of academic institutions. It is no longer necessary for an educator or a lecturer to stand before students in a classroom and give out notes. Though this approach is still applicable in most parts of the world, majority of students or learners in the United States and other developed nations prefer to learn from home.

There are also those who undertake part time courses from their work schedules, and thanks to the Internet, can apply and get courses online (Anderson, 2008). ESSAY A learning problem that can benefit from online course delivery is prerequisite training as well as education for prospective shelter animal adoption. It is quite common to observe that a majority number of individuals are rather active with local animal shelters. All too often people also tend to hear about how overwhelmed new pet owners are, where the owners’ frustrations result in returning the animal or in the worst case scenarios, abandonment.

The new owners were required to complete a short online training course explaining what is expected of their new pet while outlining the current social problems of stray and abandoned domestic animals, instances of returned or abandoned pets could be minimized. Additionally, the online training courses could also include the tragic consequences for the animals and the health and safety concerns for the human population (Anderson, 2008). It is rather unfortunate to realize that there are often more abandoned animals than there are individuals/families wanting to adopt them.

The main reason for this has been cited as because the animals tend to engage in problem behaviors that people find difficult to handle. Once the online course delivery is initiated for prospective shelter animal adoption, majority of participants will be families wishing to adopt pets and other animal shelter agents wishing to sell these animals to potential pet owners. By the end of this particular course, learners should be able to accomplish a number of things. For instance, how to discern animal behavior, create a safe, clean and manageable shelter for the pet animal and how to immunize pets against serious animal diseases once they arrive to their respective destinations (Anderson, 2008).

Taking up an online course is not easy and one needs some form of motivation in order to complete the course or training (Cennamo & Kalk, 2005). Those interested in prerequisite training and education with regards to shelter animal adoption will be motivated by the fact that they will actually be saving a life, even though it is an animal’s. For families wanting to adopt pet animals for their children, these children will be motivated by the fact that they have a new responsibility towards the animal and this fact alone will boost their self-esteem, for they will feel like adults.

Keeping in mind that potential animal adopters will include children or young adults apart from adults, the instructional setting for online delivery of prerequisite training and education for prospective shelter animal adoption should be straightforward, easy to comprehend and straight to the point (Anderson, 2008). Strategies for effective vocabulary instruction for instance graphic organizers should also be implemented within the online course (Cennamo & Kalk, 2005). By the end of the online course delivery, a few identifiable learning outcomes should be observed.

Students or learners will, by the closing stages of this course, be capable to develop sensitivity towards shelter animals and those abandoned, formulate questions and queries regarding the adoption and care of pets as well as develop self-esteem and responsibility from taking care of the animals. It is, however, important to note that in order for these learning outcomes to be observed, a number of learning activities need to be conducted, for instance allowing students or learners to discuss and ask questions regarding feelings and emotions towards shelter animals.

In the course of the learning activity, the learner should research on the most appropriate ways of caring and providing for adopted shelter animals. The prospective shelter animal adopter should also be guided on the responsibilities that lay ahead once they have adopted the animal (Anderson, 2008). Assessment strategies These are basically used for estimation of the achievement of the objectives of the course. There are various ways that are applied in the academics to ascertain the achievements of these objectives (Cennamo & Kalk, 2005).

They range from observations, multiple choice questions or academic essays. For the mode of learning to be stated as authentic, it is necessary that there is use of multiple forms of analysis to detect achievement of the objectives. Based on the above mentioned learning outcomes, there are some learning activities that can be developed. Ethical issues in abandoning pets Dangers of abandoning pets Improved care to pets: developing a closer relationship to your pets With a follow up of the above activities, it is highly likely that the attendees of the course will benefit positively and have achievable objectives in the online course.

CONCLUSION The success of any given online delivery is dependent upon the continuous improvement as well as study of key components of online learning standards. From what has been observed above, it is thus important to know learners well so as to be in a better position of engaging them effectively online. Prerequisite training and education for prospective shelter animal adoption is a course that could benefit many people if offered online. In this way, fewer animals will end up being abandoned or returned to animal shelters as people will be aware of how to care for, protect and provide for such animals.

REFERENCES Anderson, T. (2008). The Theory and Practice of Online Learning. 2nd Edition. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press. Cennamo, K., & Kalk, D. (2005). Real World Instructional Design. Florence, KY: Thomas Wadsworth Publishers.