Resumen de The Development of Minicourses (with a Basis in Educational Technology) for the In‐service Education of Teachers and Trainers
Since 1972, the Centre for Advancement of Teaching (CAT), Macquarie University, Sydney, has experimented with and refined the minicourse approach to in‐service education and staff development. A mini‐course is distinct from a module in that it is a fully independent miniature course and is not a unit of an extended programme. It is based on an educational technology model and involves a variety of media and strategies appropriate for adult learners. A minicourse has clearly defined objectives achievable in a short span of time, usually a few days or less. It is not packaged for independent learning as it depends extensively on the dynamics of small group interaction.
The educational technology basis of a minicourse is evident in three aspects of its design and implementation. First, the design is based on a modified systems approach to curriculum development. Second, the concept involves application of behavioural theory, each programme being based on precisely defined stimulus‐response chains with reinforcement provided at each response phase. Third, the stimulus‐response chains are organised as linear sequences of input‐process‐output (IPO) cycles linked by I‐I feedback loops. Groups of IPO cycles are aggregated into ‘super‐cycles’ which in turn, for any one minicourse, summate to an overall I‐O cycle.
Each minicourse is carefully designed to optimise some 24 conditions shown in the literature as being most likely to lead to effective learning. These conditions include active participation, immediacy of application, clarity of objectives, provision for reinforcement and feedback, democratic leadership, effective group work, logical step‐by‐step structuring, variety of methods and media, modelling and contiguity of elements. At present, more than 60 minicourses are offered by CAT and they appear to have made a significant impact on teacher development.
