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MLA CE Institute 2008

MLA CE Institute logo

Developing Web-Based Instruction

May 13-16, 2008
Cosponsored by the Greater Midwest Region,
National Network of Libraries of Medicine (GMR, NN/LM)


Institute Overview

To top of page The Institute

  • Four days of intensive training where scholars will be able to transfer their MLA-approved CE courses to web-based formats. Plus, an opportunity to participate in a pre-institute web-based class developed by the Institute faculty.
  • Date: May 13-16, 2008
  • Location: Downtown Chicago
  • Sponsors: The Medical Library Association and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM), Greater Midwest Region (GMR)
  • Twenty scholars (MLA continuing education [CE] instructors and NN/LM coordinators): to be selected based on a competitive process
  • Admission applications due: March 28, 2008
  • For this institute, scholars will learn to apply instructional design principles and practices to transform traditional face-to-face continuing education experiences into richer, more learner-centered online courses. The Institute faculty will emphasize mentored courses and will not focus on self-paced web instruction or web tutorials.
  • Instruction includes, but is not limited to: web course development basics, web-based learning and instructional design aspects, and several different web course platforms
  • Development times for Scholars to work on their own and with the faculty towards completing their specific web-based course will be made available.

To top of page Logistics

  • Location: Downtown Chicago
  • Costs to attend will be shared between the Scholars and the NN/LM. Costs generously provided with funding from the NN/LM include:
    • Hotel
    • Meals
    • Institute registration fees
  • Costs to be the responsibility of the scholars:
    • Local travel
    • Round trip travel to and from Chicago

To top of page Attending Scholars

  • Ten MLA CE instructors
  • Ten NN/LM coordinators
  • If the course is taught by a team, only one instructor from the team will be eligible to attend
  • Scholars must have an MLA-approved CE course developed and be willing to transfer that course to the web
  • If the course you are submitting is not already approved for MLA hours, please complete the online course application in the MLA Continuing Education Clearinghouse. Applicants will need to go to instructor sign-up and log-in before submitting the online application with the appropriate approval fees. Make sure to indicate on the Institute application that the course has recently been submitted.
  • Preference will be given to MLA members
  • Scholars must have institutional or other support for the continued development and implementation of the web-based course (including development time and ongoing platform availability, authentication, access and any necessary course migration between terms or platforms)
  • It is preferred that scholars have a web platform (Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle, etc.) available for course development. If you do not have a platform, please indicate that you would like to use MLA's Moodle server. There will be an administrative cost associated with using MLA's Moodle server. Please contact Kathleen Combs for more details.
  • Scholars will host their courses and register participants on their own, using their own (i.e., institution's) web/courseware platform, and will establish necessary means of authentication and access to the platform for the appropriate duration of time (e.g., for those outside their institution)
  • Scholars will receive MLA CE contact hours for attending
  • If you have any questions regarding web platforms, authentication, access, other course logistical issues or requirements listed above, please contact Kathleen Combs, CE coordinator, 312,419,9094 x29, mlapd1@mlahq.org.

To top of page Competitive Selection Process

  • Admission application due: March 28, 2008 (see application)
  • MLA is looking for course subjects specific to health sciences librarianship (see CE Topics of Interest to MLA)
  • As part of the selection process, applications will be judged using the following point index. Scholars and courses receiving the most points will be asked to attend the institute
    • 5 points for MLA members
    • 5 points for web platform and continued development/implementation support information (section #1A/B on application)
    • 40 points for MLA-approved CE course topic and details (section #2 on application)
    • 40 points for responses to supporting information responses (section #3 on application)

To top of page The End Result

  • By the end of the institute, you will have a fully designed strategy for a web-based CE course with a goal of as much as 50% of the web content developed
  • You will have approximately six months to complete and test the course before offering it to MLA members
  • Upon completion, the course must be submitted for MLA CE approval
  • MLA requires that this course be offered at least twice a year for five years and be renewed annually
  • The course will be listed on MLANET on the web-based learning page and in the Educational Clearinghouse

This project has been funded in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

To attend the MLA CE Institute, please complete the admission application.

For more information, contact Kathleen Combs, mlapd1@mlahq.org, 312.419.9094 x29.

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