CoSN Online Courses

	CoSN Online Courses Smart Budgeting for Technology - Total Cost of Ownership for School Leaders Register Now!

In partnership with NSBA's ITTE: Education Technology Programs Online Learning Center

CoSN online courses are conducted in partnership with NSBA's ITTE: Education Technology Programs Online Learning Center. Online courses are 5- or 6-week, web-based, instructor-led courses designed to provide professional development for technology coordinators, school/district administrators, superintendents, principals, and other K-12 technology educational leaders. The courses are divided into five or six one-week sessions, each of which includes readings, dynamic learning activities and online discussion among course participants and the instructors. Students may complete the course assignments at their own pace, but due to the level of interactivity required for discussion board participation, students are encouraged to advance through the materials on the prescribed schedule to gain the most benefit from their interactions with their classmates. Students can expect to spend about 5-7 hours per session/week to complete the course discussion and assignments. The course is conducted using Blackboard software, which allows students to create a unique learning environment and supports self-directed learning. All required tools and materials are included in the registration fee, and many are contained within the online course environment itself. All additional materials are sent to registrants before the class starts.

Technical Requirements

• Platform: Microsoft Windows or Macintosh OS
• Hardware: 64 MB of RAM, 500 MB of free disk space
• Software: Adobe Acrobat Reader, MacroMedia Flash Player, Windows Media Player (Free, downloadable plug-ins available within the course)
• Internet Connection: 56k modem, DSL, or cable modem.
• Web Browser: Please check your web browser for the current version. In order to use Blackboard.com, your web browser must meet the following minimum technical requirements:
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher.
  • Netscape Navigator 4.01 or higher.
  • JavaScript enabled.
  • Cookies enabled.
  
  

What's Included in the Online Course

The course interface is divided into different sections to help students navigate through the coursework, interact with instructors and colleagues, and create a personal learning space. Course sections include:

• Announcements: This area is used to display announcements, updates, and reminders. It appears automatically on your screen each time you enter the course.
  
  
• Course Information: This area contains the course description, course objectives, and descriptions of the course buttons.
  
  
• Staff Information: This area contains information about the instructor, teaching assistant and guest lecturers.
  
  
• Course Documents: This area contains documents you will need in order to complete the course assignments.
  
  
• Assignments: This area lists all of the assignments you will need to complete.
  
  
• Communication: This area contains all of the communication tools related to the course, such as discussion, chat, e-mail, and student pages.
  
  
• External Links: This area contains links to external web sites that are included in the course curriculum and for additional resources to consider.
  
  
• Student Tools: This area contains the tools you need to submit information to the instructor, view a course calendar, check your grades, manage your homepage, and edit your profile.
  
  
• Workbook: Some courses, including Smart Budgeting with Total Cost of Ownership, include a workbook that participants can use throughout the course. The workbook will be mailed to all pre-registrants before the start of the course.
  
  

How to Register

Registration is $260 (plus a $50 materials fee for the workbook) and is handled by NSBA's ITTE: Education Technology Programs Online Learning Center. Students register online using a credit card or purchase order number at www.nsba.org/olc/olc.cfm. After registering, students will receive an email with verification of payment for reimbursement purposes.