Eristotle learning is a private e-learning solutions company
Initially Eristotle learning will develop distance learning courses for Advanced Placement courses
- Named after the great teacher Aristotle Eristotle learning blends the heart and the mind, focusing on humanities.
Although AP courses are externally examined, there should be an element of humanity in all courses
The AP’s inclusion of diversity and focus on multi-cultural voices and perspectives are testament to the parallels between the College Board and Eristotle Learning
Eristotle Learning’s first course and the beginning of the partnership with the Advanced Placement Program is a course title ‘Film Art’.
Currently this course does not exist but would fit well in between the AP studio art course, and the English Language and English Literature courses. By developing criteria and testing this course Eristotle Learning will be offering something no other institute does … AP Film.
The initial course will be developed for implementation at the Westmount Charter School in Calgary Alberta. As a forward thinking Charter School currently offering AP courses, it is a good fit.
The Westmount Charter School claims to be innovative above and beyond what is offered in the traditional public school setting, and will enjoy the flexibility offered by the online option.
The partnership allows Eristotle Learning to gain real feedback through weekly community screenings and f2f instructor-student time.
All students have macbooks making the accessibility and editing issues moot
By partnering with the Advanced Placement group opens doors:
Taught in more than 100 countries
Accepted admission criteria by more than 4,000 post-secondary institutions
College credit available
- The establishment of Eristotle Learning encompasses a vision that it will grow from a single course at Westmount to offer distance learning opportunities to International Schools worldwide – again with the AP Film Course as its uniqe selling point, Eristotle Learning will eventually offer a full catalogue of AP humanities courses.
In terms of content, a High School film course is a necessity – In Canada alone, film is a multi-billion dollar industry and teens are the number one consumer of movies. They need to be thinking about the content they consume.
As well, film programs in Fine Arts often require the submission of a portfolio. York University in Toronto requires students to sit a theoretical examination. Without previous study, students really are left to their own devices.
The course will break down into three main components: History of Film, Theory and Analysis, and Film Production
Objectives include: The development of perecptual and analytical skills
An ability to formulate stories and ideas in film terms
An understanding of the variety of ways film creates meaning
Technical skillls and appropriate use of available technology
Etc…(see p. 6 of sloppy notes)
Three strands identify (SEE IB FILM PRINOUT!)
Each week a film will be studied with appropriate readings, reflections and assignment.
In the blended environment at Westmount Charter School, students will be encouraged to attend weekly screenings in order to build a community, as well as enjoy the shared experience of viewing.
Wordpress will be used for weekly reflections (each student will maintain their own film blog)
Google+ will be used as a discussion forum with the hopes that it can create legitimate space, with access to chat, video, and really the best conferencing experience available.
The use of google+ will also encourage the maintenance of the group beyond the parameters and timeline of the class.
Tutorials will be conducted synchronously within google+ led by the instructor
The Eristotle website will be build specifically to house this course, with separate pages for Film Theory – Production – Film Analysis – Assessments – and the AP Central expectations/links/etc.
These three platforms, including the use of two free to use community spaces will keep the cost down and the experience real
Vimeo!!!!
As mentioned the reflective component will be maintained on student blogs adding a public component. Real readers for their observations. Comment areas allow consistent feedback from the instructor in terms of following the formative learning of participants
Google+ hangout sessions will also allow for consistent check for understanding of material
Three production assignments will be uploaded to Vimeo and will be included as part of their final portfolio – Again, a real (free) space for sharing and the promise of legitimate audience for their work.
AP exam which, like the format for most other AP humanities courses will consist of a multiple choice section followed by two essay (free-response) questions.
Students final grade 1 – 5 will be a combination of their portfolio and final exam
However, schools (Westmount in this case) may include other assessments as part of their evaluation (grade)
Through partnerships with the AP College Board and Westmount Charter school, Eristotle Learning ensures continual assessment by external sources. In order to satisfy the needs of the AP, syllabi must be approved each year.
As a ‘blended learning’ partner with Westmount Charter School, the school can easily part ways with the company and so feedback, formal and informal must be ongoing.
Student feedback at the end of term will be crucial for fine tuning the initial launch of AP Film Art and
Eristotle Learning hopes to grow through partnerships with International Schools – a growing sector of education. By offering consistency in what can often be inconsistent staffing, feedback from future members must be sought and examined in order to continue to meet the needs of these schools.
- As a private sector educator, Eristotle Learning is in competition with many other similar groups and thus driven to improve.
As well, looking forward the International Bacclaureate program has recently launched an online campaign in partnership with a group called Panoja Education. The IB is centrally controlled and not nearly as open to partnerships as the AP group is. By proving itself through its AP programs, and initially garnering clients through International Schools, Eristotle learning would like to further expand by offering IB courses.
This is another reason that the portfolio section of the AP Film Art course is crucial, because the assessment criteria in IB is not simply a final exam as it is for most AP courses. Thus we must prove that we can assess students in ways other than examinations.
AP course development grant.
It is hoped that the College Board will provide some funding for the creation of a new course. Currently offering 34 courses, a grant would fund the development of their 35th course.
Investment from the Westmount Charter school as part of the course development is worthy of prestige as well as the unique opportunity to host the first class of AP Film Art
Finally, it is hoped that membership fees charged to International Schools on a per-student basis will help fund future programs.
Applications for technology grants through the government of Alberta as well as the proposal of a public/private partnership are all on the table in the search for funding.
Following an initial funding model of 18 hours per hour of week as advocated by Judith Boethker in her Design for Learning site initial setup cost should be approximately $40,000 plus licensing for film viewing (still unsure about the Calgary School Board’s licensing agreement) and hosting fees.
Obviously there will have to be some pro-bono man-hours put in by the initial investors before the company grows and the membership fees cover costs + salary of the Eristotle employees.
