February 2005

Full February 2005 issue of Online Classroom in PDF format
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Multimedia Course Design, Instructor Preparation Increase Satisfaction
Although students tend to rate online courses lower than face-to-face courses in end-of-semester evaluations, not all online courses are created equally and should not be lumped together in determining the efficacy of online instruction. Differences in course design and instructor preparation, as illustrated in a quantitative study at New Jersey Institute of Technology, can have a major effect on student satisfaction and performance.

Tips from the Pros
Voicing Dissent in Online Courses

Student Perceptions of Visibility, Permanence, Asynchronous Nature of Online Learning
A study of student perceptions of an online graduate nursing program shows that “students learned by reflection, exploration, introspection, interaction with both faculty and other students, sharing information, and group dynamics.”

Hybrid Design Enables Individualized Learning Experience
Hybrid course design is often employed to take advantage of the best aspects of the face-to-face and online environments. The online portion of the course can extend classroom discussions beyond the class period, and the face-to-face meetings can provide some of the social aspects of learning that the online courses sometimes lack. But perhaps the greatest advantage of the hybrid model is the ability to maintain some of the structure of the F2F classroom while enabling students to approach the course content based on their own learning objectives and interests.

Course Redesign Gives Students More Flexibility
Students at Empire State College design their own degree programs. They begin by taking one of several online educational planning courses, which, until recently, featured a single path through the planning process regardless of individual interests, skills, or learning style preferences. Since students often come to Empire State with many transfer credits and life experiences (the average student age is 37), this linear approach did not suit every student. The solution was to redesign the educational planning courses to provide more flexibility.

Save Time By Creating Multiple Formats From a Single Content Source
Delivering online course content in multiple formats can accommodate a variety of learning styles, but creating these materials can be time consuming and often requires specialized skills. To make the process easier, the Information Systems Technology Training Team at Northern Arizona has devised a method that generates course materials in multiple formats from a single source.

Lessons Learned From Co-Teaching a High-Enrollment Online Course
Co-teaching an online course can be an effective way of providing students with complementary perspectives and teaching methods that can enhance their learning. To be successful, co-teaching requires that the instructors plan carefully, communicate constantly, and be responsive to the inevitable unforeseen issues that arise. Be advised though, if done right, online co-teaching does not necessarily amount to less work than teaching a course individually.

Preparing for an Emergency
How prepared are you and your students for an interruption in computer service? Ideally, your institution has some plan to restore service and recover data in the event of a technology disaster, but an important part of that plan should also involve online instructors and students.