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Many university and collegiate faculty are engaged in course revision that entails not just ‘content’ but method of delivery.  The most common revision is adapting classroom content for the web—online learning is the fastest-growing segment of post-secondary education.

The process is not easy.  Learning and communication dynamics are drastically different when both faculty and students are online.  For example, asynchronous forums replace in-person discussion, but they are not in real time.  Live chats are synchronous (real time), but participants may be scattered globally, causing attendance to tank, and requiring the use of chat archives.  Task submissions are also online, and feedback/grades from faculty appear in secured grade books, triggering the need for students to submit questions or grade appeals via e-mail, not in person.

The best way for first-time course adapters to tackle ‘teaching online’ is to remember that the web is a visual medium, with the ability to add sound (audio) and animation (video).  Most web courses combine explanatory text (syllabi, task lists, guidelines, announcements and faculty commentaries), with delayed-time discussions, real time chats, and scheduled papers, projects and exams.  Use of text alone is deadly, and if your institution’s web course format does not permit streaming of audio or video, then integration of still graphics is essential to maintain participant interest.  Discussion forums and chats should emphasize interaction through activities as well as topics.

How creative one gets depends partly on whether the web course format uses off-the-shelf software like Blackboard, integrates real time chatting enabled by tools like GoToMeeting, or has developed a proprietary system.   It’s worth visiting the licensed software sites, as they all offer free tours which highlight features as well as capabilities.