Web-based Information for Staff Development:

Before beginning to think about the technology and your online course, it is wise to review other courses of similar topic and scope that are already available online. By doing this you will get ideas about how the technology was used and you will be able to evaluate what translates to your environment. Also, your evaluation of the effectiveness of these courses will help you to determine what you like or don't like. Developing an online course should not be done in a vacuum. The technology is too complex and the opportunity for innovation too great to leave it to a solitary endeavor of trial and error. Two excellent resources provide examples of online courses in a variety of topics.

World Lecture Hall
University of Arkansas
MCLI course database.
UMUC Teaching with Technology

Web Page Design Basics for the Uninitiated:

There are several key elements you want to consider and specifically plan when building Web pages.

1. Designing the look and feel of your site
2. Creating storyboards and templates
3. Determining page length
4. Creating accessible/useable content
5. Using graphics that are meaningful
6. Selecting color and fonts that assist learning
7. Finishing touches

There are a number of web page editors you can use to design your page(s). A tutorial called "Begin with Design Basics" reiterates some of this design information and provides one way to implement your design using Netscape Composer (an HTML editor that comes with Netscape Communicator).

Instructional Strategies

In Cchapter 6, a more detailed explanation of specific Web-based tools is covered (i.e., email, chat rooms, discussion boards, audio/video streaming, etc.). However, before selecting these tools, it is wise to understand how they are used and to determine which tools you might want to use in your classes. One way to begin this process is take a moment to list all the things that currently take place in the classroom environment (e.g., discussions, role-playing, case studies, question and answer sessions, and assignments). Then, formulate a plan for incorporating all those same interactions into the Web-based environment. The article, Facilitating Knowledge Construction and Communication on the Internet, provides further information about transforming activities from the classroom to the online arena.

Electronic Editing Techniques

One of the strategies mentioned in this chapter was to use electronic editing of student papers in order to provide specific feedback. The example given was using the functionality of Microsoft Word's Track Changes and Comments functions. You may also wish to review my tutorial for Using Electronic Editing with Microsoft Word.