Summary

Distance learning appeals to a wider range of students than traditional forms of education, and allows the student to establish and maintain contact with universities around the world; sponsoring institutions benefit from the increased student base and levels of service. Course content should always be created first, separately from online course tools if necessary. By separating presentation from content, the educator is enabled to better assess student retention of subject matter in more ways than the classroom model. Content sites are also available on the Internet; however, all links to other websites must be updated regularly, as website owners change them at any time. Educators should train on course creation tools early, rather than jeopardizing brand-new courses with tools that are too complex to master in the time allotted. If educators are new to online course creation, extra time should be reserved for unexpected surprises. They should also ensure the course is stable before adding more technology, and balance it with live assessments for a well-rounded experience.

Generic electronic tools are already in widespread use; more sophisticated interaction such as multimedia presentation enables student-educator interaction as well as student-student collaboration. Courses that require laboratories may use hybrid instructional delivery to share institutional resources. New forms of student interaction such as online chat groups add to the educational experience, and students are encouraged to demonstrate new skills using these and other methods. Discussion and independent study can be used in addition to live classroom delivery. All of these technological enhancements combine to make creating competency-based online distance learning courses a rewarding endeavor.

About the Author

Yvonne V. Richardson has a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She is President of Ormer Technologies, a corporation based in Bellevue, Washington.

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