March 1998 — Features
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Addressing Student Needs: Teaching on the Internet
Many faculty members in higher education are wondering about teaching courses on the Internet since they have heard and read many things about it, both pro and con. This article covers the experiences of a university professor who has been teaching graduate courses to community college faculty in Florida via this medium.
Technological change is what many are saying is the only constant in our work today. And, talk about change! I transitioned from a community college presidency to a university professorship, teaching graduate level online courses on the Internet, in one year. As president, I did not need to know the ins and outs of computer technology, because I had people who were employed to do so, and they were skilled in providing the information and services I needed.
The learning curve was rather steep when one considers the need to understand the technology, and at the same time design all of the course materials required for online instruction before the first course began. I only mention this to indicate that novices can, in fact, become proficient in the design of course materials on the Web in a very short period of time.
For me, it was fortuitous that I got involved with the computer-based activities I had been reading about for several years. Otherwise, I would have been left in the academic dust as learners all around me were cruising down the information highway. Online instruction on the Internet is in many ways a form of individualized instruction. It requires regular contact between the student and the instructor for maximum learning to occur.
I found that students were more willing to participate in class "discussions" and other learning activities online as compared to the traditional mode of learning. There was a measure of anonymity which served as a motivator for students to get involved. Lauzon found that anonymity helps with the use of the computer.[1] People feel more empowered. They are daring and confrontational regarding the expression of ideas.
When students posted materials on a Course Forum for discussion purposes, we all learned. Of course, my students may have been unique because they were experienced community college educators in Florida. They had something to contribute. They did not wait around for me to raise questions, although that certainly was an important function for me to carry out.
Course Preparation
I have designed and taught two, three-credit-hour online graduate courses that deal with the community college. One course, "The Community College in America" was taught for the first time during the fall semester of 1996. The second course, "The Community College Curriculum," has been taught regularly since the spring semester of 1997. Both courses are part of a doctoral program that is specifically designed for community college faculty and administrators as well as those who wish to prepare for a community college career.
At the beginning of each course, students purchased textbooks, which formed the basis of the content. Students ordered them by telephone from our bookstore using their credit cards, and the books were mailed to their homes. In addition, students were provided with a set of handouts for the entire semester that supplemented the content in the texts.
