Like the facilitator, the online student possesses unique qualities. The online students of today consist primarily of working people who are trying to better their opportunities. This however is changing, as more and more young and older people become aware of the online model. The traditional school will never go away, but the virtual classroom is a significant player in today’s educational community. Corporations are using the online model to train technical professionals while private and public universities redefine the world as their markets.

As the facilitator of an online course, it is important that you clearly communicate your expectations to your students. In your online course, you may want to include reference links to resources and tips for your students to use to help them be more successful online learners. Here are some tips for success that you should share with your students:

This article has been reprinted here with permission from the author.

John E. Reid, Jr. Ph.D.
Coordinator of Distance Education Technology
Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw Georgia.

How We Learn

Many researchers have developed models about learning. 

By Jennifer Lieberman

With regard to LESSON PRESENTATION, what are some of the issues to be addressed when converting a face-to-face course to online and in choosing the appropriate mode of instruction?

Instruction is purposeful interaction to increase a learner’s knowledge or skills in a specific, pre-determined fashion. Simply publishing a webpage with links to other pages or other digital resources does not constitute instruction. Materials developed for web-based instruction must follow established instructional design principles in order to be effective and viable means of education. The following elements are adapted from Gagné’s nine universal steps of instruction and should be included in the instructional design of learning materials.

By Patricia Phillips-Batoma

By Virgil Varvel

The facilitator plays a vital role in developing and maintaining an online program that is effective, smooth, and that will support the realization of the planned learning outcomes. Faculty delivering courses online must be more than transmitters of knowledge; they must become facilitators of learning. Some highly seasoned instructors from the traditional on-ground environment will easily adapt to the online model, while others may find the transition challenging at first. The facilitator in the online environment must possess a unique set of tools to perform effectively.

Online instructors need Basic Skills to form a base for the use of pedagogical competencies