Computer-based Distance Learning Modalities

PART I: Asynchronous: Internet Based

The Web IS being used to deliver instruction. Its use WILL expand. The number of commercial tools which support this application ARE increasing (as well as the number of commercial firms, who, for a cut, will help faculty develop and offer such courses). Aside from branching (hyperlinks implementing the historic programmed learning process) the Web offers

My purpose is to explore where we are in terms of the technology of Web Based Instruction. There is a growing collection of research on the effectiveness of this kind of instruction and even more how-to advice. My concern is for the tools that teachers and students will employ as they seek to interact asynchronously.

Gradations

http://www.syllabus.com/sep98_magfea2.html Syllabus review of the tools by category.

  1. Course Web pages (supplementing the classroom)
  2. http://www.faytech.cc.nc.us/infodesk/vcampus/wbi_tkit.html downloadable templates

    hosted templates: publisher websites: McGraw-Hill , Course Technology

    http://synapse.kent.edu/adms44095.f97/index.html example of an instructor generated course web site.

    http://www.csupomona.edu/~llsoe/cis421/cis421.htm Another example of a faculty-produced course web page from CalPoly-Pomona.

    COMP 100 Course a second example from Cal State Northridge

    http://204.196.50.60 example of what you can do with MS Word

  3. Software Systems substituting for classroom instruction
  4. http://www.ctt.bc.ca/landonline/choices.html commercial packages compared

    http://www.utexas.edu/cc/cit/tools/index.html reviews made at the University of Texas

    http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~kfrizler/webmgmt.html grant-funded evaluation at the City College of San Francisco

    Blackboard - Bringing Education Online result of merger

    http://webclass.eou.edu/ authoring system developed at Eastern Oregon

    http://www.wcb.vcu.edu/wcb/schools/HAS/eng/mkeller/14/index.html VCU's Web Course in a Box GUI

     

  5. Commercial training systems