No way, online course development is more time consuming than traditional classroom delivery development. The simple fact is that in a traditional classroom students are in front of your and you can read the faces of either understanding you or complete confusion. Being able to see the student allows you to immediately know if the developed content is grasped and immediately make adjustments or more on to more information. In an online setting you have to plan for multiple variable and the unknown. For this reason, I have not gone from one session to the next without having to revise, expand or condense taught information. Not to mention you are continually being asked questions you simple were not prepared to answers. For some reason, I have found that face-to-face instruction mitigates higher order questions. Or maybe it is that you usually have less time to deliver instructional information online than in a traditional classroom.
Kevin,
It may take longer to do a visual, but we like our outcome!! How many times have we finished something only to look at the final version and smile at the outcome!!
Shelly Crider
I disagree. As much of traditional lecture times is filled with other components of instruction it is important to look at course design for online courses from multiple lenses that may be scrutinized with skepticism by three groups:
1. academic leadership as well as feedback from the student him/herself
2. accrediting body - need to validate the instructional approach and material
3. Department of Education - need to "prove" instruction via the various measures identified.
I totally concur. Having developed dozens in both live and online media, developing online courses (that are done well) takes far more time. The good news is that once the course is developed, subsequent iterations take far less time. (Don't get lazy, the course should be tweaked constantly, and thoroughly reviewed every year.)
I think as I sit here responding to this post, I feel my chair sinking because I am always on the computer working. I disagree with the time factor regarding an online vs. a traditional classroom setting. I spend hours on end (including weekends) in my classroom. Besides the technical issues students face, the questions via email, course questions, outreach (via phone and email) and research questions, I barely get a chance to leave my computer.
Either way, this is going to be an important task. A course should be developed with all of the relevant goals and outcomes in mind. My guess is that a person who is extremely familiar with the online technology involved could design a course in a time frame similar to a person writing an "in person" course on the same topic. But for someone who has to work in both the technology and also in the content, I would think the on line version would take a longer time.
I have found announcements to be tremendously helpful and they are key to helping students stay up to date with the class content. This streamlines the class, makes students feel more in control and also helps them to have answers without having to write emails. That is good because it can be energy-sapping to have a dozen students send an email on a topic that could have been covered and resolved in an announcement.
True and online you have to think ahead as to what tools they will need. So you can then have lectures, guest lectures, videos, music, or whatever is needed to meet the need of the students. This all has to be ready and at hand for use when needed. In a traditional class, that demand is not quite the same. You have to really be prepared in the online format.
I have taught in both environments and have found that the time is about the same for either environment generally. Yet, depending on the type of course, online may require a bit more time to develop if there are labs or group projects that need more attention to detail or require special software programs. One area that does take more time is the question and answer issue or the discussion boards as the instructor and student may need to go back and forth over a longer period of time to clarify an issue.
Kristin,
I agree with your post. I have just completed the development of an online course and as you stated it does take much more time because online you must provide every little detail to ensure that the content of the course can provide clear objectives and be easily understood. This takes more effort vs if you were in a ground course, you could physically explain the details and add information as needed. In an online course, everything must be complete before the course is made available to the students.
Thanks,
Dianne
Alan,
I certainly hope that these tasks are being looked at in all classes as they are very important in every college course.
Shelly Crider
Alan,
"done well" is just what we are looking for. Students know what they like and what they need! Instructors know the content...together a class well done!
Shelly Crider
Loriann,
This is true. There are some students out there who need step by step instructions on everything in a classroom.
Shelly Crider
James,
There seems to be new technology popping up all the time, so we as instructors will need to keep looking at the newest as our students will!
Shelly Crider
James,
Announcements do give a window look for the upcoming week!
Shelly Crider
William,
The time may be different as in a classroom you have the opportunity for on the spot revising.
Shelly Crider
I think that if you continue to teach the same course subject, the time invested in both is the same. Using all of the special technological aides available to instructors, setting the courses are pre-loaded for both environments.
I disagree. The time would be the same, if not more (in my opinion). In addition to comparable content, in an online environment, the delivery is likely more critical. In the traditional setting, student learning can be addressed immediately. In the development of an online course, student needs have to be addressed (as much as possible), from a proactive perspective. Therefore, the development can take more time.
Carlos,
Good point, but I hope that we add to our classes each and every time it is taught.
Shelly Crider
I disagree. If anything, it might be more for an online class. I try to really focus on how I can mix up my presentations so I can keep the students engaged.
