I've been teaching online courses for almost 4 years now, and have watched the technological growth of not only the school I am employed by, but also that of the students.  Since we do not sit down weekly to discuss concepts of anatomy and physiology, the use of additional tutorials and handouts is critical to helping students better understand some of these complex subjects. I have found that by incorporating short educational YouTube videos into the Student Materials folder or even discussion forum blogs has sparked a better understanding than that of just the textbook.  I recognize that there are a variety of learners out there, and sometimes reading the textbook simply does not make as much sense as hearing someone (either myself in a short video), or a supplemental tutorial on different subject topics.  While it takes a little time to research for the "right" tutorial, once it is found, the benefits to the student are leaps and bounds.

Jennifer Merrill