With on line education, it is much easier to get help with assignments, a nice feature is to have exams and quizzes time sensative, so it makes it more difficult to get extra help.

As an online student, I have made the transition to posting class content with ease in my current class. Stating the process seems difficult, however once completed it makes my job alot easier.

I am wondering where people find videos and visuals for their courses. My husband teaches high school and was told he can use anything out there freely in his classes. It is my understanding in the for profit world we are not allowed to do so, but there are so many great things on you tube for example. I am curious where others obtain valuable information for the students?

How do you all get students to do more than the minimum work in a forum. If it says to post two comments by Monday there are many who wait until Monday and just post two. They expect that gives them an "A" when in reality it was the minimum.

I have taught online for several years now and have been asked to develop a comprehensive exam for a master's program. This alone is a daunting task, but you develop a whole course is where I aspire to go with it. I feel there is just so much that can be discussed in a criminal law class for example that I don't know where to even begin. Do any of you have thoughts on how to narrow the topics to start developing course materials?

What have you learned about online course construction that allow you to apply these techniques to the real world? There are many approaches to developing content for e-learning. Many institutions require a set format to be followed. In others, the target for completion of an approvable course keeps shifting. How does one navigate the complexities of creating an online course with the proper look, feel and comprehensible content that makes for a successful learning experience? Share your thoughts...

Software standards are essential part of software systems moving forward and creating proper inter-use. Is there any standards for the online learning systems?

Hi, It is very important to set a minimum number of posting in online dicussions. The quality of posting is very important as well. Oneliner posting should not be credited with any points. I think, a minimum of three postings per topic is a logical standard for any online discussions. The first posting should be the introduction, second one should be response to someone else's posting and extend thoughts, and the final posting should be a summarized thoughts on the topic.

Based on how long the original thread has gotten- I am reposting the core question. QUESTION: The time invested to develop a quality online course is less than the time required to develop the same course for a traditional classroom delivery. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

I am going to teach statistics online, and I will write some of the content in MathML (Mathematical Markup Language). How do you tell the students to use a browser that supports MathML?

How can we avoid the dreaded “I Agree” in Discussion Forums (Asynchronous Forums)? Other than mandating minimum length, how can we stimulate quality responses to student posts? My experience indicates that one of the top things online students HATE to do is respond to each other’s posts. That said, I ask you. How can we encourage quality discussions on online forums?

I am Program Chair for a new Program. Hospitality and Restaurant Management (HRM) My goal is to “set the right tone” early in the course so students know what to expect and get a feel that they are supported. To do this we have created a intro class that will discuss strategies for online learning. We have grated a “training room” that contains an orientation, resources, and a profile of the Online Team. What else can we be doing to set the tone and give the message to students that they need to meet expectations and that they have a variety of resources available to them?

Melissa Olt quoted a study in 2003 that named three possible approaches to minimizing (online) cheating and plagiarism was recommended: first, there was the virtues approach. The virtues approach sought to develop students who did not want to cheat. Second, the prevention approach, the goal was to eliminate or reduce opportunities for students to cheat and to reduce the pressure to cheat. The final proposal was the police approach, with the objective to catch and punish those who do cheat. He said that policing, when employed consistently, could also serve as a preventative measure (Hinman 2000). My question (s): Is there a problem with online learners feeling comfortable cheating? Do you see turnitinin.com as policing, preventative and working?

I teach at an automotive technical training institution where we have few self starters or self motivators. I’m all for tools that aid in the spread of knowledge and not afraid that they will put me out of a job. I’m a baby boomer, and a little slower at adapting to and accepting new technologies. I’ve found there is a lot of false information or bologna on the internet. Bologna can undermine logical learning. That’s my opinion. I look at my job as that of a guide, one that helps my students on the start their journey thru the pasture of life, around bologna not one that spreads it. My goal is for them to find their own path to achieve their goal. The journey is all about reliable knowledge. That’s how goals are achieved. Slow down, watch your step, enjoy the journey.

Being the generation Y is more of the visual learner and needs to compare to another learning model. I feel it is imperative to have a variety of tools to illustrate a point.

Of the 5 Questions for discussion development, I feel relevance is most important to adult learners. From teaching primarily adults, wasting their time with fluff is not received well.

Important to add related material for those students that want to research further on that subject or use other resources for projects or presentations

Where would you go to find out the copyright and infringement laws and how to contact such people to aquire the use of such information?

I believe that if we get to "know" our students in the online/virtual environment - we interact with them in a chat room, in discussion board,even a personal contact at the beginning of the session - that adds so much more to the overall experience - and not just for the students, but for us as facilitators and instructors as well. I teach because I enjoy the experience - as I'm sure most others do - and I want to be able to interact with my students to the point of having that "connection" with them - even if they are across the world! Thanks, Toni

I believe that there is a great deal of concern from those outside the distance learning environment - thinking that the online environment may not be able to provide that same level of academic integrity. I think that is a false thought and perhaps a scatoma on the part of instructors/facilitators. What online or distance learning challenges us to do in regards to the classroom and providing integrity - is that WE have to provide the "service" to students - it will just look a little different than it does in the classroom. Toni