Core Question - New Thread
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.
To properly create an online course requires a great deal of time. All the materials must be reviewed and posted. In addition, the links must be created and materials organized.
The good part is once the course is created, it is there. All it requires is some basic maintenance. Most platforms allow you to copy over a class. This is excellent. Copy over, check for accuracy and then add/update materials. If you are fortunate enough to teach the same online class multiple times, this get easier and easier and the student enjoys a robust online class with quality resources!
To summarize, more time in the initial build, much easier to maintain, fine tine, and grow tha class once it has been developed!
At the institution that I teach for, the courses have had to be reviewed and adjusted at the beginning of each module. This is due to the fact that the original protocols were developed quite a while ago and are outdated.
While I don't know exactly how long it took to develop the original courses, it takes a considerable amount of time to review and correct them. I believe this to be a result of the fact that the online learning environment introduces new challenges that ground courses don't necessarily have to deal with. For example, asking questions via email or on the phone does not allow for as effective a resolution to the student's query.
David,
Great point - upfront it can be more work, but longer (at least until the edition changes) it is nice to have it developed!
Best,
Jon
Disagree. Designing an online course takes longer since the means of communication is limited when compared with an in-class environment. This applies both to student/instructor interactions as well as students communicating with each other and the communication of the course materials themselves.
In a brick-and-mortar class an instructor can more easily get a feel for how well material is being absorbed, whereas online this can be more difficult to measure. Communication in an online course must be consistent and accessible, and this takes time to design well.
Kevin,
Communication is key! Excellent post. We as instructors have to use the online communication tools available to make sure the students have understood the knowledge being transferred to them.
Shelly Crider
