@s101crider
I do agree that the look and feel of an online class is important. I once taught a class wehere I had to write all the questions, assignments, resources in html. The classroom itself was then just a long thread of responses. So boring and confusing. I finally color-coded all of my posts and sent a key to the students so they would be able to find assignments, comments and resources, etc. Today's classrooms are much more sophisticated. The increased use of smart phones and tablets has further impacted how we access classroom material as well.
The easier to navigate and the more clear the area designations, the better students will navigate their classes and therefore they will be more successful. With highly interactive classroom design, students will spend more time -- and again this will increase retention and success.
