As an instructor, its important that I am familiar with the resources I need to effectively teach my course. In an online environment, I'm wearing a variety of different hats. The one I find most challenging is "defacto student help-desk." Any questions students have about the tech are usually sent to me first. I don't like referring the question to my institutions IT people, because I think it sends the wrong message to the students. As much as possible, I feel that I should be able to assist them in the basics of any course management system. To do that requires that I, as well as my students, have a formal orientation to the course management system. The places where I'm mosdt successsful as an instructor are those that provide me this training.
