Preparing
to Teach Online
Kenneth W. Mentor, J.D., Ph.D.
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
University of North Carolina Pembroke
This
presentation was prepared for the
Annual Meetings of the Western Society of Criminology
San Diego, February 21-24, 2002
Introduction
"Quality distance
education." Some educators will suggest that this statement
is an oxymoron. Considering the "correspondence courses" of
the past, these educators have reason the be skeptical. Correspondence
courses, by nature, require a trade-off between personalized education
and efficiency. These programs often required a level of institutional
support that could not be justified without a high number of students
and/or limited contact with students. These early experiences with
distance education walked the line between quality and quantity -
often the choice was quantity.
Frustrated with
problems associated with correspondence courses, educators moved
to other modes of course delivery. The second generation of distance
education relied on mail, teleconferencing, video tapes, synchronous
video, and travel. Institutions invested in expensive teleconferencing
equipment and established satellite campuses where students would
gather to participate in a televised class with a professor and group
of students at other locations. In other cases "distance
education" meant that the educator would travel to meet with
students. Other programs included a residential component that required
students to travel to the university campus. Each of these models
involved high costs to the institution and/or the student. Pressures
to reduce these costs often reduced the quality of the distance education
experience.
Technological advances
in distance education now have the potential to eliminate the quality/quantity
tradeoff. The internet has the capacity to provide both asynchronous
and synchronous learning opportunities. The flexibility provided
by the internet allows courses and programs to be designed around
proven strategies for teaching and learning. This can be accomplished
without the significant expenses associated with video conferencing,
travel, and other delivery methods. Today's web-based courses allow
a structured experience that leads to a collaborative learning environment.
In effect, every computer becomes a classroom. Students learn from
the comfort of home while participating in a high quality learning
environment that includes interaction with other learners. This is
a significant improvement over distance models in which many offerings
of a course were to a class of one.
Educators value
a collaborative environment. Administrators value an efficient environment.
Web-based courses have the potential to eliminate the conflicting
demands of these values. However, this is accomplished through a
shifting of institutional resources that place a greater burden on
individual faculty members.
This is a double
edged sword for educators. Quality control is gained as educators
take responsibility for delivering course content. This relieves
administrators from the burdens of coordinating the mailing of course
materials, the hiring of graders, and communication with students
in diverse locations. Web-based education also eliminates the need
for "satellite campuses" with support staff, expensive
teleconferencing equipment, and a range of additional costs. The
on-campus costs of distance education are reduced to computers, software,
and salaries - costs the university is accustomed to paying. Off-campus
costs are shifted to students who are responsible for computer equipment
and internet access - again, something many are paying for already.
The shifting of
costs can be very compelling to administrators. This model can also
be compelling to educators that long for efficiency, control, and
academic freedom. We believe this trade-off can be beneficial to
students and educators. Further, we proceed under the assumption
that skilled distance educators will, when provided with adequate
resources, create online learning environments that are equivalent
to, or superior to, the learning environment found in "traditional" classrooms.
This page is devoted
to a range of issues faced by educators that are working to provide
courses, or entire programs, over the internet. This page includes
links to distance education resources, criminal justice related distance
programs, and a discussion of major issues related to distance education
in criminal justice.
Distance
Education Resources
Designing a web-based
course, or adding web content to a traditional course, is much more
than placing lecture notes on the internet. Witty intellectual banter
in the classroom can be a lot of fun, and many of us are good at
this. How does the online educator translate these skills to a web-based
course? Should you even try? The following links start with information
that will help you decide how to structure your online materials.
Online
vs. Traditional
This first group
of links provide information about the relative strengths of traditional
and distance education.
Course
Design
Most online educators
report that the initial course preparation time needed for the first
online course greatly exceeds the amount of time needed to prepare
a traditional course. Time demands can be significantly increased
for an online educator with little experience in website design.
As this is a typical situation, it is important to allow the time
needed to acquire the skills needed to develop effecting pedagogical
methods and material.
The following links,
arranged by topic, offer a good place to get started. These links
provide an overview of issues and resources related to an effort
to get courses, and possibly entire degree programs, online.
Initial
Planning
Will your course
be entirely online or do you plan to offer online materials to a
traditional course in a "hybrid" format? Will all communication
be asynchronous, or will you attempt to create a simultaneous "online
classroom" experience through chat rooms or other synchronous
course tools? Are you trying to replicate what you do in the classroom,
and are good at, or are you planning to try new things? Will you,
and the others in class, be comfortable not seeing the faces of the
professor and classmates? Will you adopt an organizational structure
similar to the 15 week structure common in most universities (and
textbooks)? Will exams be included? If so, what level of security
is needed? If written assignments are required, how will they be
submitted, graded, and returned?
So many questions!
Planning for a high quality online course begins well in advance
of the first effort to design a website. The educator must develop
a picture of what this course will look like, and how it will function,
before making the initial effort to design the course materials.
Course
Content
Will
your site include text versions of in-class lectures? What about
PowerPoint presentations?
Will you include a list of links? What about online discussions?
Here are a few ideas:
Lectures:
PowerPoint presentations:
Links:
Online discussion:
Website
Design
The internet is
full of ugly pages with confusing organizational structures. We have
all seen them - now you get a chance to do it right. Do you want,
or need, a bunch of animated icons? Some think they are ugly while
others find them to be cute. The process of designing a web site
calls on organizational, and artistic, skills that may be somewhat
dormant in educators. Your website is your public face to these students.
Do you also want a photo of your real face on your site? If so, how
do you do this? How do you do this without creating a page that will
take two minutes to load on a slow internet connection?
Your personality
will shine through to your students - take the time to design this
component of your course so that you and your students are prepared
for a high quality learning environment.
Course
Delivery
Most universities
have adopted "courseware" that is used to create and deliver
web-based content. These programs solve many of the problems confronted
by distance educators who attempt to design all course components
from scratch. In general, these programs are very good. They are
clearly superior to proprietary course tools provided by publishers.
In fact, many publishers have abandoned efforts to provide course
creation software and are offering course content that can
be included in popular courseware packages.
WebCT and Blackboard
appear to have cornered the courseware market and many institutions
have one or the other. Each of these delivery systems have limitations
but they offer many advantages to the online educator. It is relatively
easy to create a simple course website in just a few minutes - as
long as training is provided. These programs also have the flexibility
to serve the needs of more experienced web educators.
The adoption of
either of these packages requires an institutional decision that
is likely to be accompanied by various support systems. This support
typically includes faculty training in the use of these programs.
WebCT and Blackboard also include extensive support information on
their websites. These sites include discipline specific information
and opportunities to communicate with other distance educators. Much
of the material n these sites is freely available.
Courseware solutions
typically encourage faculty to post all course materials on the courseware
server. The result is that all materials are password protected.
One of the advantages of online course material is that this material
is available for review by prospective students and the general public.
This advantage is lost when all material is hidden behind a password.
Of course, this decision is up to the individual faculty member.
Some will prefer the secrecy offered by passwords while others see
advantages to open access.
If full access
is desired, the distance educator will need to find server space
for the posting of course materials that are not contained within
the structure of WebCT, Blackboard, or other course delivery tool.
The logical solution is to post this material on University servers.
In some cases this solution will result in costs to the department
as computer support services attempts to recover some of their costs.
If the cost for server space also includes help for faculty and students
this may be a cost effective solution.
The ownership of
course materials is another factor to be considered as you decide
where to post your course material. Many institutions have created
policies that claim ownership of all materials placed on university
servers. It is a good idea to check on the policies of your institution
before posting material on their servers.
Internet service
providers offer an alternative that protects the educator's ownership
rights. Some of these sites are free (with pop-ups or banners), others
charge a minimal fee with limited support, and others offer full
services including site design, hosting, and customer support.
There are many
differences between these services. Some offer Microsoft FrontPage
server extensions. This is a plus if you want to use some of the
advanced features (site map, search, etc) available in FrontPage.
Other services use UNIX or Linux servers - there are advantages to
these as well. Database support might also be an important feature.
Shop carefully,
looking for the features you will need for your courses. Customer
support varies greatly. It might be helpful to ask a question of
customer support before you commit to a service. The response will
give you a good idea of what to expect if you continue your relationship.
Finally, many of these services offer a lower rate if you commit
to a longer agreement. It may be a good idea to try out the service
for a shorter period of time before committing.
If you move your
pages off the university servers you get to choose a cool domain
name. The cost of registering a domain name has dropped significantly
over the past couple of years. Use a search engine to search for "registering
a domain name." You will be presented with many options. In
general, each company goes through the same process, especially if
you are registering a .com or .org name. Costs may vary so it is
a good idea to be sure you are getting something for the additional
cost.
In all cases, let
the buyer beware. The "corporation" you are dealing with
might be a 14-year-old with a server in the basement. This might
actually be preferable to a large company. Select a solution that
provides the level of service you need while providing a level of
support and trust that makes you comfortable.
These links should
help with these decisions:
Course
Management
At this point your
online course has been planned, designed, created, and posted. Be
sure to test all the components. Ask a few colleagues, students,
or others to test your site from their home or office computers.
This process will provide good feedback for last minute changes.
Screen resolutions, browser types, and connection speeds vary greatly
from one user to another. A good test run will help you eliminate
many potential problems.
It is finally time
to welcome your students. Students comfort and experience level is
an issue in any class. This is true for web-based classes, although
the sources of discomfort may be different. The first few days of
an online class are very important. It may be helpful to delay discussion
of the subject matter until students are comfortable with the mode
of delivery. You may want to place an end date of public discussion
of issues related to course delivery. When the majority of students
are comfortable with the format, further discussion of computer issues
becomes a distraction. Remaining problems can be addressed on an
individual basis without prolonging class discussion regarding course
delivery.
Issues related
to delivery that extend past the first couple weeks may be indicative
of several issues. If these problems are related to design, it is
important to address these problems as soon as possible. This can
be relatively easy when compared to problems associated with a distance
student's computer knowledge or equipment. It is not safe to assume
that a student that registers for an online course is computer savvy.
A clear statement of policy regarding equipment and support can eliminate
or minimize these problems.
Online courses
can place different demands on the educator's schedule. Students
are often online late at night. If the professor is comfortable with
this schedule he or she may find that this time presents an opportunity
to interact with students. It can be strangely comforting to know
that you are not the only one in class at 1:00 am. Of course, this
schedule is not required and it is entirely possible to teach web-based
courses on a 9-5 schedule. Set the expectations at the start so students
understand, and respect, your schedule and work style.
Grading issues
are also a bit different in a web-based course. We are all aware
of "good" students that complete their work on team, every
time, in a traditional classroom. These students keep up with their
work because they carefully keep track of all deadlines. They know
they completed and submitted a given assignment because the assignment
was handed to the professor in class. These students often respond
in a different way to online assignments. They can be uncomfortable
with the uncertainty associated with the submission of an online
assignment. Clicking a "send" button may not be enough
for a student that worries about every assignment. They may submit
an assignment several times, perhaps asking for a quick acknowledgement
of each submission.
We are also familiar
with the less motivated student. This student may exploit the uncertainty
associated with the submission of online assignments. The online
educator is placed in a difficult situation when a student, who was
assumed to be AWOL, suddenly appears after a three week absence,
claiming that he or she has been there all along.
Problems with each
of these students can be reduced with a carefully worded course outline.
This is especially important in a class that does not meet in person.
Provide a clear listing of expectations, schedule, response time,
and other issues. Quick grading of assignments, accompanied by an
e-mail or online discussion post that announces that assignments
have been graded, can reduce these problems. Problems can be reduced
once students are comfortable with the online assignments and are
aware that the professor is closely monitoring the class and assignments.
The following links
address a range of course management issues:
The
Next Course
Here is some good
news. The first course can be a bit rough but at the end of the semester
you have the framework for continued development of this course.
You have also acquired the skills needed to try again.
Other
Information
Examples
I leave my course
information online and have provided links below. The internet provides
a great opportunity to learn. Unfortunately, the commercialization
of the Internet has made this tool less valuable to students and
educators. I believe in free access to learning materials and have
participated in enough publisher funded "focus groups" to
know that publishers would prefer to limit free access to knowledge.
A downside of the
choice to leave materials online is that this material has the potential
to become outdated. An advantage is that potential students have
an opportunity to review materials as they choose their courses.
Another advantage is that any student, regardless of enrollment status,
has access to quality course materials - just don't ask me to grade
your papers!
Copyright concerns
may also reduce the motivation to leave materials online. Ownership
of online content is a contentious issue. As discussed above, Blackboard
and WebCT allow the educator to place materials in password protected
areas. In spite of my support of free access, I also place certain
materials in password protected areas. Each online educator has the
power to make decisions about access to course materials. The range
of tools available to online educators allow this choice. "One
size fits all" tools such as WebCT may cause educators to keep
all their materials in one place. This can be a tempting option but
remember that everything will be hidden behind a password. With a
little creativity, and a few website creation skills, educators are
empowered to provide full, limited, or no access to their materials.
Finally, will your
materials be stolen? The reality is that it is very easy to steal
entire websites and repackage them as your own. It is also very easy
to discover these "copies" by doing a search of the web.
Would a web educator be "flattered" if someone ripped off
his or her course material? No, most would be offended. The only
consolation is that if the "educator" is too lazy and/or
uninspired to create unique web content at least the students will
benefit from the once-removed efforts of a caring educator.
The following links
provide examples of course web pages.
Links
to Online Courses or Syllabi
Distance
Education - C.J. Degree Programs
University-based
The links included
on the left margin of this page include brief descriptions of many
criminal justice programs in the United States. Many of these programs
offer, or plan to offer, web-based courses or degrees. The following
lists include programs that offer online coursework leading to a
complete degree. These lists are limited to progra
Undergraduate Degrees
Internet-based
A growing number
of criminal justice degree programs are being offered by internet-based
institutions. In contrast to traditional universities, these
are "for profit" ventures. Accreditation is typically
from an organization that specializes in accrediting online degree
programs.
Remember that an
assumption of this presentation is that skilled distance educators
will, when provided with adequate resources, create online learning
environments that are equivalent to, or superior to, the learning
environment found in "traditional" classrooms. To
be brutally honest, and perhaps somewhat biased, a review of the "for
profit" educational sites cast doubt on the validity of that
assumption.
I began to list
several of these programs but discovered that these companies are
paying search engines and other sources for referrals and clicks
to their site. Why should I use this page to give it away,
especially when these programs appear to be below the standards we
have come to expect, and work hard to maintain, in established Colleges
and Universities?
Search for "online
criminal justice degrees" on any search engine. Since
they pay for their positioning on search results, these programs
will be at or near the top of the list. Go ahead and click
on the links - the search engine provider will bill the program for
each referral.
Accreditation
Issues
Distance
Education - Administrative Issues
Institutions are
rapidly adopting web-based models of distance education. Departments,
colleges, and individual faculty are being pressured to create online
courses and programs, in spite of the lack of experience and expertise
in distance education. To make matters worse, those who are
exerting this pressure may be similarly unprepared for the challenges
of delivering and supporting web-based educational content.
Is the pressure
to move toward web-based models a threat? Does this pressure
lead to opportunity for those that "take the bait?" How
does web-based education interact with intellectual property rights,
academic freedom, and tenure? What level of institutional support
will be required? The following links provide information about
a range of issues to be considered.
General
Issues
Infrastructure
Training
Ownership
Compensation
Tenure
Conclusion
The state of web-based
education is somewhat unsettled. Institutions have rapidly,
and perhaps naively, expanded their offerings in web-based distance
education. Faculty members have devoted a significant amount
of energy in their efforts to "go online." Students
have been lured by promises, either real or imagined, of an educational
experience that fits into their busy schedules.
Distance education
has always been promoted as a low-cost solution to many problems
faced by higher education. Eventually, institutions get around
to counting money. We are now reaching that stage and these
institutions are discovering that distance education is not, at this
point, as profitable as they anticipated (see the Chronicle of Higher
Education article linked below).
Those who have
experienced success in web-based education will be quick to point
out that a focus on profitability diverts attention from the effectiveness
of web-based course delivery. Web-based courses have the potential
to be at least as effective as traditional courses. In addition,
web-based courses meet distance needs that have always been active,
especially in sparsely populated areas that cannot support traditional
institutions.
Many educators
that have integrated web content into their courses report high levels
of satisfaction, both with the process and the result. This
effort requires a significant commitment in terms of time and energy. Hopefully
this page, and the links provided, will make this process more efficient.
Educators have
strong feelings about retaining academic freedom. Web-based education
provides another battle ground regarding this issue. In many cases
the educator feels liberated by an educational setting that offers
an unprecedented level of control over course content. However, this
freedom can be eliminated if online educators do not make informed
arguments about the future of this method of course delivery. In
effect, knowledge of the issues surrounding online education are
important for all educators, even those who do not plan to teach
online.
Web-based courses
can be very time consuming, in the design stage as well as during
the times in which the course is active. As with any skill,
the process gets easier with experience. Course materials can
start out very simply, perhaps just a course outline. The simple
process of posting a course outline will illustrate the potential
of online content. For example, lets assume your course outline
discusses a required term paper. As with a traditional course
outline, you tell the students that you expect their papers to follow
APA style. An online syllabus can include links to pages that describe
APA style, formatting and organizational options for term papers,
and examples of good papers from past classes. The richness of the
online syllabus makes it easier for students to learn on their own,
buying valuable time for more productive teaching and learning activity.
Web-based course
content, when used a supplement to traditional material, can lead
to increased flexibility in the classroom. For example, the
process of administering and grading exams can be very mechanical. Class
time spent on exams is not particularly productive. If exams
are placed online this time can be used for class activities that
lead to additional learning experiences. In effect, the mechanization
of certain course elements allows the educator to focus on productive
and rewarding class experiences. When used in this way "distance" technology
has the potential to lead to a more personal and student centered
classroom experience.
Flexibility is
one of the most attractive features of web-based courses. This flexibility
extends to course design, content selection, and the use of time. Students
place a high value on the opportunity to participate in a class during
times that fit their schedule. Faculty have busy schedules
and they also benefit from this flexibility.
Is web-based education
for everyone? No, of course not. Is this method of delivery
equally effective in all contexts? Again, no. However,
for a growing number of administrators, educators, and students,
web-based education makes a lot of sense. Distance education
has a past that has not always included successful innovation. The
internet offers an opportunity to resolve many of the problems associated
with previous efforts to educate at a distance. As such, the
future of web-based education appears to be quite bright. Through
the careful efforts of educators, that potential may be reached.
The
Future
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