Abstract
This chapter shares the experiences from a faculty member who teaches an online course-Shakespeare’s Major Plays, and from an instructional designer who helps the faculty design the course. It also relates the effective use of Course Management Tool-WebCT, to facilitate teaching activities and to engage student learning. This chapter concludes that a successful online course depends on two important factors, learner-engaged teaching and effective use of technology. The balance between the two enhances the efficacy of education and technology.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Accessibility: Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a system is usable by as many people as possible. In this chapter, it means the course content materials and activities are accessible to students.
Instructional Design: Instructional design, and the more holistically based practice instructional systems design, are technologies of education and instruction. Instructional design and instructional systems design are scientifically derived processes which are intended to optimize learning gains in knowledge and performance from precisely designed instruction.
Shakespeare: William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, and the world’s preeminent dramatist.
Learning Community: A learning community is commonly referred to a group of people in an educational context who share common values and beliefs. They are actively engaged in learning together and from each other.
Web Pedagogy: Web pedagogy is the theories and goals that inform the instructional design process and harmonize content for teaching and learning effectiveness.
Assessment: Assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs. Assessment in this chapter refers to the graded class activities conducted by the instructor.
Engage: Engage is to involve students in the process of learning.