A Toolkit for Web-Based Course Creation and Conversion

Abstract

Web-based instruction is not a new phenomenon. There are 15–20 years of research and literature to support the effectiveness of web-based instruction. The purpose of this article is to synthesize the research in this field in order to determine which factors are critical to the success of web-based instruction. We created a toolkit to assist instructors in creating web-based instruction. First, we attest that one must be aware of web-based students’ performance. Second, social presence should be established through discussion forums and collaborative activities. Third, teacher presence should be moderated. Fourth, web-based courses should base course content in project-based learning activities. Fifth, a web-based instructor must provide optimal feedback. Empirical evidence is cited to support each of the five “tools.”

Keywords

Web-based collaboration course development

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