CW2001 Program - Computers and Writing

Friday
3:45 — 5:00 Session D.6
Teaching Online Courses:
When the Course Author is Not the Only Instructor
RB 292
John Ronan, moderator
Dawn Rodrigues
Teaching Online Courses:
When the Course Author is Not the Only Instructor
An issue that faces many instructors who are asked to teach online is
whether they can develop their own course or at least customize the
courses they have inherited from others. In many cases, the course
management system itself either isn’t flexible or the pre-packaged content
is not pedagogically sound. In some cases, however, the institution
simply doesn’t want the instructors to make changes, for they have
invested too much money in the initial development of the courses.
Nick Carbone
Raising Pedagogical Consciousness Through the Interplay of Content
There’s been a tradition of not really supporting teaching in the old
brick-and-mortar technologies that carries over, unfortunately, to new
technologies. The market for products is, therefore, driven by developers
who can promise ease of use more than anything else. What’s needed
are products and courses online that build in good pedagogy, as well
as ways to use the course tools wisely.
Kathy Fitch
The Continuing Importance of Faculty Voices
in Online Course Evolution
Repackaged lessons rarely support the goal of easing the transition
into online teaching, though it is possible to imagine that some
well-designed courseware might do so. In practice, good courseware
too readily becomes a replacement for good support and good
planning. Faculty can develop the understandings they need to create
their own courseware. In fact, they must develop these understandings.
56 Computers & Writing 2001