Basic is best at times. When you get into more critical courses, you may want to add more resources.
I love that approach. Get an expert working with a designer and your class will blossom!
In my experience the best online experience for students comes from a team approach to online course development. While we want the course to have instructional integrity, we also want it to have enough bells and whistles to keep the students' interest and even more importantly, we want the process to be a seemless experience for the students. Therefore, it is most helpful if a subject matter expert, and instructional design expert and a technological wizard worked together to design a course that was comprehensive, effective and interesting. Even for ground programs, instructional designers work with subject matter experts.
I agree. A basic course could be put together with knowledge of powerpoint and basic cut and paste.
Some basic web design would be helpful but not requried.
A motivated individual who does not mind learning as he goes would be able to put an elearning course.
I do not think developers of online courses have to be technological wizards, if the developers are also the instructors. However, instructors should have some technical knowledge as it applies to the LMS used in the course. Audio, presentation software, and the various communication channels are instrumental in conveying online course content. Having a basic understanding will help instructors engage their students and create favorable student outcomes.
Instructional design specialists, on the other hand, should be technological wizards for the various software used to create courses. At my fulltime job in a corporate learning environment, we have a team of Design Analysts who create animated characters, design courses in Adobe Presenter, and add animation to standard course material.
Stephen W. Volz, DBA
I so agree with you! The instructor should have a very good feel for the LMS for the questions that will come his/her way.
First of all, the online instructor needs to know the ins and outs of the LMS. Students will not always know the ins and outs and we must help them through that process. In order to use all the technology that is out there to better the learning environment, I feel online instructors need to have a fairly high level of technical knowledge.
There is a must for famliarity due to the fact that it comes across to the students.
I disagree. I do not believe a developer of an online course has to be a technology wizard. It is an advantage if one is, but it will not make or break you. An online developer should be perceptive in knowing how to use his/her resources, and be hungry to learn and try new techniques. From my experience, developers all have different skills and areas of expertise. One developer usually is the technological wizard, another is a design genius, and one is a content expert. Each is likely to learn skills and share techniques from and with the other.
I agree that they do not have to be wizards at technology, but they need to be familiar with it and comfortable with it otherwise they are setting themselves up for failure.
How can we, as instructors, help our students with the technology if we ourselves are afraid of it or not used to it? We need to know how to use it and move around within it.
Kim
They must have the background to understand what is being discussed, displayed or presented. If they do not know the difference between a tree and a frog the student will get confused.
I would agree to the extent that the developers are designing the course therefore having a great wealth of technological expertise will provide instructors who use the online course with the tools to fully complete all of the components involved in the analysis phase. If the developer is indeed a technological wizard then an instructor can easily find the elements that are suitable for the content of the course; measure assessments, delivery platforms; capabilities of computer systems used by students and the technology they are using. In my opinion the instructor nor the student has to be a technological wizard but if the developer is, the end product will make all stages of the online environment user friendly for the teacher and the learner.
good point, a good base is good.
I'm not sure wizard, but I would say that they must have a greater set of skills when it comes to computers. I think having a system that is set in place for you to get help and the questions when you need help is important.
I am happy to see you say learning theories...this is a good quality.
Instructional System Designers must be knowledgable in technical specifications, learning theories, and be good communicators as they will need to work with SMEs, graphic designers, audio, and educational administration.
