Managing On-Line courses
How much prep work is required to manage on-line course work?
William,
I am happy that you take the time to go through the class and give it your touch.
Shelly Crider
Online courses usually require a significant amount of prep work. Especially if you have full responsibility for course development. I have tautght in some universities where they cannned lectures and activities and I find that even then I need to adjust and organize the class so that I feel it is a worthy and academically strong class.
I agree for the most part, an online course if not terribly time consuming to manage. If it's the first time I've taught the course, I will spend more time prepping before the class begins. But most often, I'll prepare for one-two weeks before students log in: proofing quiz questions, multi-media links, pre-loaded materials, and then organizing my handouts, study guides, lecture notes and visuals. Once the course begins I organize time for discussion board participation, grading assignments, lecture delivery, office hour, and administrative communications--much like an on-gound course.
Personally, I have not found that it requires much more prep work. This may be because I use many different media's in my on the ground classrooms.
Online courses are much more detailed. If you are teaching an online class you should spend at least twice the amount of time as a on ground class. It takes lots of postings and detail to communicate with the students. Dr. Tipton
