I don't think the developers need to be "wizards" but I certainly think the person in charge of developing online material should have solid "online" computer skills. I have found that accessing basic features is pretty clear cut. However, there are some features that require a great deal of comfort navigating platforms online. A person who is confused by Facebook or uses only the most basic functions of standard programs probably would not be the best fit. I am always surprised at the number of adults in my peer group that have difficulty posting to forums or they don't realize the tools they have at right in front of them. The best person for the job should be an instructor who is comfortable and capable of successfully exploring all the features of the LMS not just the easiest.
Best,
Tanya Klatt
I agree that developers of an online course to not have to be tech wizards, but they must have some knowledge of technology. If the developer is not knowledgeable about the technology then it might be difficult to assume credibility.
James,
and.....will this person be a expert in the content?
Shelly Crider
Ricardo,
Nice post with great insight! Understanding technology that is used in our classes is a must, but being a wizard is a plus not a must.
Shelly Crider
I agree that developers of online courses do not have to be technological wizards. The actual implementation of the design must be supported by technological wizards.
It is important to consult with the technical support team during development of the course for ideas and feasibility of design. There may actually be better designs to achieve the desired learning activities.
The course development should be a 'team effort' with multiple experts involved. A team leader should be assigned having the most experience in ISD. One must ask the following question: Are the individuals involved in ISD experts in their respective tasks?
Of course being a technological 'wizard' would be very helpful in this process.
Developers do not have to be technological wizards. They should however understand that not all end users will have the same level of computer experience. So the challenge is to develop courses that appeal to a wide variety of users that are able to understand content and not let delivery get in the way.
I would agree, as an ISD you dont have to be a tech wizard. You need to be able to go through the ADDIE process to create the an online course.
Patrick,
It is actually nice for an instructor to learn along the way as well!
Shelly Crider
Daniel,
I like receiving evaluations from students to help me with changing up the class. Sometimes it works to the better and sometimes the change flops!
Shelly Crider
I agree due to online courses requiring and using the same concepts found in traditional learning environments. The only hurdle is spending time and appropriately apply those concepts online, which there are many helpful tools and training sessions available for this.
I do agree that you do not need to be a technological wizard to develop on-line classes, but it is expected by employers. Many times it is assumed that you are technological wizard when hired and are expected to not only develop the courses but to maintain them as a IT technician. My expertise is education not technology while I have the credentials to instruct a class I do not have the training or patients to be a IT technician nor would be a choice of mine to be such. I can develop any curriculum but need good IT/tech support from the educational organization to make things work. I have your basic computer knowledge and bring a lot to the table but being a technological wizard would not be considered one of them.
There are many levels of wizardry - but in the end - developers of online content need to be wizards. If developers are working in online content - there need to be a level of comfort with the technology.
That level of comfort is necessary to ensure that the developer has the expertise to effectively assess their work - and also have the skills to change, fix and rework their courses. During evaluation, there will be many comments to address from the curriculum team. All of them need to be considered - and some may require a strong skill set to make sure they are integrated into the final solutions.
Zachary,
To be an expert in what is being taught is a must. This will show students the information is important.
Shelly Crider
Bret,
This gives us time to focus on the content!!
Shelly Crider
Developers of online courses should have an above average level of technological experience. If you are developing content for an online course being familiar with available platform features is important for structural purposes; however, developers testing the online course environment and putting course content within the platform should be able to perform tasks at a higher technological level than a subject matter expert.
While developers of online courses do not have to be "technological wizards," they should still possess some technological savvy. Instructional designers should have basic familiarity with how to embed graphics, video, or sound.
Jay Familant
While they do not need to be technical wizards they must have some proficiency with the technology platform. However I believe subject matter expertise is more important than technological expertise as technical proficiency is easier to develop in a short time. Many institutions also have technology specialists that can assist the instructor/content developer.
Those who develop online courses do not need to know everything about technology. They do have to know 2 things: knowledge of the subject matter that they are teaching and how to work in the technology of the online platform where they are creating the content. However, if they do not know how all computer programs or even how the background software is constructed, that is okay. They mainly need to know what they are teaching and how to get the course set up.
Greg,
I like the fact that you mention a variety of technical skills.
Shelly Crider
I would agree that developers (instructors) of online courses do not have to be technological wizards. I would include the caveat that they should not be technological novices either. Today, the publishers of most textbooks know that if they want to increase their market they must include instructor resources such as PowerPoint slides, videos, animations and even test banks for the instructor to use. As an instructor I appreciate those resources because in the past I’ve had the time consuming task of developing visual media and tests from scratch and know what a laborious task it is. I feel fortunate that technology is advanced enough so that I don’t need to know computer programming language to create a PowerPoint presentation or even use the computer in the classroom…whew!!
