Software programs and computer systems for organizing courses continue to grow in popularity and can be divided into two categories. The first category includes “standalone” computer hardware and software that is obtained by an institution and used onsite to deliver course-related content (intranet). The second category is a server environment capable of delivering content to anyone anywhere in the world via the world wide web. Physical absence no longer prevents students from participating in an educational experience. A 2005 survey of 2,200 colleges by the Sloan Consortium reported that nearly 3.2 million students took at least one online course in the fall of 2005, up from 2.3 million in 2004 (Carnevale 2006). Such programs can reach students who are physically or geographically unable to attend school. Some distance learners can interact with teachers and their peers on a daily basis.
Course organization programs facilitate the creation and delivery of text, graphics, and multimedia learning environments. In general, these programs deliver material that was previously only available in a traditional print-based format. Additionally, these systems provide students and teachers with instant access to email, course syllabi, calendars, discussions, blogs, live chat, collaborative conferences, galleries for publication of student work, educational communities around the world where students can learn about other cultures, and links to other relevant websites. Instructors can post student grades, comments, and progress reports.
WebCT, acquired by Blackboard in 2005, is one of the oldest and best-known programs, used by more than 3,700 colleges, schools, corporations, and government agencies in the US and other countries to create web-based educational content. This content can be integrated with traditional classroom instruction or can be posted for dedicated distance learning. Developed at the University of British Columbia, the WebCT program provides a customizable “shell” to post content such as text, images, audio, and video. WebCT also provides communication and testing tools, tracking of student activity online, grading, calendar, and student presentation area. The four classes of users in a WebCT course, each with its own set of privileges, include: administrator, designer, teaching assistants, and students.
Other course organization programs include Convene from Learning Technology Partners (LTP) of San Francisco. This program assists smaller schools with on-demand hosted academic technologies. The FirstClass groupware engine, produced by Embanet, is designed to foster learner collaboration at a distance for colleges, universities, corporations, and associations by providing a hosting service for learning platforms, live technical support, course development, and training services.
IntraLearn Software Corporation (ISC) provides technology that educators can use to create, deliver, and measure interactive learning over the Internet and intranets. More than 2,000 corporations, academic institutions, and associations use ISC’s products to provide e-learning to millions of learners worldwide. The Learning Manager® (TLM) provides tools for development, delivery, reporting, and management of training and learning materials. Based on a modular approach, TLM allows clients to expand and tailor functionality to their current and changing needs. The Learning Manager® users can build the application that matches their organization’s requirements.
The FirstClass Communications Platform, Open Text, develops and supplies schools, school districts and other educational organizations with a messaging and collaboration system including basic email and voicemail. The ToolBook, produced by SumTotal, is an authoring suite that organizations can use to create content and simulations for learning. The program is used to create professional, standards-based simulations, tutorials, assessments, courses, and interactive content. Finally, eCollege provides the technology and services for online distance programs, online degrees, certificates, and professional development programs for publicly traded for-profit institutions, community colleges, and public and private universities.
Empirical research results about the effectiveness of courses using such technology are mixed. Although some scholars found that web-assisted instruction was more effective than traditional classroom instruction (Maki & Maki 2002; Twigg 2003), others found that instruction without the use of programs produced better results (Wang & Newlin 2000; Waschull 2001). A third group of researchers found no significant differences between classroom and online instruction (Benoit et al. 2006). Limitations acknowledged by past studies include small sample sizes and potentially confounding co-variates such as student age, gender, and previous computer knowledge by both student and teacher. As students and teachers become increasingly comfortable with technology, the effectiveness of learning from course education programs could improve. Another limitation of past studies is the inability to generalize the amount of learning in one subject to all subjects using course organization programs.
- Benoit, P. J., Benoit, W. J., Milyo, J., & Hansen, G. J. (2006). The effects of traditional vs web-assisted instruction on student learning and satisfaction. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri-Columbia.
- Carnevale, D. (2006). Online education continues to grow, report says. Chronicle of Higher Education. At https://www.chronicle.com/article/Online-Education-Continues-to/13293.
- Maki, W. S., & Maki, R. H. (2002). Multimedia comprehension skill predicts differential outcomes of web-based and lecture outcomes. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 8, 85 – 98.
- Twigg, C. A. (2003). Improving quality and reducing costs: Designs for effective learning. Change, 35, 22 –29.
- Wang, A. Y., & Newlin, M. H. (2000). Characteristics of students who enroll and succeed in psychology web-based classes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 137–142.
- Waschull, S. B. (2001). The online delivery of psychology courses: Attrition, performance and evaluation. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 143 –147.
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