Cross-Cultural Considerations for Designing International Internet-Based Learning  

As increasing numbers of multinational corporations, consultants, universities, and instructional designers create Internet-based learning (IBL) courses or require courses to be taken via the Internet, not all are aware of the need to adjust their design expectations and assumptions due to cross-cultural considerations involved in such online courses. Eight critical considerations discussed in this paper include the following: language, culture, technical infrastructure, local/global perspective, learning styles, reasoning patterns, high/low context communication, and social context. Recommendations are listed for low-context designers to design with more cultural sensitivity for global learners and also for high- context learners who take low-context IBL courses.

Vawn Tinney, Mari, Joanne P. H. Bentley and Bing-Howe Chia. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Education>Online>International

Crossing Institutional and Programmatic Identity Boundaries: The Possibilities of an Online Graduate Consortium  

Should institutional boundaries prevent online students from learning from the best professors available? What is the effect of employing remote professors on a program's identity, and how do remote or distant professors fit into a faculty's programmatic and pedagogical profile?

Cargile Cook, Kelli. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Online

Crossing the Boundaries of Instruction: Assessing Web-Based Courses

We recently conducted survey research to discover students' responses to our web-based courses and online programs. We wanted to know their reactions to the course materials, teaching methods, interactions with faculty and other students, as well as their own competence in the particular subject area following such as course. While we are discovering that students are generally satisfied with all aspects of the courses, they express valid and noteworthy concerns.

Tovey, Janice and Michelle F. Eble. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Assessment>Online

The Culture of Distance Education: Implementing an Online Graduate Level Course in Audience Analysis      

This essay details the experience of designing, implementing, and evaluating an online course in audience analysis at the graduate level. Through a discussion of the culture of this online course, I describe how the educational culture of the Land Grant Mission flowed into our efforts to create a quality learning experience, and how the Web modules and asynchronous (listserv) and synchronous (MOO) conversations influenced communication and learning.

Duin, Ann Hill. Technical Communication Quarterly (1998). Articles>Education>Audience Analysis>Online

Design and Assessment of Web-Based Learning Environments: The Smart Engineering Project and the Instructional Software Development Center at U.M.R.  

We present a framework for web-based learning design, which consists of seven basic components: directionality, usability, consistency, interactivity, multi-modality, adaptability, and accountability. We propose that effective design begins with a clear delineation of the intended audience, usage context, and learning goals and that all further design occurs within the context of these factors (i.e. directionality). The design factors themselves can be seen as representing the fundamental contrasting goals of simplicity (usability and consistency) and complexity (interactivity, multi-modality, and adaptability). We propose that effective design consists of the proper balance of simplicity and complexity. Finally, design should include an evaluation component (accountability), which should in turn impact design modification via feedback. We review research that relates to the components of the framework, including a recent assessment on Web-Based modules as part of the PsychConnections project. We also pose recommendations and provide examples from the Smart Engineering Project and other instructional multi-media developed under the auspices of the Instructional Software Development Center at the University of Missouri-Rolla.

Hall, Richard H., Steve E. Watkins, Robert Davis, Abdeldjelil Belarbi and K. Chandrashekhara. University of Missouri-Rolla (2003). Articles>Education>Online

Design Once: Use Again and Again and Again…  

You can either do it over and over again; or, you can design it once and use it again and again. The decision to create reusable learning modules need not be an expensive one. It just requires modular design.

Horton, William K. III. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Designing Accessible Web Based Courseware with Authoring Tools

Creation of Web based courseware has become easier and quicker, particularly, for non-Web experts with the advent of authoring software which allows authors to put together resources without requiring to learn HTML. However, there are problems regarding the accessibility of resources produced by such software, and this article discusses the nature of these problems and how they can be overcome.

Sloan, David. TechDis (2000). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Determining Constraints for e-Learning

One of the challenges of starting an e-learning are the constraints. If you don’t uncover them before you begin a project and choose software, the issues can come back to haunt you. Following are questions you can ask to determine the constraints you'll need to address when implementing e-learning in your organization. You might need to ask additional questions, but these should give you a good start.

Carliner, Saul. Saul Carliner Studio (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

Digital Language and Literacy: An Online Course Design Learning Community  

This paper overviews a discipline-specific educational technology assistance program titled Digital Language and Literacy, which links technologically literate graduate students in English with faculty developing online courses for the first time. Such models not only help with online course design but also help to establish technological and pedagogical learning communities among current and future faculty.

Blair, Kristine L. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Education>Online>Case Studies

The Distance Learning Experience: Developing, Transmitting and Participating in Courses Delivered at a Distance  

Distance education comes in all shapes and sizes. Videotaping led to satellite and videoconferencing. Today, web-based videostreaming is gaining popularity in many areas. Back in 1995, a team from Rensselaer and IBM met to discuss opportunities to deliver leading edge user interface design education via distance delivery methods. Join our panel discussion to hear how this program has progressed, and how Rensselaer’s Professional and Distance Education Program continues to work directly with its customers to deliver leading edge distance education.

Brauneis, David, Kim Scalzo and David Hans. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Education>Online>Videoconferencing

Distance Learning: One Student's Perspective  

A teacher of technical writing relates her experiences, both positive and negative, as a student in a virtual classroom. Deming's discussion is a helpful preview for anyone curious about online courses.

Deming, Lynn H. Intercom (2000). Articles>Education>Online

Doc, I've Been Looking at Some Web Sites--So What Should I Believe?  

Because anyone, from nationally renowned physicians to your next-door neighbor, can post health information online, readers need to be selective when taking advice from medical web sites. Several non-profit and government agencies have developed guidelines to help readers as they evaluate health and medical information online. Some researchers have also begun to study the ways that readers actually judge the credibility of web sites. Recommendations from heuristic guidelines and recent empirical research have been distilled into a list of guidelines for writers and editors.

Freeman, Krisandra S. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Education>Biomedical>Online

E-Book Technology and Its Potential Applications in Distance Education    

The potential for distance learning students to use e-books is explored. E-books are gaining wider interest since the introduction of portable electronic reading devices and software-based readers that provide users with more realistic book reading experiences. The paper discusses where to acquire e-book technology, and how to create e-books. It also reports an evaluation to test the usability of different types of e-book compiler software. By using one of the compilers, the use of e-books to improve the interaction between educators and distance learning students in terms of access to teaching and learning materials and submission of assignments is also demonstrated.

Shiratuddin, Norshuhada, Monica Landoni, Forbes Gibb and Shahizan Hassan. Journal of Digital Information (2003). Articles>Education>Online>eBooks

E-Education in the UK    

The paper outlines the results of a survey, by the EBONI project, of lecturers’ use of and attitudes to electronic teaching and learning material, providing a snapshot of the current situation in UK higher education. Differences in the extent and type of e-content usage between academic disciplines, and lecturers’ intentions for the future, are discussed. Based on an analysis of their hopes and concerns, recommendations are made for increasing the development, usage and effectiveness of electronic content.

Wilson, Ruth. Journal of Digital Information (2003). Articles>Education>Online>United Kingdom

E-education: Design and Evaluation for Teaching and Learning    

Recent technological developments have provided a powerful stimulus for the production of a range of electronic materials for education. A number of products and prototypes to assist teaching and learning have been produced and educational materials have been extensively published electronically, but it is still unclear to what extent all of this is of use to students and lecturers/tutors when it comes to real teaching and learning. Looking at the example of electronic books indicates not only the main reasons why electronic materials have not completely replaced the physical counterpart, but more importantly suggests how to improve the quality of the materials and tools currently available.

Landoni, Monica and Paloma Diaz. Journal of Digital Information (2003). Articles>Education>Online>Assessment

E-Learning and Legislation

Using electronic media for learning and teaching is widespread. E-Learning offers opportunities for staff to convey material in a variety of ways and ultimately on 'anytime, anyplace' basis. E-learning materials can range from the simple act of putting lecture notes on line to simulations of real life. This means that distance learning (both off and on campus) is a realistic possibility, with students able to take part in class discussions via email and online discussion forums, and at the same time being able to remotely access materials and information. These materials do not need to be static web pages, as technologies such as broadband improve audio and video may be made available on a faculty Intranet allowing students to review material already covered, or prepare for lectures and tutorials. For example, medical students may review a video of clinical procedures 'streamed' over the intranet and then discuss them in a tutorial, the flexibility of streaming would allow the students to view the video at the their own pace and at times which suit them.

Sloan, Martin. TechDis (2002). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

E-Learning Trends in China  

China faces the enormous task of educating its 1.3 billion citizens, many of whom face extensive educational and social disparity, as well as extreme geographic isolation. Find out how e-learning--and technical communicators--can help solve this educational problem.

Johnston, James. Intercom (2007). Articles>Education>Online>China

E-Learning, Single Sourcing and SCORM  

E-learning is a highly effective way of providing training to widely dispersed audiences. Single sourcing (information reuse) provides the facility to create and store reusable content from a single source, and delivers that content to multi-channel information products for learners. SCORM is the Sharable Content Object Reference Model; it’s an initiative of the ADL (Advanced Distributed Learning Network). This session provides an understanding of how you can create effective e-learning materials using single sourcing or SCORM.

Rockley, Ann and Steve Manning. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Education>Single Sourcing>Online

E-Learning: When and Why  

Technical communicators have a responsibility to help companies determine when e-learning is an appropriate training solution. Smith offers criteria for making informed training choices.

Smith, Jane L. Intercom (1995). Articles>Education>Online

E-Mail in the Classroom Workplace  

E-mail usage creates special concerns in education, and teachers must learn how to make e-mail a more effective tool. Students must be taught how to use e-mail for purposes other than informal communication and to evaluate sources of information gathered through correspondence. Although e-mail presents problems in how and what students learn, it also can foster international learning experiences, provide some students with a clearer method of expressing their ideas, and increase collaboration.

Porter, Lynnette R. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Online>Email

Effective Computer-Based Training Design

The purpose of computer-based training (CBT) is to motivate students to reach clearly defined objectives, so CBT design elements should help learners reach those goals. The interface design results from a complex interrelationship among these primary factors.

Edwards, Verlane. STC Central Iowa (2001). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Online

ELT on the NET: The Internet In English Language Teaching

Well before most us come to the end of our working lives use of the Internet and World Wide Web in education will be standard practice.

Hudson, Roger. Usability.com.au (1997). Articles>Education>Online>Australia

EPSScentral: Online Learning

Articles about emerging trends in online learning that may affect the design and development to electronic performance support systems.

EPSScentral. Articles>Education>Online>EPSS