Course Rationale

This on-line course was designed to 1) meet the needs of students who wished to improve their communications and quantitative reasoning skills and who could not easily attend classes at a campus location and 2) test the effect of an asynchronous format on the ability to learn of students who are inhibited by fast-paced technical courses.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:

• demonstrate their communications and reasoning skills.
• develop confidence in their abilities to perform quantitative work.

Course Description

• This one-credit Web-based course is designed for 100-level undergraduate students who: 1) find it difficult to attend classes at campus locations and 2) learn more effectively and efficiently at their own pace.

Teaching Using Technology: Impressions and Interpretations
Impact on Faculty and Student Learning

From the Point of View of the Instructor

• The instructor attempted to solve problems of discouragement among students who were uncomfortable with the fast pace of classroom activities and assignments. "I wanted to test the effect of an asynchronous format on students’ ability to learn."
• Neither of the two goals was met because students in the course did not meet the characteristics for which this particular on-line course was designed.
• Since the objectives of the course were not met, the instructor has no way of knowing if the technology assisted or hindered student learning.
• Although the instructor became more familiar with the use of Web-based technology, he learned nothing about student learning via distance.
• The instructor devoted much more time to this one-credit on-line course than to a three-credit traditional course primarily because of time spent responding to e-mail messages from students.
• Even though a portion of the grade was based upon participation in listserv discussions, students were reluctant to use the listserv in conversing with each other.
• Some students searched the Internet to identify information needed to solve problems; however, the instructor does not consider that fact enough to identify any qualitative learning changes.
• It seemed to the instructor that the technology provided nothing beyond access to resources and research tools.
• The instructor believes that he needs to become more active on the listserv by stimulating listserv discussions. Also, he needs to change the structure of the course by making it less self-contained. One such technique currently being used is the inclusion of several questions and problems that are ambiguous for the purpose of forcing students to work with each other.
• The instructor did not report whether or not he plans to develop another course using the Internet or another technology.

From the Point of View of the Peer Observer

• Listserv communication was considered to be below expectations.
• Students seemed to be adept at using the technology.
• Students are as much inclined in a traditional course with a receptive instructor to ask questions and discuss topics. "I am not convinced that students are necessarily more inclined to ask questions in this type (Web-based) course structure."
• Group exercises could be incorporated into this course to increase interaction among students.
• Students are pleased with the flexibility that a Web-based course allows them. Likewise, time spent getting to and from an on-campus class "can be utilized more efficiently by the use of this media."

Table of Contents

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Last updated: 30 April 2001
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~iude/casebook/index.html
Comments regarding Casebook:
Eileen Bender or Judith Wertheim
Comments regarding Web page: Marlene Gardner
Copyright 2001, The Trustees of Indiana University