I agree with everything you said about D2L!! That is why I think online learning goes back to the teacher. It is so essential that you set up an efficient and effective online classroom using whatever tool the school uses, such as D2L. I also think important information needs to be reiterated in more than one place and throughout the course. We all live such hectic lives and we need to support our students to succeed, not hope they can figure out what we want them to do. The students see things differently on their d2L screen. When one person is confused, I am not doing my job of making the information easy enough to follow. So it is important to ask them for feedback, on what we can do to make it easier for them to succeed.

I completely agree that the cost, convenience, and flexibility are huge benefits. However, I do not feel that we are to the point that online learning is as effective yet. Like you pointed out, the educator plays a significant role in determining the effectiveness. I have known several educators who have taught online with no education on the best standards for online learning, nor have they utilized a rubric to develop their course.

I also think that online education is more difficult for students that lack motivation and have difficulty staying on task. I also have not seen enough evidence supporting skills based courses in the online environment.

However, I do think that in the future it does have the potential to improve and become as effective once there is more research and educators begin to utilize the rubrics established for online courses.

Kara

I do agree that a blended option may provide the best of both worlds. I am still not sold that online education is as effective as classroom education. I do believe that it could be as effective, however, I do not think that the majority of educators have been well trained and are well prepared to teach online courses. I also feel that some educators tend to put online courses on the side as compared to in classroom courses. If educators would follow the suggestions as noted in this weeks power point, utilize the rubrics for online education, and adjust courses as needs arise, online education could improve. I am on an academic appeals board, and I see so many students fail online courses. Several students tell us that they were just not able to keep organized and would fall to far behind. If students are struggling academically, we do recommend they take the course on campus as they have so many other supports easily available to them.

Kara

Do you still feel that Online Education is as Effective as Traditional Classroom Education in Higher Education for those that do have the time to take courses in the classroom vs. online?