VSS 2006 - Taking it from Good…to Better…to Best in Online Course Design

Research into
Web-based Design

Michael K. Barbour
University of Georgia

The Studies
Centre for Distance Illinois Virtual
Learning and Innovation High School

Learning Styles and Teacher and Developer
Web-based Design Perceptions

Evaluation of a Course Student
Development Process Perceptions

End

Newfoundland and Labrador
• area of the island is 43,359
square miles, while Labrador
covers 112,826 square miles
• according to the 2001 Census
population for Newfoundland
and Labrador was 512,930
(down from 551,795 in 1996)
• 305 schools (down from 343
just three years ago)
• 81,458 students (down from
118,273 a decade ago)
• average school size 233
pupils (over 40% have less
than 200)

Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
The CDLI was founded in December 2000
by the Department of Education, in
response to the recommendations of
the 1999 Sparks-Williams Ministerial
Panel on Educational Delivery.

The vision of the Centre is to

• provide access to educational opportunities
for students, teachers and other adult
learners in both rural and urban
communities in a manner that renders
distance transparent;

• eliminate geographical and demographic
barriers as obstacles to broad, quality
educational programs and services; and

• develop a culture of e-learning in our
schools which is considered to be an
integral part of school life for all teachers
and students.

• The two main sources of this support
come from synchronous and
asynchronous instruction.
• The CDLI has experienced and
highly qualified teachers that
provide, depending on the subject
area, anywhere from 30% to 80% of
the students’ scheduled time (which
is 10 one hour periods over a
fourteen day cycle) in synchronous
instruction using the voice over
Internet protocol software,
Elluminate Live®.
• The asynchronous instruction is
conducted using a course
management system, WebCT®.


• You Will Learn – briefly lists, in student friendly language,
the instructional outcomes for the lesson;
• You Should Know – lists, and when necessary
elaborates on, knowledge and skills students are
expected to have mastered prior to the lesson;
• Lesson – is self-explanatory and may be broken into
multiple pages;
• Activities – contains further instructional events the
student that students need to carry out in order to master
the lesson outcomes; and
• Test Yourself – offers an opportunity for the student to
gauge the degree to which the outcomes were achieved.

CDLI Studies

Learning Styles and
Web-based Design

Teacher and Developer Student
Perceptions Perceptions

Illinois Virtual High School
The IVHS is a state-sponsored
virtual high school designed to
provide web-based learning
opportunities to students and
teachers.
The IVHS began offering courses to
students in 2001-2002

The mission of the Illinois Virtual
High School is “to use new and
emerging technologies that
expand the boundaries of space
and time to provide Illinois
students and their teachers with
increased equity and access to
the highest quality educational
opportunities.”

Illinois Virtual High School
The IVHS method of
instruction is primarily
asynchronous through
eCollege
The IVHS does use
Elluminate Live for
synchronous sessions,
but these are infrequent
in the students schedule

There has traditionally been
little consistency between
the lay-out and design of
Evaluation of a Course
IVHS courses Development Process

The study
This presentation represents the initial
portion of a study on the perceptions of the
characteristics of effective web-based
design for secondary school students within
the CDLI environment. This initial portion
considers the perceptions the
administration of the CDLI, course
developers and those who held the role of
both course developers and electronic
teachers.

The study
John was one of the initial developers and was perceived as one of the
stronger course developers until accepting a new job with the
understanding he would not seek to be seconded by the CDLI.
Cliff, a retired teacher who spent twenty-nine years in the classroom, is
designing his first course.
Norman, one of four original developers who went on to be an e-teacher,
has also developed of sections of two other courses and is teaching a
second web-based course.
Bill, began his thirtieth year of teaching this past September, is another of
the initial developers that went on to be an e-teacher for the past three
years.
Sam is a principal of a small, rural school, where he has taught in almost
every subject area at every grade level, even though he is trained as a
Science teacher.
George, an administrator with the CDLI has been involved in distance
education for the past decade and a half; first as a distance education
coordinator in a rural school, then as an instructor and content
developer, and later with a web-based program.

Why?
• there has been much research on web-based
course design
– Collins, 1999; Gallini and Barron, 2001-2002; Stein, 2004
• however, this research conducted in online
learning has focused upon post-secondary
institutions and corporate America
– Kolbe and Bunker, 1997; Gunawardena and McIsaac, 2004;
Hill, Wiley, Nelson and Han, 2004
• the problem with this focus upon an adult
population is that there is a difference between
how adults learn compared to the way
adolescents learn
– Knowles, 1970; Moore, 1973; Bright, 1989; Cavanaugh, Gillan,
Kromrey, Hess and Blomeyer, 2004

Initial findings
Course developers should:

1. prior to beginning development of any of the web-based material,
plan out the course with ideas for the individual lessons and
specific items that they would like to include;
2. keep the navigation simple and to a minimum, but don’t present
the material the same way in every lesson;
3. provide a summary of the content from the required readings or
the synchronous lesson and include examples that are
personalized to the students’ own context;
4. ensure students are given clear instructions and model
expectations of the style and level that will be required for student
work;
5. refrain from using too much text and consider the use of visuals to
replace or supplement text when applicable;
6. only use multimedia that will enhances the content and not simply
because it is available; and
7. develop their content for the average or below average student.

Planning and preparation
Developers should “not attempt to write
anything, do not attempt to construct
anything, until you have designed your
project out from end to end, from start to
finish… if you fail to do this, here’s what
happens… if you get in there and get on with
it and make a misstep, … undoing that
mistake usually means changes that
peculate right through the web of work that
you’ve constructed. So, undoing you’re
mistakes is horrendously difficult. Second
thing is that when you take the time to lay
your project out from start to finish, the
chances are you will confer with other
people and that means that you will add
layers of… important content… to your
project that would not otherwise have been
there if you did not take the time.” (George)

KISS, but not the same way all the time
Instead of going… “You will learn,” or
“You should know,” and so on,
they’ll click right to the “Lesson”…
if I have any activities assigned to
them, they’ll simply just go right to
the “Activities,” they won’t even
bother with the “Lesson” itself.
(Norman)
Each lesson “has to offer a certain
sense of choice to the students
preferred style or mode of
learning. Some students learn
better by reading, some… with
their hands, [and] some… by
discussing items. Now a well
designed lesson would either a)
provide a couple of approaches or
b) at least in the long scheme of
things the lessons taken in
aggregate would provide… a
varied approach” (George).

Useful and personal
Developers should “try to
develop a good set of notes
[and] a good set of worked
examples.” (John)
He had students “looking a lot at
their own lives [and] their own
communities” (Bill).
“For example, if it’s… a student
in Newfoundland and
Labrador, you would use
organisms that would reside
in the province themselves,”
which “can provide [the
students] with something a
little more substantive and
relate to where they are”
(Norman).

Clear directions and expectations
Students “need to have
clearly defined what has
to be done [over] a
certain period of time.”
(John)
“The directions and the
expectations [need to be]
precise enough so
students can work
effectively on their own,
not providing a roadblock
for their time.” (Bill)

Text, text and more text
“You’re trying very often to
explain things... [that are]
difficult to understand.
The more explanation
you have there the less
chance… students are
going to read it, but some
of the concepts are just
too difficult to be…
presented very
concisely.” (Bill)
“By providing students a
visual cue with the written
information it does
provide a connection for
them.” (Norman)

Appropriate selection of tools
“There should be a lot of
distractions there with
things that… might be
gimmicky.” (Bill)

“Trying to be too flashy…
really may distract…
from the lesson itself
and students may miss
the message.”
(Norman)

Who’s your audience
“Appropriateness… [is] an important
thing… because a lot of… people
who develop courses… design…
for… top students… but we’re
also going to have some very,
very weak students… so even if
you’re into doing complicated
material… keeping it as simple as
possible.” (Bill)
“Students are still students and… we
shouldn’t assume that they’re all
self motivated… it’s much better
to shoot… for the average and
below average student… making
sure that… there’s a structure in
place that guarantees they’re
doing their… work.” (Cliff)
Back to the studies

Background
• Research was conducted with students
enrolled in Enterprise Education 3205
through the Centre for Distance Learning
and Innovation. (CDLI)
• Students completed the prescribed
curriculum solely through e-Learning.
• 32 of the 44 students completed a
learning styles inventory and agreed to
the release of their marks.

Purpose of Research
• In the classroom, we are able to adapt our
instructional approach, our methods, even our
instructional material.
• This is much more difficult to accomplish in an
e-learning environment.
• Does the e-learning environment created by the
CDLI lend itself to one learning style over
another?
• If it does, what can the CDLI do to help learners
achieve in the environment that they have
created?

Research Profile
• KB Personal Learning Guide

• Standard learning styles measure
(visual, auditory, tactile)

• Gardner’s multiple intelligences

Personal Learning Guide
• Students rate sets of words on how well the words
describe them.

Discriminating Tentative Involved Practical

4 Best characterises
3 Next best
2 Next best
1 Least characterises

• Once the students have rated nine sets, they are asked to
add their responses to certain sets together to give them
four totals

• The four totals are plotted on the chart
below to form a kite.

• The Accommodative Learning Style - you have the ability to learn primarily from
hands-on experience. You probably enjoy carrying out plans and involving yourself
in new and challenging experiences. Your tendency may be to act on intuition and
"gut feel" rather than careful analysis. When a thoughtful approach does not seem
to be working out, you will be quick to discard it and improvise.
• The Divergent Learning Style - you probably have the ability to view specific
situations from many perspectives. For example, you may enjoy brainstorming and
small group discussions. You also like to gather information and probably have
broad interests. Your tendency may be to watch events rather than participate in
them.
• The Convergent Learning Style - you have the ability to find practical applications
for ideas, concepts and theories. In particular you enjoy situations where there is a
single or best answer to a question or problem. You may usually assume there is
one best answer and use technical analysis to reveal it. You also may usually
prefer to deal with technical issues rather than people issues.
• The Assimilative Learning Style - you have the ability to create theoretical models
(ideas that predict outcomes and descriptions of how different factor interact). You
most likely enjoy inductive reasoning and distil disparate observations into logical
explanations.[1]

[1] David A. Kolb and Richard J. Baker, Personal Learning Guide: A practical guide
to increasing your learning from a training program or workshop, (Baker &
Company: Dallas, TX, 1979-80), pp. 11-17.

Number of Accommodator Diverger Converger Assimilator
students
Highest 60.8% 63.8% 71.6% 88.7%
number
(n=6) (n=15) (n=9) (n=3)
Above 40% 59.3% (n=4) 62.6% 76.4% 88.7%
(n=10) (n=6) (n=3)
Above 30% 59.2% 66.2% 72.0% 80.2%
(n=11) (n=18) (n=11) (n=6)

Standard Measure
• Students were given a statement and asked to give it a rating

I remember information better from lectures with explanations and
discussions.
I chew gum or snack when I study.

3 Often
2 Sometimes
1 Seldom

• After students had responded to 24 of these statements, they
were asked to write the numbers they selected for each statement
into three different columns and total each column.

Standard Measure
Visual Learners - you have to see it to believe it
• needs to see it to know it
• strong sense of colour
• may have artistic ability
• difficulty with spoken directions
• over-reaction to sounds
• trouble following lectures
• misinterpretation of words

Auditory Learner - if you hear it, you remember it
• prefers to get information by listening
• needs to hear it to know it
• difficulty following written directions
• difficulty with reading and writing

Tactual Learner - if you can touch it with your hands, you will remember it
• prefers hands-on learning
• can assemble parts without reading directions
• difficulty sitting still
• learns better when physical activity is involved
• may be very well co-ordinated and have athletic ability[1]

[1] Unknown, "Learning Lab - Learning Styles Evaluation," University of
Northwestern Ohio (1998): 3 pages. 08 August 1999 <http://bsd-
server.nc.edu/virtcol/ss/learn.html>.

Standard Measure
Number of Visual Auditory Tactile
students

Highest 73.5% 61.4%(n=9) 66.6% (n=14)
number
(n=13)
Above 20 74.2% (n=6) 53.0%(n=1) *
67.7% (n=7)
Above 18 75.7% (n=15) 63.2%(n=10) 66.2% (n=17)

* Only one respondent

Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
• Students were given a statement and asked to state if it was true or
false. If the statement was true sometimes and false sometimes,
they were to leave it blank.

2. If I am angry or happy, I usually know why.
8. I pick up new dance steps quickly.

• After students had responded to 35 of these statements, they were
asked to write an X over the numbers that they had responded “T” to
based on the following table:
A 9 10 17 22 30 =
B 5 7 15 20 25 =
C 1 11 14 23 27 =
D 8 16 19 21 29 =
E 3 4 13 24 28 =
F 2 6 26 31 33 =
G 12 18 32 34 35 =

• Interpersonal Intelligence - Telecommunications programs;
programs which address social issues; programs which include
group presentation or decision making; games which require two
or more players; TV production team approach
• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence - Software requiring alternate
input such as joystick, mouse, or touch window; keyboarding and
word processing programs; animation programs; programs which
allow them to move objects around the screen; science probeware
• Intrapersonal Intelligence - Computer assisted instruction/ILS
labs; instructional games in which the opponent is the computer;
programs which encourage self-awareness or build self-
improvement skills; any program which allow them to work
independently; brainstorming or problem solving software
• Logical/Mathematical Intelligence - Database and spreadsheet
programs; problem solving software; computer programming
software; strategy game formats/simulations; calculators;
multimedia authoring programs

• Musical-Rhythmic Intelligence - Programs that combine stories with
songs; reading programs which associate letter/sounds with music;
programs which allow them to create their own song; constructing
presentations using CD audio discs, videodisc player, and barcode
program; sing along videodisc programs that display work "karaoke" style
• Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence - Word processors that allow voice
annotations; desktop publishing programs; programs with speech output;
programs which encourage them to create poetry, essays, etc.; multimedia
authoring; using videodiscs and barcode programs to create
presentations; tape recorders; telecommunications/electronic networking
• Visual/Spatial Intelligence - Draw and paint programs; reading programs
that use visual clues such as rebus method or colour coding; programs
which allow them to see information as maps, charts, or diagrams (i.e.
charting capability of spreadsheet program; multimedia programs; science
probeware[1]
[1] Jack Edwards, "Multiple Intelligences and Technology," About Face 10 3 (1995): 4 pages.
08 August 1999 <http://www.firn.edu/~face/about/dec95/mult_int.html>.


Inter- Bodily- Intra- Logical- Musical- Verbal- Visual-
personal Kinestheti personal Mathematics Rhythmi Linguistic Spatial
c c

Highest 71.6% 70.3% 95.0% 67.7% 60.0% 62.3% 68.9%
Number (n=5) (n=10) (n=1)* (n=7) (n=10) (n=12) (n=16)

Above 4 69.7% 68.1% 74.0% 65.6% 64.8% 57.6% 67.1%
(n=14) (n=12) (n=2) (n=16) (n=15) (n=16) (n=19)

* Only one respondent

Trends and Patterns
• Students with the assimilative learning
style (KB) tend to perform better than
students from any of the other three
learning styles.

• Students with the convergent learning
style (KB) tend to perform better than
students from the divergent and
accommodative learning styles.

Trends and Patterns
• Students who are visual learners perform
better than students who are tactile learners,
who perform better than auditory learners.

• While there are few differences in student
performance based upon Gardner’s multiple
intelligences, students who have aptitudes for
“Musical-Rhythmic” and “Verbal-Linguistic”
appear to be lower than the other five
intelligences.

Ramifications
• When teaching in an e-learning
environment, instructors should provide
more feedback to students, particularly
those with the accommodative learning
style.

• Instructors should also provide additional
opportunities for students to interact in a
verbal (e.g., audio or text-based) way.

Ramifications
• Finally, instructors in an e-learning
environment should consider allowing
students to choose to complete more of
their work in groups.

• In designing e-learning environments,
developers should make sure to include
more audio items.

References
Edwards, Jack. "Multiple Intelligences and Technology." About
Face 10 3 (1995): 4 pages. 08 August 1999
<http://www.firn.edu/~face/about/dec95/mult_int.html>.

Kolb, David A. and Baker, Richard J.. Personal Learning
Guide: A practical guide to increasing your learning from a
training program or workshop. Baker & Company: Dallas, TX,
1979-80.

Unknown. "Learning Lab - Learning Styles Evaluation."
University of Northwestern Ohio (1998): 3 pages. 08 August
1999 <http://bsd-server.nc.edu/virtcol/ss/learn.html>.

Back to the studies

IVHS Developers Evaluation
1. How does the IVHS course development
process compare to other virtual high school
programs?
2. How does the IVHS course development
process contribute to the stated goals and
objectives of the IVHS?
3. How has the IVHS course development
process been improved over time?
4. What specific improvements to the IVHS
course development process are
recommended?

Sample
• Document Analysis
– Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation
– 2 courses

• Web-based Survey
– 17 of 29 for part one / 15 of 29 for part two
– 4 developers were not reachable

• Interviews
– 4 developers

Overall, course developers are pleased with
their experience in developing courses for
the IVHS.
• Would you develop another course for the IVHS? (82%)
• Would you recommend to other teachers that they
develop a course for the IVHS? (76%)

• “It was a great experience, one that I would like to repeat
some time.”
• “I would like to participate in the creation of another
course in the technical field. I enjoyed.”
• “It was intense, but an experience I would recommend to
anyone interested in teaching in the online world.”

The IVHS course development process is fairly
open-ended with a lot of room for developers to
create the kind of course that they want to create,
which is good and bad.
• In the likert response items from the web-based survey,
six of the fifteen comments specifically referenced the
IVHS and five of these six items were ranked as the five
lowest mean scores of the fifteen items.

• “… slightly disappointed not by working with IVHS, but
working with the tech team from Denver…”
• “… I could already expect that the tech team was going
to contact me at the last minute…”
• “when I had lots of time, eCollege wasn't ready for…
Then when I got really busy at school, it was also crunch
time for eCollege…”

• “For about $5,000 I gave up most of an entire
winter to put together a course with the quality I
felt it should have… I figure I earned about $5.00
an hour”
• “The timeline was short and strenuous…”
• “But what could I do without proper technical
skills and caught in such tight time frame?”
• “… but doesn't pay enough for the hours of work
needed to do a good job.”
• “The one problem was the timeline.”

Approximately half of the IVHS courses
were developed by a team of two or more
developers and this has worked well in
some instances and not so well in
others.
• “My support group was excellent…”
• “It is very helpful to have a coworker look over the logic, the
content of ones created segments.”
• “I did work with a partner, especially at the beginning
because I thought that was very important, and we divided
up the responsibilities which helped an awful lot and of
course we were able to review each other’s information and
so on, and that was very, very helpful, and I won’t say
necessary, but certainly someone has to be there to be that
second head to say oh this sounds fine or no…”
• “… we could talk back and forth and find solutions to
particular problems that arose that would be relevant to the
student and still maintain alignment with the curriculum.”

• “we had a trio to start with as far as three people
in this process and somehow we didn’t agree on
what was to be done and how, and so on, and
that sort of took away our time frame…”
• “Well we had a, partnerships or I had people
who I cooperated with on those projects that
basically I did the first semester and the other
person did the second semester, and we kind of
proof read each others work and edited but for
the most part I developed one semester, they
developed one semester then we just said that
we developed the year long course.”

The course developers for the IVHS were
trained as teachers and unable to utilize
the technology of the web to its fullest
capacity.
• In the web-based survey, fourteen of the
seventeen respondents indicated that they
would have liked some training on the use of
particular pieces of software, specifically:
– Dreamweaver/Frontpage - 64.3%
– Fireworks/Photoshop - 50%
– Flash - 71.4%
– Java - 57.1%
– Audio Programs - 42.9%
– Video Programs - 57.1%

• “… what to hide, what to make mouse over,
where to put a link…”
• “this could be audio as well, which makes it
more user friendly.”
• “… recognize the fonts of the language I teach
as FONTS and not as images”
• “… provide automatic feedback to students on
the course tasks that would be different from just
the feedback one gets from multiple choice type
tasks.”
• “… allow the course designer to put at least
audio files on line on her own would be
welcome.”

As the IVHS begins to use the Syllabuild
Tool to standardize their course
development process, the freedom to
design the look and feel of their courses
was one of the things that the course
developers enjoyed.

• Did you enjoy the freedom to design the look
and feel of your course? (82%)
• Would you have preferred that the IVHS
provide a course template into which you
could have written your content? (No –
70.6%)

• “The directions to the team (what to hide, what to make
mouse over, where to put a link) the basic outline the vocab
sections and how to arrange them. an answer key to the tests,
assignments when not graded by the system, especially fill ins
that the teacher of the course can use for quick grading.
Perhaps a set of expectations to check off so that the student
knows what is expected for each assignment. For example:
write in complete sentences. This could be audio as well,
which makes it more user friendly.”
• “First of all I would like to have had a template that would
recognize the fonts of the language I teach as FONTS and not
as images, a template that would enable the course designer
to provide automatic feedback to students on the course tasks
that would be different from just the feedback one gets from
multiple choice type tasks. A template that would allow the
course designer to put at least audio files on line on her own
would be welcome.”
• “It could have been very open but it would have been helpful
to have an open shell of chapters. Something so that the
students would have an exact outline to how much to finish in
a semester.”

Recommendations
1. Create a structure for the course development process so that the
IVHS, eCollege, and the developer are under the same
impressions when it comes to the nature of the assistance that
can be provided and the expectations of all parties within the
specific deadlines of the course development process.
2. Divide the course development process into timed segments that
describe the nature of the deliverable due at the end of each
period, with partial payment for the successful delivery of each of
the segments.
3. If the IVHS continues to use a team of developers for a single
course, determine a method of select team members that will
work well together.
4. Provide training in multimedia software for course developers or
split the course development process so that technical developers
can add multimedia components to courses after the content has
been developed.
5. Any tool used to guide the development of course developers
needs to be open enough to allow for the creativity of the
developer.
Back to the studies

The Students Study
Kari Baker is a grade twelve student at Beaches All Grade, a school of approximately twenty
teachers and one hundred and seventy students, with about 50 of those in the high school.
The school receives eight different CDLI courses, while Kari has completed three of those
and is currently enrolled in three more.

Jenni Mills is one of two grade ten student at St. Rita’s All Grade, a necessary existent school of
approximately twenty students and four teachers. The school receives thirteen courses from
the CDLI. Jenni has taken one of those as a grade nine student and is close to finishing
another four this year.

Carla Saunders is a grade twelve student at Ocean Academy, an all grade school with twelve
teachers and approximately one hundred and twenty students. The school receives seven
different CDLI courses and Carla has taken three of those courses.

Annette Kean is a grade twelve student at St. Christopher’s School, an all grade school with
sixteen teachers and approximately one hundred and fifty students, with about thirty of those
in the high school. The school offers three different CDLI courses and Ashley is taking her
first one.

Becky Manning is a grade twelve student at Beaches All Grade in Beaches. Her school has
approximately one hundred and seventy students, with about fifty students in the secondary
grades. Becky has taken a total of seven web-based courses through the Centre for
Distance Learning and Innovation, including four of her six courses this year.

Lori Bursey is also a grade twelve student. She attends St. Rita’s All Grade in McBrides, a
school with only nineteen students and four teachers in a geographically isolated portion of
the province. She is the only student in her particular grade and has taken six courses
through the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation over the past four years.

Findings

• Use of Web-based
Content
• Web-based Design

Use of Web-based Content
• Students initially “myself personally, I hardly
use those lessons” (Kari)
indicate that “but overall, if they weren’t
they don’t use there it wouldn’t make
the web-based much of a difference to me
content that I don’t think.” (Kari)
“I don’t hardly use these at
much. all” (Jenni)
“I have only used them
three or four times” (Kari)
“in my offline time, I would
say one out of five.”
(Becky)

• However, when “I like when the “Lessons” just deal
with the content that we learn” (Kari)
discussing each “the lessons are really good for
of the individual studying” (Jenni)
“I use the MLOs a bit, but not as
components it much as the WebCT content.” (Carla)
comes out that “I use the WebCT content a lot more.”
(Jenni)
they do use them “I’d say I’d spend half of the class, so
more than they about half an hour, every class on the
WebCT content.” (Lori)
initially let on. “if I still, I’m still puzzled and I can’t
find the answer, can’t find an
explanation, I’ll go to my WebCT, to
my WebCT material and see if there’s
anything there that can help me”
(Becky)

• One barrier to “they always have assignments that
you have to do, they’re always,
using the web- they’re like constantly giving you
assignments and stuff” (Jenni)
based content is “its almost like the teachers don’t
the amount of realize that you have courses in
school too” (Kari)
work assigned “there’s always so much work to be
during offline done” (Kari)
“teachers always have labs or
time. questions or assignments for you to
do we’re never short of work”
(Becky)
“you’re always doing work, there’s
always, there’s always work to do.”
(Becky)

• Another barrier “but rarely he takes assignments
out of those lesson thingies out
to using the there” (Kari)
“sometimes we do lessons like the
web-based one you have there on the board,
content is how but other times she just assigns
questions from the book.” (Carla)
little e-teachers “the only time we do the
actually use it. “Activities” is if there’s readings or
extra things that we should know”
(Carla)
“in the limited time that the
teachers have, but if we have extra
time to be given to look through the
WebCT material or if our teachers
always made reference” (Becky)
“remind students that it is there and
to use it” (Becky)

• Another barrier “I use my book a lot more
than the WebCT, it might
to using the web- not be explained as good
based content is as the book.” (Carla)
they may not “not sure if I trust what is
trust it. in WebCT” (Becky)

Web-based Design
• Students don’t like “instead of just reading out of
the old textbook, which gets
text. pretty boring” (Kari)
“he has many pictures and write
things in his own words, which
is really interesting and a lot
better than sitting down and
reading the book.” (Kari)
“basically text is boring and
pictures are exciting” (Becky)
“text is alright, but sometimes is
not really useful” (Becky)
“more than just reading through
text.” (Becky)

Web-based Design
• Students enjoy the “I think the links that they give you
various media that because they take you in the other, in
other really useful sites that you can
the Internet is able to really use.” (Jenni)
offer. “maybe some more, you know, video
type things so that you could actually
see what they’re doing” (Lori)
“videos and stuff for to show them
how its done” (Lori)
“interactive things, and like, links to
videos and pictures and anything”
(Becky)
“graphics and videos and things like
that, they’re always exciting and can
teach you just as much as the text
sometimes” (Becky)
“there is a little bit of text and some
diagrams and examples and little
questions throughout” (Becky)

Web-based Design
• Students want “watch MLOs and I find they’re really good
multimedia used to and they explain things in the video clips
explain concepts andand the, there’s a guy there explaining how
provide information. to do the interesting and it really helpsand
its really
topics and just background,
a
lot.” (Kari)
“diagrams are really good to, for stuff that
you don’t really understand, something
that could actually show you and be like,
let you see how it works.” (Jenni)
“the information in there was all done for
you exactly what you have to do and you
could just keep playing with it over and
over that, you, it was really easy to get it
after.” (Lori)
“I find like, graphics really good and
videos, and things like that, and, like I said,
they’re just good because it gives you a
different way of, ah, understanding the
concepts.” (Becky)

Web-based Design
• Students want to “a summary of all that you learned that
have a good set of day and pretty much just summarizing
everything up” (Kari)
notes. “Yeah, if there good notes, it’s really
easier to study.” (Carla)
“you need a good set of notes to follow
or get someone else to help you, you’ve
got to have good notes.” (Annette)
“I don’t even use my textbook because
he has such good notes done up.”
(Annette)
“I think it’s important to have a really
good set of notes because if you don’t
you really, its going to be hard for the
course.” (Jenni)
“i agree the notes are excellent” (Carla)
“to explain it to you and show you how
to do it” (Lori)

Web-based Design
• Students find the “the thing I like about it is those “Test
review questions, yourself” because they really give you an
particularly “Test idea of what it is going to be like for the
Yourself” quizzes, test and they help you remember” (Jenni)
quite useful. “the test yourself is really helpful” (Carla)
“I always do the “Test yourself” at the
end” (Carla)
“the test yourself, like I was telling you,
which is really good for studying and
review.” (Lori)
“I find the test yourself really good”
(Becky)
“the test yourself, is always good, like, it
lets you know if you’re on track, if you
understand what the lesson’s about”
(Becky)
Back to the studies

Contact Information
Michael K. Barbour
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Educational Psychology and
Instructional Technology
University of Georgia

mkb@uga.edu
http://www.michaelbarbour.com

VSS 2006 - Taking it from Good…to Better…to Best in Online Course Design

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VSS 2006 - Taking it from Good…to Better…to Best in Online Course Design