Radha Ganesan

Designing online courses: A taxonomy to guide strategic use of features available in course management systems (CMS) in distance education

Course developers can be distracted from applying sound instructional design principles by the amount of flexibility offered through online course development resources (Kidney & Puckett, Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 4 (2003), 203-212). Distance education course management systems (CMS) provide multiple features that can be easily integrated into online instruction. Easy integration does not equal good design, and poor design can impede learning (Kearsley, A guide to online education (1997) http://gwis.circ.gwu.edu/∼etl/online.html). A taxonomy of the instructional value for CMS features is described. An example of how a course was translated into an online version, initially a failure, and redesigned using this taxonomy is presented. A taxonomy that strategically guides the use of appropriate CMS features to integrate informational, instructional, and learning elements into online courses can support designers in the development of quality of online instruction.

The changing nature of instructional design for networked learning

Networked learning systems bring learning support and instructional materials directly to learners who can potentially access materials from anywhere at anytime. This may be accomplished by employing a number of tools and methods ranging from simple e-mail to computer supported collaborative work environments. It is possible to make use of networks to share web-based resources and deploy powerful electronic performance support systems (see Figure 6.1). We shall use the term ‘networked learning’ to refer to this broad range of tools and technologies. Networked learning is an established reality in many different kinds of learning settings, ranging from homes to schools to offices. The obvious conclusions are that networked learning must be meeting some learning needs and it must be reasonably effective and efficient; otherwise, the fad would have passed and interest would be waning. While developments and learning effects in networked and collaborative settings have received a great deal of attention in recent years, there is not nearly as much literature on the changing nature of instructional design due to networked learning.