Spring Break
Online Classes Become More Common
Andrew Peters
Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: News
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Undergraduate courses are increasingly being offered online as part of UConn's Instructional Design and Development (IDD) unit at the Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL). The IDD unit is designing and maintaining online courses while a plan for a larger online program is made, according to Desmond McCaffrey, IDD's assistant director.
"Across the country you're seeing more and more online programs integrated into the regular curriculum," McCaffrey said.
"The process is similar to the design of blended or face-to-face instruction in that it is based on the alignment of goals, objectives, assessments, and learning activities," read the IDD Web site. "However, the online environment poses different challenges and offers different advantages when compared to blended or face-to-face classes."
The online program, which began as part of the Center for Continuing Studies (CCS), was started to be more convenient for non-traditional and commuting students. Interest in online classes took off when they began to be offered to undergraduates as well.
Twenty-two online courses for undergraduates will be offered this summer, according to McCaffrey.
"That's advantageous to students," he said. "You can get your gen-eds fulfilled over the summer."
A few select courses such as Sociology 107 are being offered during the semester as well, and the list is expected to grow over time.
However, filling general education requirements online is not necessarily easier for the students, instructors, or coordinators. To create an online class from its traditional counterpart, McCaffrey meets with professors to adapt the class experience to an online environment.
The online course is coordinated through WebCT Vista, where professors substitute lectures with Powerpoint presentations and class time with notes. Nearly all the classes require textbooks, McCaffrey said, and some professors use flash animations and video clips to teach the material as well.
"The professor takes a very active role," McCaffrey said. "It's important to make sure there's enough instructor-student and student-instructor interaction."
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