“If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed”
― Paulo Freire

In the summer, I have encountered faculty members who want to build an online course to begin in the fall semester.  The likelihood of their success is not high.  Building an online course takes time to plan and implement.  A strong, well-thought out syllabus is required that focuses on an online learning space and not a physical classroom. Digital artifacts such as video or audio files, multi-media presentations, assessment tools – including rubrics – must be designed and built. The course must be tested first before being opened to students.  Yet, many institutions have not invested in the faculty development resources to guide and fully support faculty in how to build an online course well.

Much of the teaching spaces in higher education look like they did in the last century – desks lined up with an instructor at the front of the room. Friere (1970) referred to banking concept of education, an oppressive practice, where the student is an empty account and the teacher fills them with knowledge. John Dewey (1938) and developmental psychologist and constructivist theorist, Jean Piaget, were also critical of educational practices that focused on the memorization of facts only to be retrieved to answer multiple-choice questions on exams. Active or experiential learning helps the learner build new knowledge based on previous experiences interacting with their environment. Lev Vygotsky’s work built on this by incorporating, but included the role social interaction and culture have on facilitating the construction of new knowledge.

In defense of instructors hired to teach in institutions of higher learning, there is not often an opportunity to learn how to teach, between the completion of their doctoral education, research fellowships and hiring as a new faculty member. Most will continue to teach the way they were taught. Some are surprised to know that there are other ways to teach and learn. Many will experience an epistemological shift, as their role in learning moves from instructor to facilitator, guide or mentor. Myths need to be dispelled: online learning does not make the instructor less valued; distance education (done well) is not a lonely endeavor; technology is not the death to all we know and value.

Institutions of higher education are being held more accountable today to demonstrate that students are receiving the quality education the institution promises. Data analysis may show that the program and learner outcomes are not as effective as they can be. Prohibitive costs of education mean students also demand to know that they will be able to finish an academic program with new skills and knowledge to further their careers.

Much of my work in the Masters of Educational Technology program has been toward developing resources for faculty to use. The Moodle course I am building is not the first resource I have assembled. There were challenges experienced involving technology, internet connections and software that refused to behave. In an ideal technology-enhanced learning space, I would expand beyond the confines of learning management systems. My experience proved that more experience would allow more ease in designing future courses. Trying to overcome obstacles in a new LMS in 2 months is overly optimistic.

However, a brief summary:

Aspects of the LMS that worked well:

• course templates take the work out of aesthetic design and let you focus on the content
• customizations and rules will allow complex functioning but many instructors will need tech support
• videos embedded easily

Aspects of the LMS that were problematic and need further investigation:

• setting up groups so they work for you when and how you want
• navigation that is not linear and is intuitive for the individual student that allows exploration without getting you lost
• had many issues with slow loading webpages
• formatting tables is a known issues (as per the user forums)

Should time allow I would like to continue to develop a rich resource for faculty so that they not only understand how to build websites, but also guide learners to build new knowledge.

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan.

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. [New York]: Herder and Herder.