I suppose it is slightly skirting the scenario but I think Benoit should first ask himself if his Business Writing course is appropriate to be run online. By that I mean, will the learners reap the same benefits (or more) from the online version of his course that they do from the face to face version? Coates, James & Baldwin (2005) mentioned in their article that a lot of educational institutions have been drawn in by the allure of Learning Management Systems as they allow for more efficient regulated teaching. However, it has yet to be fully proven if online mediums positively or negatively affect student learning (Coates, James & Baldwin, 2005). Just because Benoit can put his course online does not mean he should put it online. Benoit must balance the aspirations of the university to reach a larger audience with student expectations and course goals/ desired outcomes.
I do not have experience developing online courses so I am not positive how much time Benoit will need to put his course online. With that said, I think he would have to work through the following steps:
- Determine if Business Writing should be offered online
- Research possible platforms (Moodle and Blackboard Learn)
- Experiment with online technologies
- Alter/develop content for an online medium
- Have a trial run of the course
- Adjust the course based on the trial run
- Go live with the course
References
Coates, H., James, R., & Baldwin, G. (2005). A critical examination of the effects of Learning Management Systems on university teaching and learning. Tertiary Education and Management, 11,(1), 19-36. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11233-004-3567-9