WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONLINE COURSE? - Administrators must reexamine and
redefine their roles and duties to assure the quality of online learning. They also should
adhere to guidelines that follow the National Survey of Student Engagement's (NSSE) five
dimensions for measuring educational quality and the 10 keys to quality assurance and
assessment in online learning worked out by Lee Alley and Kathryn Jansak. Administrators
should design student-centric Web courses that promote the building of knowledge rather
than the transmission of information. Online-course syllabi should be more detailed than
traditional classroom syllabi, particularly in the areas of scheduling, learning tasks, and
learning outcomes. Workshops where faculty can familiarize themselves with strategies for
improving student motivation are critical, and Web sites should promote offline activities so
that students can participate in "active learning." Both online and remote evaluation sites
should be prepared for students, while a portion of the course should feature "mental white
space" so that students do not feel rushed. Instructors should include activities in the
courses that foster nonlinear or spiral learning, and should themselves find a great teacher
with whom to mentor. (Converge, Nov 01 - Edpage 26 Nov 01)

FINAL TLT ONLINE INTERVIEWS - "The Human Side of Computing" is scheduled
for Tuesday, December 4, 2001 2:00 pm EST with Daryl Nardick, Senior Associate of
the TLT Group and Frank Connelly. How can we use information technology to make our
lives (and our learning and teaching): a. more routinized and scrutinized; b. more flexible,
open and full of choices and c. more interdependent and interconnected? What can we do
to be leaders and deciders rather than victims of change? What are the signs and symptoms
that we're losing options? That the time to make the right choices is escaping? Or can we
be assured that we still have plenty of time and choices? Sign up at:
http://www.tltgroup.org/calendar/interviews2001.htm

"Open Source Principles, Practices, and Tools" will be on Tuesday, December 11, 2001
2:00 pm EST with Tom Carey, Professor of Management Sciences and Director - Center
for Learning & Teaching Through Technology, University of Waterloo. What does
Carey see as the current and future role for MERLOT (he's now chair of the board)?
What has he learned from his work exploring different economic models for fostering/
supporting the exchange of work among institutions and individuals? In what ways does
he see Open Source principles, practices,and tools supporting the development and use
of instructional materials and resources for higher education? Sign up at:
http://www.tltgroup.org/calendar/interviews2001.htm (AAHESGIT-A92, 26 Nov 01)