What makes for good online learning?Perhaps one of the strongest temptations when approaching online solutions is to start by converting existing training resources into web resources. Since much face-to-face delivery is backed up by print materials, putting print documents online is often a popular starting point. If learners are academic, highly motivated and good at organising their study, they’ll probably cope with large volumes of text. They’ll print it out, read it, file it logically and use it.Is this the profile you’re dealing with? Probably not.

Web is a visual medium. It’s also true that reading large amounts of text from a screen is unpleasant and learners will avoid it where possible.One of the other advantages of online learning is that content can be linked and accessed in non-linear ways. Large blocks of text online can limit the potential to make learning a dynamic process.The challenge is to design education and training solutions that draw on the strengths of the media selected. Future updaters will pick up on educational design as a tool for achieving this. Generic development/delivery tools, what’s out there?

TopClass” (www.wbtsystems.com/), “Learning Space” (www.lotus.com/home.nsf abs/learnspace),”WebCT” (homebrew.cs.ubc.ca/webct/),”Web Crossing” (webcrossing.com/)”CourseInfo” (product.blackboard.net/CourseInfo/)”FirstClass” (www.firstclass.com/)Core features generally include: - file structures for making materials available online- chat and bulletin board communication systems- administration systems for managing students’ progress Each touts a list a mile long of institutions that use them, but in our experience, often only part of the product is used.

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