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Observations on Web-Based Course Development and Delivery<br />

T. Craig Montgomerie<br />

Division of Technology <strong>in</strong> Education<br />

3-104 Education North<br />

University of Alberta<br />

Edmonton, Alberta<br />

Canada T6G 2G5<br />

Phone: (403) 492-3667<br />

Fax: (403) 492-3179<br />

E-Mail: Craig.Montgomerie@ualberta.ca<br />

Dwayne Harapnuik, MLS<br />

Division of Technology <strong>in</strong> Education<br />

3-104 Education North<br />

University of Alberta<br />

Edmonton, Alberta<br />

Canada T6G 2G5<br />

Phone: (403) 492-3667<br />

Fax: (403) 492-3179<br />

E-Mail: Dwayne@oanet.com<br />

This paper discusses the development and delivery of a credit course: The Internet: Communicat<strong>in</strong>g, Access<strong>in</strong>g<br />

& Provid<strong>in</strong>g In<strong>format</strong>ion [Montgomerie & Harapnuik 1996] which is delivered completely over the Internet.<br />

The purpose of this course is to help students understand what the Internet is (and isn’t), and learn to use<br />

Internet tools. Specifically this course prepares students to operate effectively <strong>in</strong> the knowledge society, to<br />

learn to use electronic communications, to access electronic resources, to prepare electronic resources for the<br />

Internet, and to understand and exam<strong>in</strong>e critical issues related to electronic communications (Privacy, Security,<br />

Copyright, Censorship, etc.).<br />

While still <strong>in</strong> development (June - August, 1995), it became obvious to the authors that as proponents of<br />

alternative methods of <strong>in</strong>struction, and as purported “experts” on the use of the Internet <strong>in</strong> Education and<br />

Library and <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion science, we should “walk the talk” and develop the course <strong>in</strong> such a way that it could<br />

be delivered completely over the Internet <strong>in</strong> an asynchronous mode. Equally, it became obvious that we really<br />

didn’t know enough about a number of issues (e.g., the k<strong>in</strong>ds of problems that students would encounter and<br />

the questions they would ask) to develop the course directly for Web delivery. It was decided that we would<br />

deliver the course <strong>in</strong> a traditional “Face to Face” (F2F) manner for one year, then redesign it for Web-based<br />

delivery the next.<br />

The course was delivered for the first time <strong>in</strong> a F2F mode September-December 1995. A number of Web pages<br />

were developed to support this delivery. The course was offered a second time January - April 1996, aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> a<br />

F2F mode. While the course was be<strong>in</strong>g delivered students were asked to provide <strong>in</strong><strong>format</strong>ion on what would<br />

make the course more amenable to use by the distanced student; this <strong>in</strong>put resulted <strong>in</strong> the constant revision of<br />

the Web pages. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the second offer<strong>in</strong>g of the course, a few students who could not attend the lectures for a<br />

number of reasons were encouraged to still take the course and to rely on the new pages, but heavily<br />

encouraged to communicate with the <strong>in</strong>structors by telephone or electronic mail if they had questions.<br />

The course was delivered completely over the Internet for the first time over the period May-August, 1996 with<br />

over 100 students enrolled <strong>in</strong> the course.<br />

Course Design

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