Online instruction can offer the same opportunities for learning as their traditional counterpart courses, with a few exceptions. Not all disciplines are conducive to full online learning and may need or require lab time.
A Blackboard product is used by Lone Star College System called, eCollege Vista, which is available to all faculty for delivering instruction either fully online or hybrid with some scheduled face to face meetings, or as a supplement to a traditional class. It is an online course management system which offers instructors administrative tools such as a Grade Book, Group Manager, Assignment Dropbox, and an Assessment Manager, as well as tools for communication and organizing content for student access.
All instruction no matter what delivery method can be guided by the 7 Principles. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has online a document to guide online instruction, Guide for Incorporating the Principles of Good Practice into electronically-based Courses .
Sample Courses
CTDL is often asked by faculty, new to online teaching, about the availability of sample courses in order to better grasp the concept of how delivering instruction online might look! With the new eCollege Vista platform, CTDL plans to offer such sample courses. Currently at the beginning of fall 2007, there is only one, but faculty can check back mid semester and see one or more additions to the sample courses.
Only 4 weeks of instruction is made available, but enough for new online faculty to see how the different tools are used.
After you gain access to the secure area using your usual eCollege login, the next page will present a temporary ID and password to access the Sample Courses.