Teaching on the web: With a little help from my pedagogical friends

THE PROLIFERATION OF WEB COURSEWARE TOOLS has yet to match the pedagogical needs of higher education. Just how much do Web tools foster the development of student thinking skills, collaboration, and active learning? Before pointing to various ways to embed such pedagogical techniques in on-line instruction, some of the costs and benefits related to the use of these tools are documented. Many of the benefits are made apparent within a ten level Web integration continuum as well as from the clarification of potential on-line interactions between instructors, students, and practitioners. To further illustrate these benefits, ideas related to teaching on the Web from a learner-centered point of view are described. Next, ways to embed critical and creative thinking as well as cooperative learning or teamwork in standard and customized Web course development tools are detailed. Sample Web courses and tools developed at Indiana University are presented along with a review of several types of Web courseware and conferencing systems. Finally, key pedagogical implications and recommendations for the near future are outlined.

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