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ERIC Number: EJ854009
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 2
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1528-5324
EISSN: N/A
One Course, One Web Site--Of Course? Maybe Not!
Cohn, Ellen R.
EDUCAUSE Quarterly, v27 n2 p6-7 2004
Colleges and universities increasingly employ commercial Web-based course management systems (such as Blackboard and WebCT). How is it, then, that these institutions unquestioningly allocate a unique Web site to each class? Why establish one Web site for one course when other options provide so many benefits? Why isn't there a clamor for information systems that can accommodate multiple purposes and audiences and provide life-long continuity throughout the many phases of educational, professional, and personal pursuits? Single-course Web sites support traditional academic protocols, wherein institutions assign specific dates, physical classroom space, times, and participants (students and faculty) to each "class." Multi-purpose Web sites move beyond the concept of "one course, one classroom, one time slot." In this article, the author advocates for integrated, multi-purpose course Web sites. An even greater challenge is to enable users to enjoy integrated and long-term access to their prior educational experiences, accomplishments, and works-in-progress. The author therefore proposes that designers of software and information systems, higher education administrators, and instructional designers reach beyond single-course Web sites and multi-purpose Web sites. The goal would be to develop user-centric (versus disposable course-centric or institution-centric) repositories of learner experience and accomplishment that move beyond single-course management to life-long knowledge management. The ideal user-centric portal would provide "grade-school to grave" continuity and accommodate a user's varied and evolving educational pursuits, employment, and intellectual interests.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A