Creating and Delivering Web-based Courses WebNet World Conference 2000 Technology support for the development and maintenance of on-line web based courses.

Creating and Delivering Web-based Courses

WebNet World Conference 2000

Technology support for the development and maintenance of on-line web based courses

David DruckerDirector, Educational Technology Center

Curry School of EducationUniversity of Virginia

The Care and Feeding of Technology

If you don’t have it (support) for the developer, if you don’t have it for the designer, if you don’t have it for the customer, you will fail.

Ray Rose, Concord Consortium

To: On-Line SupportFrom: Steve SmithDate: June 26, 2000 To Whom It May Concern,

I have taken EDHS 545 and 546 last semester. Do I now need to take EDHS 547 or can I pick something else. Please respond by e-mail as my phone line is always busy. Thank you. 

Steve Smith

Dear Steve,Thanks for the note. I am not sure what to

tell you as I have absolutely no idea what course leads to what. Why don’t you send an e-mail to the professor from one of the courses you have already taken and ask them. Thanks for writing. Please let me know if I can help you with any computer related problems 

On-Line Support

p.s. I recommend you get a second phone line

MEMORANDUMTo: Design StaffFrom: Dorothy Smith – CEO:  Would someone please tell me why we have added that annoying backgroud music and spinning logo to every single training module this month. I have to wait at least 5 minutes for the thing to stop before I can proceed. A Prompt reply would be appreciated.

MEMORANDUM

To: Dorothy Smith – CEO

From: The Design Team

We thought people would like it!

The programmer is out on vacation, but when he returns in 2 weeks we will work with him to fix the problem.

Now Hiring: Fortune 500 Company in need of several design and programming experts to develop and maintain current system…

Support Infrastructure

• Training and development

• Design• Content analysis• Cost accounting• Policy development• Evaluation• Future growth

• Faculty development• Student services

– Registration– academic advisement– financial aid– library resources

Support Infrastructure

• Cohesive team approach • Minimize problems• Proper Information routing• Quick and effective solutions• Proactive• Integrated services

Poor Understanding Of Technological Issues. Organizations failed to appreciate the technical complexity of creating an on-line learning environment. Users and managers thought it was NO more than just creating a few web-pages. Often the information technology personnel who supported the deployment of web programs created road blocks because they had another vision or they failed to have adequate experience and expertise in the implementation of a full web-based learning solution.Roger Powley, CD PhD Innovative Training Solutions Inc.

Five Stages of Development

Content planning (learning objective, audience)

Design & Development

Implementation

Maintenance

Formative Evaluation and Growth

Five Stages of Development

Content planning (learning objective, audience)

Design & Development

Implementation

Maintenance

Formative Evaluation and Growth

Wrap-Up Thoughts

Common Sense Approach

Look at ALL Support Issues

Create your own stages of development

Afternoon SessionIssues for Discussion

• Backside development/support personnel vs. Front Side support personnel

• Faculty & Student orientation• FAQ’s• 24x7 – fact or fiction• The dreaded “HTTP 404” – What broke?• Technical TCO • What technical support should be

• Participant Issues

Five Stages of Development

Content planning technical support time invested in:

Consulting Only

Guideline (Policy) Development

Five Stages of Development

Design & DevelopmentTechnical support time invested in:

Testing ideasDelivery methodsConnectivity issuesProgramming and software infrastructureMinimum and recommended requirementsTesting system robustness

Continued

Five Stages of Development

Design & Development Technical support time invested in:

Designing training module(s)

Designing orientation for faculty and students

Scalability issues

Five Stages of Development

Implementation Technical support time invested in:

Bring delivery system on-lineWorking out the bugsFinal design of site DebuggingTrain user support personnel

Must keep lines of communication open among all support areas

Support is Reactive 

Five Stages of Development

MaintenanceTechnical support time invested in:

On going testing of system(s)User supportTroubleshooting unforeseen problemsTracking load levels, on-line usage and problemsDevelop FAQ databaseAdjust user support training

Support should be Pro-ActiveMaintenance is a constant moving target

Five Stages of Development

Formative Evaluation and GrowthAll the aboveRequires comprehensive feasibility study

analysis of current site structure new technologies now availableequipment and network infrastructuretime/usage and load levelsstudent viewing patternstudent & faculty evaluationstest scores

Continued

Five Stages of Development

Formative Evaluation and Growth

course enrollment

faculty recommendations

staff knowledgebase and workload

Realistic Projections