Virtual necessities: assessing online course design.

Integrating technology into curricula is a time consuming and complex process that requires innovative approaches to pedagogical practice (Rodriguez, et al., 2001; Nakatani, Edwards, & Zhu, 2001). Despite the fact that distance learning has gained momentum and now accounts for a significant proportion of course offerings in higher education, limited guidance is available to faculty and collaborators who use the Web to enhance or deliver courses. A description of research findings highlights the magnitude and importance of this faculty support issue.

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