Integrating web applications to provide an effective distance online learning environment for students

摘要

The Human Physiology online course offered by the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto (www.physiology.utoronto.ca) offers a quality online learning experience and promotes flexibility to its students in terms of time and location, allowing self-directed learning within a semi-structured frame-work. The online course population has expanded, including a more heterogeneous group of students. In addition to the traditional pre or current healthcare professionals (postsecondary students), there are now international students, working adults seeking career advancements, teachers, and even those just taking the course for personal interest. The course aims to use web tools to support and increase accessibility for all of these educationally and socially diverse students. Course material for students consists of 51 didactic lectures delivered in a video format (available to students for 24 hours, each day of the week for streaming) and a virtual lab experience. There are several sources of course support for students such as a 24/7 discussion board that is monitored by instructors and teaching assistants (an academic and peer support network), virtual tutorials with a teaching assistant (java applet chat) and instructors are always available to students by email. Frequent online quizzes were another feature that was very effective in both enhancing learning experience and improving student performance.Analysis of student data, student surveys and course evaluations from the online course suggested it was just as, if not more effective than the in-class course equivalent. The framework of this course can be easily adapted in creating an online course in any post-secondary discipline.