It’s a Monday morning. Students are flooding out of chapel and across campus, headed to their next class. Backpacks are dropped on the floor next to chairs, laptops retrieved, and eyes turn toward the front as the instructor opens class. Now, what happens next is different depending on the individual class. In some, the instructor may be beginning a lecture on that day’s topic, while in others, instructors and students may be gearing up for something a little more “hands on” — discussions, peer reviews, or some other sort of activity. You may look at these different pieces and think “Okay, there’s so much richness that happens in these classrooms. How can that possibly be mirrored in fully online classes or programs?” The simple answer? An online course or program will never be an exact mirror of a face-to-face course or program. But it will still serve students in the same way, meeting the same objectives, covering the same content, and preparing students equally well — it will just look a little different. For Cedarville, navigating these differences is where the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) comes into the picture. The CTL is a small department that works with faculty to improve University-wide learning. This takes a variety of forms. They consult on educational problems students and faculty are facing. They produce a blog and podcast to keep faculty up to date with goings-on in the wider educational and technological world. And, especially recently, they collaborate with faculty to develop online courses. SO WHAT GOES INTO CREATING AN ONLINE COURSE? Not every online course is created in the exact same way. The CTL has a standard project process they use, but the actual components of a course will vary depending on the course itself and what it needs to effectively help students learn. All course developments start off with a kickoff meeting An online course or program will never be an exact mirror of a face-to-face course or program. But it will still serve students in the same way, meeting the same objectives, covering the same content, and preparing students equally well — it will just look a little different. 24
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