Web delivery of courses is becoming prominent as Internet access has increased for more users and computer technology and software have improved.

The Internet opens opportunities for students to complete a course at their own pace, time, and place. The capabilities available for teaching on the Web enables instructors to provide a rich, dynamic learning experiences for students.

In designing instruction for Web delivery, it is important that the instruction is more than just reading text on a computer connected to the Internet.

Two basic components are necessary for delivering courses over the Internet:

• Course materials developed in a language format that can be accessed over the Internet, and
• A location that houses or hosts the materials.

Language formats define the structure and layout of the Web documents by using tags (computer coding) and attributes. The most common language format of the Web is hypertext markup language (HTML or HTM). Extensible markup language (XML) is gaining acceptance by designers of Web documents since it allows creation of customized tags that can increase compatibility between applications and organizations. Several HTML authoring programs are available that reduces the expertise needed to develop Web documents. In addition, many applications, like Microsoft Word, allows users to convert documents to HTML. However, those conversion places a lot of unnecessary tags into the document 'cluttering' the source code. Check out an excellent Web tutorial entitled WebTeacher: Your Source for Web Knowledge (http://www.webteacher.org/windows.html). 

Students need a Web address or uniform resource locator (URL) to access the course. The URL address gives the location of the course materials. Access can be password-protected, but anyone can use the address if they are connected to the Internet. Instructors can choose to place an on-line course directly on a standard server or use course management system software, such as WebCT or BlackBoard, to host the course.

There are several considerations you should take into account as you design a course for Web delivery. Here are a few:

• Desired outcomes determine the technology tools to use, not vice versa. The focus should be on what tools will best help students learn.
• Design based on the learner's technology and access, not what you have available. How will the learners access the course? 56k modem? Students will get turned off if they have to wait five minutes to load a graphic, no matter how good it is.
• Address the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Read Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever (http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/seven.html)

Let's look into developing Web-based information.

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