Evolution of a Web-Enhanced Course: Incorporating Strategies for Self-Regulation

Abstract

28 he number of courses delivered via the World Wide Web is increasing rapidly, but courses delivered through distance education often have a high attrition rate caused, in part, by individual students’ characteristics. Success in these courses often depends on students’ abilities to successfully direct their own learning efforts. In her book Designs for Self-Instruction, Keirns described a self-directed learner as one who “works with instructional materials on his or her own time, without direct supervision or guidance from either instructor or fellow students.”1 This article describes the evolution of a Web-based university course that incorporated a structured protocol designed to promote active self-directed learning, as well as strategies we have found beneficial in fostering students’ selfregulation efforts. In January 1997, we2 began planning the redesign of a university course in human development. The course professor had received a $25,000 grant through Virginia Tech’s Center for Innovation in Learning to develop Web enhancements for her course, which typically enrolled 250 to 300 students per semester. As in many classes of that size, the professor spent her time lecturing, with students hastily scribbling down notes. Students were expected to read the book, attend class twice a week, and participate in lab activities. Midterm and final examinations assessed learning. Occasional quizzes provided incentives for class Evolution of a Web-Enhanced Course