Courses should be carefully designed to directly engage and involve the student. Many learners say they feel more involved in e-learning courses then they ever did in traditional classes. The course design should permit you to have greater control over the process of learning than would be possible in a traditional class. Courses should be learner-centered, permitting students to relate course content directly to their specific needs and goals. The structure should meet your learning style and needs for convenience.
Courses can be either synchronous or asynchronous.
Delivery modes for synchronous instruction include interactive TV and videoconferencing. Asynchronous instruction, on the other hand, offers greater flexibility because students may choose to participate when it is convenient to their schedules. Web based instruction, e-mail, listservs, videotapes and correspondence courses are used in courses offering asynchronous instruction. Contrary to what many people assume, e-learners in a quality program should not feel isolated from each other. Quality programs use many means to develop a strong sense of community.