Faculty and students use the whole range of Internet resources from class paper and project research to the use of Email, HyperNews and Internet Relay Chat for class discussion. An Online course is any combination of campus meetings and Web assignments that replace onsite sessions. During the last two years Northridge faculty have taught over thirty Online courses. Some of the Online courses meet only a few times on campus with the rest of the course work being done on the Internet. Other courses meet half to three-quarters of the time on campus.
Faculty choose the combination that best serves their teaching goals.
The Project also teaches CSUN students the basic Internet computer skills, including the majority of first time Freshmen and Transfer Students during Summer Orientation, by means of workshops and online guides. In the coming year, the Project will continue to support faculty who wish to use the Internet to enhance teaching and learning. There will be a special focus on developing an Online General Education Program and an Online Liberal Studies Program. These two core groups of students are being targeted because Online courses give students more flexibility in programming their course of study to accommodate work and life schedules. Because Online learning nourishes active learning, virtual courses are of particular interest to prospective K-12 teachers who have been mandated by the State of California to incorporate computer resources into their teaching by the year 2000.