There are thousands of educational Web sites that contain all sorts of bells and whistles impersonating instructional destinations or claiming to be virtual classrooms. However, once you arrive, you find that there is little instructional value. To be instructional, a site needs to have all of the components that are found in any standard learning environment, including content and management. Content needs to include more than posting a lesson and having an assignment e-mailed to the teacher. It requires careful planning with objectives, outcomes, organization, appropriate material, and a delivery system that is effective and easy to use.
System management includes all of the design elements combined with the delivery system.
In most cases content, assignments, discussion, communication, and administration are delivered over the Web. Learners are expected to be self-motivated and share a responsibility for their learning. When this type of organizational structure is followed, the Web can be transformed into a bona fide interactive learning environment. To this end there are several Web sites that can serve as models when designing Web-based learning spaces. The program is specifically beneficial to those who have emergency teaching certificates and want to gain full certification.