Professors tend to want more and more features as they grow comfortable with on-line teaching, he says. You want to make sure that whatever you choose has the features you want now and those you will eventually want. To help professors make the best choices, many institutions have formed committees or appointed researchers to make recommendations. When professors at the University of Manitoba began requesting Web-course tools last year, the university conducted a study of several popular programs. Most programs help professors convert their courses to on-line form but offer no guidance on wider issues of course design, he explains.
Students gain access to the courses through their Web browsers.
Professors may customize their on-line classrooms by manipulating color schemes and buttons, and may place images and audio files on their pages. CourseInfo requires special server software that can be run on an institution's computer network or, for an additional fee, by the CourseInfo company. Professors can create a sample course on the company's Web site before deciding whether to buy the software. TopClass, a Web-based system that uses a data base to store information about each class and student. The server software creates Web pages on the fly as students ask for them, making it easier for professors to modify their on-line materials.