This can be an especially helpful option with regard to clarifying information that students can understand and adding information that may have been omitted, or in confirming that they did understand. In addition to soliciting information about the clarity of the class, providing content on a course home page and having students interact with that material promotes the process of teaching and learning. Additional information to assist in assignments can be posted on the home page. The effect of this technology is to extend the interaction between the faculty member and student beyond the limits of the class and use the intervening time between classes to promote additional learning. Technology offers options for students to communicate with each other on collaborative projects.
Students can use a discussion list site to read and react to ideas developed by their classmates.
Using the cut and paste functions of the operating system, students can transfer the content they have developed on a word processor and collaboratively construct reports and projects electronically on a class discussion site. Finally, technology offers multiple options for learning for students. Unlike a linear instructional design that is teacher-directed and locks students into following a preset instructional sequence, faculty can structure technology to offer students the flexibility to access course information in multiple ways. Technology also offers students access to resources about developing the skills needed for academic success. In conclusion, it is necessary for the faculty member to have developed a clear sense of the knowledge and skills that students are to develop within each course before considering which, if any, technology might be appropriate and how it is to be applied.