Online Course Pedagogy
Appropriate online course pedagogy is generally not that different from appropriate pedagogy to be practiced in traditional learning or non-online distance learning, except that students often assume that online is 24X7 and 1-1. However, the means whereby general pedagogical contexts and practices can be successfully practiced online is in many ways very different from that which is typically practiced in non-online learning; as technology is more so factored into traditional learning offerings, this will change.
Lecture, demonstration, discussion, student engagement with subject matter, attendance, student collaboration with other students, student interaction with subject matter expert, and evaluation are general pedagogical contexts that should be implemented, whether in online or other learning. Another sometimes overlooked rather unique aspect of online learning is management of learning environment and record keeping, significantly including e-mail load.
Organization of information such that it is appropriate for learners is a general pedagogical practice that pertains equally well in all learning environments, as does interactivity with and among learners, feedback to learners, and opportunity for learning improvement.
Differences in implementation of general pedagogical contexts and practices in online compared to non-online learning are very much related to online learning being highly independent of space and time, compared to traditional learning which is typically very dependent on learners being in a small space in a particular time-frame. These and other factors suggest the need for particular and somewhat unique space/time independent implementations of pedagogy in online learning environments; and these factors also suggest particular and somewhat unique processes and tools to aid in effective implementations of online learning pedagogy.
Use of varying types of media in online learning is very significant in differentiating online from other learning environments, and in considering how to optimize online learning environments; such use may be considered ancillary (for now) in non-online learning, but very necessary in online learning. Media types and related tools and processes will be very pertinent in what follows.