Dive Brief:
- New research finds the idea that online courses take longer to develop to be true but breaks with common rhetoric when it comes to future courses.
- A study by University of Michigan-Dearborn assistant professor Lee Freeman shows future iterations of the same online courses require about the same amount of time as traditional courses, eCampus News reports.
- While many attribute the need for extra time to technology, Freeman found it was more about adapting to the pedagogy of offering online courses, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Since online courses have taken off as a flexible option for students to take courses on their own schedules, perceptions about developing and offering the courses have come out of sync with reality. Freeman’s nuance about learning curves tied to pedagogy versus technology seem to add an important piece of understanding to the discussion. Even instructors who are expert computer users will need time to adapt to the very different teaching methods required by online coursework.