• Is e-learning appropriate for my audience and topic? Should it be taught 100 percent online or in some alternative blended format?
• How much interactivity is appropriate for my audience, topic, budget? Is there demonstrable return that I can use to justify greater budget?
• How can I Provide a development process, tools, and systems that foster informal learning in a way that I know will have impact on the performance that I care about and that is repeatable?
• What does this look like in practice and when do I use it within a course?
• What effect does the course have on the students, and how do I measure that effect?
• What can I borrow from other related theories of design – knowledge management, collaborative learning, student-centered design – that makes sense for this project?
• What can I borrow for other management practices that will help make this process go smoothly?
• What systems, tool, and techniques can I use to help students become better learners?
• What types of links, references, research, additional material can I provide both as remediation and advanced resources?
• Can I reduce the duration of courseware and still get an effective result?
E-learning courses differ from traditional classroom courses in several ways. Since students do not have non-verbal cues or the ability to raise a hand to ask immediate questions, the course must contain learning activities with explicit instructions. Above all, the writing must be clear. This includes writing instructions, orientation, expectations, as well as the actual topical content.
Online courses are, by nature, learner-centered and can have more active participation by all students in the class than in a traditional classroom. Without the structure of weekly classes, students are expected to take a more active role in their own learning. A fundamental difference between online and traditional classes is that students make their presence known not only by simply showing up, ask a question, participate in a discussion. Opportunities for these interactions with the course materials, with the instructor, and with other students must be designed into the e-learning classroom.