Facilitation of Web-Based Courses Designed for Adult Learners

Web-based courses have currently surpassed all other forms of distance education in the higher education field. One of the main reasons in growth is the demand from adult and professional students looking for a convenient yet quality education (Kearsley, 2000). College and university faculty members are a key component in the development and delivery of online courses. Many studies have been conducted on effective course design, and student achievement and outcomes (Kearsley, 2000, p. 46), but less research is available on the instructional techniques necessary to facilitate an online course. New Web-based education programs are being developed at a staggering rate. In the 2000-2001 school year, 43% of two four-year-degree granting institutions offered distance education via the Internet. Of those, 88% planned to increase the number of Internet courses (Waits & Lewis, 2003). Course management programs such as WebCT and Blackboard are being utilized in several of the colleges and universities in the United States and around the world. Web-based instruction offers a variety of benefits. It is fairly inexpensive in comparison to other distance education methods such as satellite. It offers easy access via the Internet and can be used at various levels, supplemental to the traditional course, mixed method, and completely online.