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Book Provides Details on Web-Based Instruction

You may remember them as correspondence courses or extension courses, but today’s distance education is decidedly different, in everything from the delivery method, to the information being communicated, to the students in the class.  One type of distance education is web-based instruction, the subject of new book co-authored by DSU faculty members Dr. Deb Gearhart and Dr. Haomin Wang.   

The book, entitled Designing and Developing Web-Based Instruction, was written to guide those who design and develop online courses, and addresses the advantages and challenges of web-based instruction.  The book includes a companion website that provides supplementary materials and resources.

 The authors state that the popularity of web-based instruction is growing at an exponential rate, due mainly to convenience and flexibility.  Students can take course work anywhere, at any time.  Along with information on developing a web-based course, the authors also provide tips on designing the instructional hypermedia including appropriate use of font, color contrast, and page and text layout.

 Dr. Deb Gearhart is an assistant professor and the Director of E-Education services at Dakota State University. Dr. Haomin Wang is an associate professor of instructional technology at Dakota State University and the DSU Web Master.