Principles of effective teaching in the online classroom

Logistical and pedagogical issues associated with the online classroom, particularly in the area of distance education, are covered in the eleven contributions to this book. Much can be learned to enhance online classrooms that are used to complement face-to-face contact.

Most of the chapters focus on the practice of teaching in the online classroom. Practical guidelines on structuring the online course, incorporating successful communication strategies, utilizing resources from the World Wide Web, and using other electronic tools and technology to enhance classroom efficiency are presented. Performance evaluation, academic integrity, and accessibility for disabled students are also covered. Practical solutions are provided to humanise the online classroom and reduce what can be perceived as a remote and impersonal environment.

Attempting to theoretically frame the pedagogy of the online classroom, Knowlton, in chapter one, contrasts both teacher-centered and student-centred approaches then argues the case for the online classroom to be student-centered. The transition for both teacher and student from traditional teacher-centered methods of education to the student-centered learning experience necessary in the online environment is explored.

The final chapter sounds a cautionary note when it examines the intellectual cost of online learning. The authors conclude that "education driven by technology, although perhaps beneficial in some regards, is insufficient for truly human beings to develop, and perhaps even dangerous to our future" (p. 87).

• Svinicki, M.D. (Series Ed.) & Weiss, R. E., Knowlton, D. S., & Speck, B. W. (Volume Eds.). (2000). New Directions for Teaching and Learning Number 84: Principles of effective teaching in the online classroom. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.