Distance Education has played a major role in extending traditional classrooms to virtual environments. The main objective of distance education has been to extend resources available to learners beyond local or regional settings. Widespread uses of technology and computer networks have made it possible to deliver content to meet learner expectations, needs, and outcomes. Moore (1991) reported that distance education is not merely traditional learning and teaching using new technology but a transaction between teachers and learners involving interplay among the environment, the individuals, and their patterns of behavior.

The new model of distance education is based on interactive technologies where there is active participation and interaction between faculty and students, students with other students, and students with electronic books, journals, and multimedia resources. This interaction need not take place in the classroom – instead it provides students an opportunity to control learning at their own pace and time, and also accommodate individual learning styles. In order to accommodate these non-traditional students, a virtual learning environment that meets their needs must be designed. The goal is not to use technology by itself, instead to use technology to enhance learning.

Some of the interactive elements built into the page were Javascript, Animated Gifs, Downloadable files, web based testing, and web conferencing. Benefits of using these elements are given below:

• Students in the course could download lecture notes as well as critical thinking questions. In the typical classroom, lecture notes are given at a fairly rapid pace. When provided the opportunity to download a hard copy of the main ideas to be discussed in class, teachers can save in-class time to model the concepts, have students apply the concepts as well as engage the students in deeper level and higher order processing. Analytical and synthesis levels of the cognitive domain comprise essential components to the overall development of higher order thinking skills, yet teachers rarely engage students beyond the knowledge level (Elliott, Kratochwill, Littlefield, Travers, 1996). Additionally, teachers can assign specific questions to students who may need more time for processing information. Exemplary models of former students’ work can also be placed on the home page as downloadable files.
  
• Web Based Testing takes Computer Aided Assessment one step further by using Web servers to deliver tests and store student responses in a database. Instructors can tailor their questions to reflect the type of objectives they are covering in their course. The web based testing in EDUC 539 course proved to be invaluable. Students were given a solid framework as a review for their mid-term exam, and were also able to monitor their own understanding of concepts by comparing their responses to the correct answers. This Web based testing represents a cognitive behavior modification technique designed to help students develop goal setting behavior, planning, and self-monitoring (Good & Brophy, 1995), and provides the opportunity for students to master the concepts (Bloom, 1981).

• Web Conferences are similar to bulletin board discussion groups or Usenet newsgroups. Within the classroom, Web Conferences were used to create small group discussions organized either by topic areas or student groups. Participants were able to post, reply, send e-mail messages, attach files, and host real-time chat discussions. The course instructor moderated discussions and provided direction to the topic being discussed as well as answered questions posted to conferences by students. The course instructor also included professionals in the field within the Web Conferences, which led to the creation of a community of learners beyond the physical boundaries of the classroom.

Empirical outcomes resulting from the use of Web page in the EDUC 539 course were extensive. Evidence of the success of this interactive home page stems from observations of in-class interaction and discussion of course content as well as student growth in meeting course evaluation criteria. Students were better prepared for in-class discussions due to the downloading capabilities of lecture notes and critical thinking questions. In-class lectures were more organized and lead by student discussion. The students’ understanding of concepts became more intricate and analytical in nature because they had time to think about the critical thinking questions, and engaged in elaborate communication about those concepts outside of class time.

The interactive web page designed for the EDUC 539 course opened up a window of opportunity for students to gather a multitude of resources when researching specific topics and/or extending their understanding of concepts beyond what the textbook offered. Use of the homepage assisted the students’ critical thinking because they were able to access a variety of sources representative of theoretical and research knowledge, as well as practitioners’ perspectives and actual practice. Specifically through the use of the Internet, students developed their knowledge by engaging in disciplined inquiry. According to Bruner (1990), disciplined inquiry helps students discover the authentic and complex components to any concept or research topic. An interactive web page designed carefully can produce this form of disciplined inquiry and provide authentic learning contexts for the students.

Bloom, B. S. (1981). All our children learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Eliott, S., Kratochwill, T., Littlefield, J., Travers, J. (1996). Educational psychology: Effective teaching, effective learning. Madison: Brown & Benchmark.

Good, T. L. & Brophy, J. (1995). Contemporary educational psychology (5^th ed.). NY: Longman.

Moore, M. (1991). Distance education theory. The American Journal of Distance Education, 5(3), 1-5.