Making a successful transition to the online classroom: a faculty perspective

The authors summarize their personal experience with undergraduate and graduate Web based online programs to suggest guidelines for faculty considering entering the online environment. These guidelines include learning the technology and how to control it; reconceptualizing the course from a teacher-centered to a learning-centered experience; deciding on the right degree of informality; structuring assignments which will work best; concentrating on how to get students to participate; factoring in community-building components; increasing emphasis on student participation; and anticipating testing challenges