Learning to use many instructional technologies, such as an online course management system like eCollege or WebCT, requires more technical skills than using Microsoft Word. Training faculty to use these technologies also requires a unique paradigm shift. Most training efforts for these technologies use approaches similar to the teaching of Word, where the focus is on what buttons you push to accomplish a task, and where to look in this or that menu to find the desired function. Although no faculty member has likely ever developed an exhaustive level of skill acquisition on Word or WebCT, there seems to be a concerted effort to make this possible.
This “technical” approach is often criticized by those who want more of an “instructional” focus in trainings, and while the considerable level of knowledge required for mastering the technical aspects of the online systems and their effective use does require considerable attention, this in no way alleviates the need for pedagogical training on these systems. In the same way that understanding the technical aspects of Microsoft Word does not make one able to write effectively, knowing what buttons to push in eCollege will not make one an effective online instructor.
The output of a word processor is in virtually the same form as the output of a typewriter, with only the functionality in achieving that output being changed. The output of an online course management system, however, is markedly different than traditional teaching. For online course management, the concept of knowing “what buttons to push” must go far beyond the browser interface.
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