International
Journal of
Educational
Technology

Highly Interactive and Effective Online LearningEnvironments for Teacher Professional Development

Sandra R. Levin, University of Illinois;
Gregory L. Waddoups, Brigham Young University;
James Levin, University of Illinois;
James Buell, University of Illinois

Abstract

New technologies make possible highly interactive learningenvironments. We report here on a two year study of an online programfor teacher professional development that addressed the issue of whatdimensions determine effectiveness of online environments. Throughthe use of survey data from twenty-six online students and in-depthcase studies of four students, we identify five dimensions thatcontribute to effective online learning: 1) relevant and challengingassignments, 2) coordinated learning environments, 3) adequate andtimely feedback from instructors, 4) rich environments forstudent-to-student interaction, and 5) flexibility in teaching andlearning. Our use of these dimensions has helped us to create robustlearning environments for these students, themselves K-12 teachersand administrators, who then took leadership roles in the use ofeducational technologies for systemic education reform in theirclassrooms, schools, and districts.

Online courses and programs are growing in number, yet some earlyreports have stated that students are not satisfied with the qualityof these courses (Carnevale, 2000; Weiner, 2000). Many colleges anduniversities are recording lectures; transferring their syllabi andmultiple choice tests to the web; and expecting students to listen,read, and learn with little instructor feedback.

In June 1998, the College of Education at the University ofIllinois, Urbana-Champaign initiated CTER OnLine, a Master ofEducation (Ed.M.) program offered in an online format for practicingteachers. Courses focus on three areas of interest to schools today:Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform (CTER) <http://cter.ed.uiuc.edu>.In the CTER OnLine program, students take five required and threeelective courses over a two-year period.

What does it take to provide a highly interactive and effectiveonline learning environment? Faculty members at the University ofIllinois have been exploring this question by developing andevaluating an online Master of Education program for practicing K-16teachers and administrators. We address this question, drawing uponcourse and program evaluation data collected over a two-year period,examining the underlying elements needed to provide an effectiveonline learning environment for teacher and administratorprofessional development.

Video clips and text translations are provided throughout thisonline paper to support our conclusions. These video interviews ofCTER students were conducted shortly after graduation. RealPlayer 7.0 or higher is required to view the video segments. Links to text transcriptions have also been included for those unable to viewthe videos.

In this paper, we report on the process of teaching and learningin highly interactive and effective online learning environments byproviding an overview of various aspects of the CTER OnLine programand looking closely at one course, "Technology and EducationalReform," (CI399TER) offered in the summer semester of 1999, midwaythrough the two-year program. This course was rated highest (4.8 on ascale of 1=low and 5=high) of all the courses in the online programbased on two survey questions asked on all on-campus and off-campuscourse evaluations.

In the CTER OnLine Program, faculty members considered three basicelements: online course development, online course instruction, andtools necessary to provide both. We started course development withthe premise that each course is unique in its content; therefore, thetechnology tools that are used must be chosen to fit the teachingstyle of the instructor and the learning styles of the students.Before developing a course online, CTER faculty members meet todiscuss the current communication tools available and what tools caneasily be used by both instructor and students. The levels ofcomputer expertise of the instructor and students are also taken intoconsideration when making these decisions. Next, the faculty membersdiscuss the course content to see which tools might work best forthat particular course. For example, if an instructor wants toinclude a discussion on the readings for her course, a web-basedconferencing system that has both synchronous and asynchronoustechnologies would be used. If guest lectures will be incorporated,we would ask the instructor if the guest will be using livebroadcasts, pre-recorded digitized audio or video segments and ifthere will be a question and discussion segment following thelecture.

CTER OnLine instructors combined multiple methods of instructionto enhance student learning (Levin, Levin, & Waddoups, 1999). Theframework developed for online asynchronous discussions allowedstudents flexibility to participate on their own time. Studentsteaching in K-12 settings were given the opportunity to implement thecoursework into their classroom practice. Simulations were used toprovide experience when dealing with sensitive topics and issues.Various grouping arrangements allowed students to learn from oneanother. These multiple instructional methods were used to alsodemonstrate how current theories of learning can be incorporated intoeducational practice, and indeed, many CTER students have sinceincorporated these methods into their own teaching practices.

CTER instructors used the WebBoard® web-based conferencingsystem for asynchronous discussions and synchronous text chatsessions. Individual email and group reflectors were also used forone-to-one or one-to-group correspondence. RealPlayer® was usedto stream audio and video files. Text transcriptions of audio fileswere provided for hearing impaired students. Audio narratedPowerPoint® presentations were created for some topics. TappedIn, a multi-user object-oriented environment (MOO) developed andcoordinated by SRI International, provided interactions between theCTER students and educators across the country (Schlager, Fusco,& Schank, 2001 in press). A specialized tool, known asCTERbase/TEbase, was used to help faculty provide individual feedbackto students, grade assignments, and publish exemplary work on the web(Levin, Buell, & Levin, 2000).

The instructor of the CI399TER course used a combination ofWebBoard (for both synchronous and asynchronous text communication),email, group reflectors, RealPlayer (for streaming audio), texttranslations of the audio files, and CTERbase. Synchronous chats,telephone calls and email messages were used for office hours.Asynchronous communication was used for reflection on readings andgroup discussions. Two guest speakers participated with pre-recordedinterviews with the instructor. One interview was recorded directlyinto a digitized format. The second interview was pre-recorded onaudio tape at an international conference where the instructor hadthe opportunity to meet with well-known experts in the field oftechnology and education reform. This tape was then transferred to adigitized format. The audio files were placed on a streaming mediaserver. The text files were transcribed and linked to the syllabus.The instructor used a combination of a printed textbook and materialson the web in her class. Students formed small discussion groups todebate a weekly issue. The course was project-based and requiredstudents to write a proposal to institute some new technology oreducational reform effort. Proposals were written according to aRequest for Proposals (RFP).

Many researchers have discussed the need to address issues ofquality and effectiveness of online teaching (Campbell, 1997;Findley, 1997; Powers, 1997). Over the two-year-long formativeprogram evaluation, we looked for evidence that supports qualityinstruction and effective online learning. Survey data was collectedfrom all twenty-six students in the program. These surveys included apre-survey at the beginning of the program, a second survey midwaythrough the program, and a third survey conducted at the end of theprogram. Students also completed a course evaluation at the end ofeach course. Four of the twenty-six students also participated in atwo-year case study. Data collected in the case study includedinterviews, site visits to the practicing teachers' classrooms, andcollection of their electronic communication and completedassignments (Waddoups, 2000).

Students are more engaged in an activity when it is personallyrelevant to them. CTER OnLine is a project-based program. While eachcourse focuses on a different topic, students have the opportunity tocreate projects that are useful to them in their classroom. In theCI399TER course, students had two project options: 1) to write aproposal that would provide funding to incorporate some type ofeducational reform into their classroom, school or district, or 2) torevise their curriculum including innovative uses of technology intoclassroom practice based on research the students were reading. Thereadings, written assignments and major project for CI399TER wereviewed by the students as relevant and challenging, as indicated bytheir responses on the course evaluation. Mean scores were calculatedon the total number of 26 responses on a scale of 1-5 with 1representing strongly disagree to 5 indicating strongly agree. Table2 includes the questions and mean score values related to relevantand challenging assignments.
 

Course Survey Question	Mean Score
I have learned a great deal in this course	4.48
The amount of work required was reasonable for the credit earned	4.96
I accomplished a lot in this course	4.68
I am more interested in the subject area as a result of this course	4.68
The course helped me understand key principles in the field	4.68
The technologies used in this course supported my learning	4.88

Table 2: CI399TER Survey questions related to relevant andchallenging assignments. Scale: Strongly disagree = 1; Strongly agree= 5

Students repeatedly asked that the assignments, discussions, andreadings be relevant to the work they are doing in their schools andclassrooms. Here one student describes what he found that worked withCTER OnLine.
Transcript

One of the hallmarks of good teaching, regardless of medium, ishelping students connect learning to their lives.
Transcript

Relevance is important to the students in the CTER program becausethey are practicing teachers who see their participation in thisprogram as an extended professional development opportunity.Relevance in the online context should be thought of as helpingteachers prepare curriculum and develop practices directly relevantto their teaching while also expanding their ideas about what is andshould be considered relevant in their professional practice.
Transcript

The most popular instructional activities in the CTER Onlineprogram are the assignments that ask students to create and evaluateprojects that can be used immediately in their own classrooms. Surveyand interview data indicate that the projects they developed orevaluated for their own professional practice were the most useful.This captures the idea of relevance in its most basic form.
Transcript

Throughout the entire program, students were asked to reflect onwhat they read and learned. In addition, some reflective questionswere asked on the Program's post-survey. The following quotesrepresent a small sampling of how other students responded to thequestion: How has the CTER program reformed your teachingpractice?

What the students tell us

"I am a technology coordinator and it is my job to help the classroom teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. It has given me the experience and knowledge to do a better job of integrating computers into the schools classrooms. The use of reform methods such as project-based learning and constructivist style of teaching is now a part of the teacher in-services."

 

"I think it has made me a better teacher overall, by learning various theories. I have also used more technology applications."

 

"I think I am more aware of the impact of technology in the classroom. I am more comfortable to include components using technology across subject areas. This has occurred due to the enormous amount of time I have spent on the computer."

 

"I think that I have become a more well-rounded individual and have learned a tremendous amount from my peers and professors. I have learned how to successfully integrate technology into the classroom as well as many wonderful classroom management techniques."

 

"I think a lot more about the "why's" and "how's" of education: Why do I do what I do? Why do I feel these are the best practices? If they aren't, why do I continue with them? How can I promote change in my building/district?"

Additional evidence of quality in online instruction can be foundwhen students expand their notions of what is relevant to theirprofessional practice. The Internet provides a particularly helpfulenvironment for connecting practicing teachers to other educators tocollaborate on ideas that are relevant.

Many teachers in the CTER online program were initially content tofocus on curriculum projects for use in their classrooms. However, inthe CTER Online program we have provided them with opportunities toengage in activities that have expanded their notion of what isrelevant for their teaching activities. Assignments are not relevantsimply because teachers can use them in their classroom, but becauseteachers can see that engaging in the assignment will provide anopportunity to engage in practices and develop skills that may berelevant for a teacher's professional practice.

One example of developing new skills was evident in the CI399TERclass that required students to write a proposal describing theimplementation of one or more aspects of educational reform theywould like to institute in their school. Many of the students hadnever written a proposal for outside funding and were not tooconfident of their ability, but in the end, a number of the proposalswere funded, to the delight of the students and schooladministrators.

We have also included assignments that are not directly applicablein the classroom, but engage our students in learning activities thatextend their thinking of what it means to be a teacher. An example ofexpanding the notion of relevance can be found in a simulation thatwas used in a course about Ethical and Policy Issues in InformationTechnologies. A fictitious student named Suzie created web pagescontaining materials that would be considered improper for a schoolsetting. CTER students were asked to reflect on how they would handlethe situation and to discuss issues raised with their peers. Whilecontroversial at times, the activity heightened their awareness ofinformation on the Internet and its potential impact on a schoolsetting. For their final project, students developed a set ofEducators' Guides on a number of issues centrally affecting the waysin which new information and communication technologies are changingschools today. The topics include: Access Issues, Credibility and WebEvaluation, Free Speech vs. Censorship, Privacy, Commercialism,Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Plagiarism, and Computer Crimeand Technology Misuse. These guides are available online at:http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/.

Assignments were not only relevant, but also challenging. It takesa motivated, self-disciplined student to succeed in an onlineprogram. We have included an example of one student's thoughts on thesubject.
Transcript

In addition to relevance, students expressed the desire forclasses that are clearly organized so they do not have to search forthe assignments and wonder whether they are following the schedule.This is particularly important in online courses, because studentscan follow the class only to the extent that there is a relativelyclear structure that has some level of cohesion. What this typicallymeans is making it more explicit how the class fits together andmaking an overt attempt to address issues of organization to thestudents. Being more explicit can be as simple as placing datesthroughout the syllabus instead of, or in addition to, using moregeneric terms such as Week 1 or Week 2 and using consistent headersand terminology when using multiple software tools.

What we are suggesting is that a coordinated learning environmentis one in which the threaded asynchronous communication tool, thesyllabus, and the homework completion system are connected. The firstweek's topic described in the syllabus should be directly linked toand easily identified in the asynchronous communication tool used fordiscussions for that week and instructions for the assignment shouldbe clear and concise.
Transcript

We have included someexample web pages from EdPsy490 TER (a revised version of theCI399TER course) that demonstrate the connections betweenapplications. Several survey questions asked at the end of the coursewere aimed at this dimension of a coordinated learning environmentand are listed with their mean scores in Table 3.
 

Course Survey Question	Mean Score
The technologies in this course were used effectively	4.68
The technology facilitated my interactions with classmates	4.4
The technology used in this course supported the goals of the class	4.76
The technologies used in this course were appropriate	4.84
It was easy to use the technology in this course	5.00
The technology in this course worked well	4.84
I received adequate technical support in this course	4.67
There were few difficulties in accessing the technology used in this course	4.76
I received the training needed to use the technology in this course	4.68
The course objectives were clear	4.80
The course was well organized	4.96

Table 3. Mean scores of the coordinated learning environment forthe CI399TER course. Scale: Strongly disagree = 1; Strongly agree =5

Another element of coordinated online learning environment isproviding technical support. We have found that there are threelevels of technical support needed in an online course for bothfaculty and students: development, training and ongoing support asshown in Table 4.
 

Levels of Support	Faculty Support	Student Support
Development	Deciding which tools are most appropriate to use in the course and assisting in the development of the course in an online format
Training	Initial training in how to use the tools	Initial training in how to use the tools and access course content
Ongoing	Assistance when using some communication tools	Technical support with access, hardware and software issues during courses through email, telephone, and voice mail.

Table 4: Kinds of technical support for faculty and students tocreate coordinated learning environments.

First, there are a number of decisions that an instructor faceswhen moving to an online environment. The instructor must consultwith other instructors and technical support staff on which tools arecurrently in use and which would be most appropriate for the type ofcourse offered. Once tools are selected, an instructor must gatherand create the course materials. Often, technical support staff isneeded to convert files from one format to another, digitize videoand audio segments, transcribe audio files for students with hearingdisabilities, and create usernames and passwords for studentaccess.

Our students ask to see all course materials available at thebeginning of the class so that they may pace the workload accordingto their own schedules. This is very often different than the waymost university professors prepare for face-to-face instructionnormally done just prior to each class meeting. Not only areprofessors changing the way they prepare and teach, but also they arelearning how to use these new tools. This preparation and trainingtakes a considerable amount of time.

Instructors also need ongoing support when using some of thelatest technology tools. When audio or video streaming is used,technical support staff must be available to set up equipment, managethe cameras and microphones, and be on-hand in case of a technicalfailure. Even when synchronous text chat is used, the instructor is busydiscussing course content and relies on the support staff to handleother questions through a "whisper" command that provides privateconversations during a chat session.

Students also need to learn how to use the software tools thatwill be used throughout the program. For CTER OnLine, this support isinitially provided in a face-to-face orientation meeting just priorto the beginning of the first course. Technical support continuesthroughout the program dealing with a variety of issues from accessto consultations about hardware purchases and software upgrades. Thistype of support is provided through a combination of email, atechnical support help telephone line, and voice mail that can beaccessed by the support staff in the evenings and on the weekends.Providing technical support throughout the program is essential tohandling day-to-day problems that arise with the use of technology.We continually monitored student's technical support needs andrequested feedback at the end of each course. If any problemdeveloped, we addressed it as quickly as possible.
Transcript

The CTER OnLine program supports two half-time graduate assistantsto provide technical support to both faculty and students throughoutthe year. In some cases, faculty members have requested a teachingassistant to help with grading and online discussions.

Providing a coordinated online learning environment also involvesdeveloping a sense of community between the instructor and students.If provided with some face-to-face interactions throughout theprogram, faculty and students get to know one another on a moresocial level which alleviates the sense of isolation that is oftenfelt in distance education courses.
Transcript

Adequate and timely feedback: teacher-student interaction

We have found that providing adequate and timely feedback tostudents is another important element of online teaching. Becausestudents are remote, it is important to develop mechanisms thatprovide feedback to students on their progress in a timelymanner.

There are three levels of feedback that are necessary in theonline classroom. These include online office hours, instructorresponse to individual and group work, and feedback on individualassignments. To successfully provide these layers of feedback in theonline course the instructor must have, or develop, a good facilityusing different types of communication technologies.

Conducting online office hours is one way in which student-teacherinteractivity can be accomplished. In the CTER Online program, wehave utilized two-way synchronous text chat spaces and a combinationof one-way streaming audio used by the instructor and synchronoustext chat used by students for the purpose of office hours. Officehours are used as a time for students to interact with the instructorin real-time, to ask questions about the assignments, or to clarify atopic in the readings. While the questions tend to be specific, theentire office hour is archived and all students can view the chatdiscussion at a later time. Students have responded that theconsistent use of online office hours has helped them feel moreconnected with the instructor.

We have noticed two patterns of instructor response related toindividual and group assignments and discussions. One form could bedescribed as individual and immediate response and the other asarchived response. Individual and immediate response refers to theinstructor responding to student assignments or discussion messagesas they occur in the ongoing discussion. Archived response is usedwhen the instructor reads all the students messages (for the day orweek), then replies to the entire class in one message addressing thepoints he/she would like to make.

Another way in which students and faculty stay connected isthrough individual feedback on student assignments. CTER instructorshave provided individual feedback on student assignments through aspecialized tool we developed called CTERbase. Students submit theirassignments or enter URLs pointing to their assignments, and theinstructor can review and reply back to the students on what theymight want to consider changing before submitting the final version.Instructors can also provide feedback in a more public forum, likeWebBoard, so that all the students can see the instructor's commentsand modify their work accordingly. Providing general feedback is moreefficient for the instructor, however, some students have reportedtheir preference for individual feedback.

The instructor in CI399TER used individual and immediate responsesthroughout the course in the WebBoard discussions, for emailmessages, and for feedback in CTERbase when students were writing thedifferent stages of their proposals. Table 5 shows the surveyquestions related to the topic of providing adequate and timelyfeedback.
 

Course Survey Question	Mean Score
I received constructive feedback on assignments and tests	4.8
The instructor had a strong command of the subject matter	4.88
The instructor effectively used technology to facilitate course discussions	4.84
The instructor responded quickly to my inquiries	5.00
There were positive interactions between instructor and students	5.00

Table 5: C&I 399TER Mean scores related to instructor-studentfeedback. Scale: Strongly disagree = 1; Strongly agree = 5

Rich environments for student-to-student interaction

Another indicator of quality in an online course is the creationof highly interactive learning environments for interaction betweenand among students.
Transcript

In the CTER Online program we have used a variety of methods toorganize group and one-to-one student interactions.
Transcript

Three methods we have used to form groups includestudent-selected, topic-selected, and instructor-selected groups.Each method offers both positive and negative results.Student-selected groups allow students who know one another or workin close proximity to work together on group activities. Whenstudents are able to choose their own groups, they have arrangedmeetings at a member's home or local pizza restaurant to work onassignments.
Transcript

Students have also commented on levels of peer support bydescribing their work habits in an online environment.
Transcript

On the other hand, students who are constantly given the chance toself-select group members tend to pick friends or individuals theyknow, which actually narrows their scope of learning, minimizingopportunities to share ideas with students in other geographic areas.Some instructors have allowed students to choose a topic of interestand formed groups based on that topic. Depending on the coursecontent, topic-selected groups can produce a mix of interests amongthe group members or narrow their scope of learning as in theself-selected group. Instructors have also assigned members to groupsto ensure that each group has a particular mix of interests. Whilethis grouping method can provide a wide range of expertise among itsmembers, it can also lead to more tension or personality conflicts.We have found that using different methods for selecting groupsthroughout the course provides a good opportunity for students towork with different students to minimize negative group dynamics.

In the CI399TER course, students were provided with whole classand small group asynchronous discussion spaces and synchronous chatspaces. They chose a proposal topic that best fit their professionalteaching needs and had the option of working alone or in smallself-selected groups on their major projects. If a student wrote anindividual proposal, he or she was asked to join another small groupfor weekly discussions.

To maximize communication in an online environment, it isimportant to provide online conferencing space or conference callopportunities for each group to communicate among themselves.Instructors can provide simple group assignments in the beginningthat build upon subsequent assignments and become more challengingtoward the end of the course. Another effective strategy includesheavy instructor involvement in group activities early in thesemester with less involvement as time goes on.

Research on distance education has repeatedly pointed to a highdrop-out rate related to students feeling isolated from a socialsetting (Keegan, 1980; Kember, 1989). We have attempted to addressthis issue by providing a number of activities that foster student tostudent discussion. Students enrolled in our online courses come tothe university for a multi-day face-to-face orientation prior totheir first online course. This time is provided to train students touse the software tools needed to participate in the program whileoffering time for students to socialize and get to know one another.Students share common goals, strengths and interests with otherclassmates in face-to-face and online activities. Chat and onlineconferencing space is provided so students can interact on a sociallevel throughout the course. Students are also encouraged to providepeer reviews throughout the program.
Transcript

Fostering flexibility in teaching and learning

Many students registering for online distance education coursesare interested in the flexibility this medium of educationprovides.
Transcript

However, students must be aware of the challenges that exist aswell.
Transcript

Therefore, another important element of quality online instructionis the careful balance of asynchronous and synchronouscommunication--to foster flexibility in learning. For an instructorthis means choosing the appropriate technologies for the task theyare trying to accomplish. Indeed, the technology and task fit is animportant principle for those designing and delivering onlinedistance education courses. One model we have used successfullycombines the use of asynchronous technologies to facilitate much ofthe classroom interactions and synchronous communication tofacilitate small group interactions and course office hours.

Of course, the right balance between flexibility and the need forinteractivity will vary with each course. In some cases, aninstructor may use all asynchronous communication for classroom andgroup communication and limit synchronous interactions to onlineoffice hours. At other times, weekly real-time video or audioconferencing may be most appropriate for the topic.

In many cases, this flexibility helped the students to jugglethe challenges of everyday life.
Transcript

Another consideration for flexibility in learning can be describedas flexibility in teaching. Both synchronous and asynchronouscommunication can be accomplished effectively by instructorsregardless of location. This is most evident when instructors travelto conferences to report on their research. They can now pre-recordan audio or video presentation for the students to view at theirconvenience. With a laptop computer and telephone line, instructorscan continue to respond to student email or online discussions whenaway from their offices. In addition, these new technologies offerthe flexibility universities sometimes need to hire adjunct facultyto teach online courses or more easily involve experts in aparticular field to participate as a guest lecturer or discussionparticipant.

In the case of CI399TER, the instructor was scheduled to presentat a conference located in a distant city during the month-longcourse. Using a laptop and network connection, the instructor wasable to follow the WebBoard discussions and provide feedback betweensessions or in the evening to her students.

Students reported on their accomplishments as a result of the CTEROnLine Master of Education program in a CTER Yearbook 2000. Theseresponses can be viewed at: http://cter.ed.uiuc.edu/Graduation/Yearbook2000/index.html.Some of the CTER student projects can be seen at http://cter.ed.uiuc.edu/best-of-cter.html.
Transcript

Conclusion

We have found that the following dimensions of effective onlineinstruction are particularly relevant for providing educationalopportunities for practicing teachers.

1. relevant and challenging assignments
2. coordinated learning environments
3. adequate and timely feedback: teacher-student interaction
4. rich environments for student-to-student interaction
5. fostering flexibility in teaching and learning

The Internet and other communication technologies provideeducators with a wide array of educational tools to create highlyinteractive and effective learning environments. The question formany is how best to utilize these technologies. In this paper, wehave described one model for developing an online learningenvironment that promotes high levels of interaction among studentsas they learn to integrate technologies into their K-12 or in-serviceclassrooms. We have suggested that there are many issues to considerwhen developing online learning environments, including makingassignments relevant to teachers' experiences, constructingcoordinated learning environments, providing timely feedback,creating rich environments for interaction, and providing forflexibility by fostering anytime anywhere teaching and learning.Paying attention to these dimensions has led to the creation ofrobust learning environments for CTER students to become leaders inthe use of educational technologies in their classrooms, schools, anddistricts.

Campbell, J. O. (1998). Asynchronous learning networks: Evaluatinganytime/anywhere learning. Retrieved November 21, 2000, from theWorld Wide Web: http://www.parshift.com/OtherWise5.htm

Carnevale, D. (2000). What Makes an online course succeed? Noteveryone agrees, a study finds. Chronicle of High Education.Oct. 12, 2000. http://www.chronicle.com/free/2000/10/2000101201u.htm

Findley, B. (1997). Strategies for effective distance education,Contemporary Education, 68, 118-120.

Kember, D. (1989). A longitudinal process model of dropout fromdistance education, Journal of Higher Education, 60,278-301.

Levin, S. R., Buell, J. G., & Levin, J. A. (2000). The TEbaseinitiative: Research, development and evaluation for educationalreform. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 16(3),6-11.

Levin, J., Levin, S. R., & Waddoups, G. (1999). Multiplicityin learning and teaching: A framework for developing innovativeonline education. Journal of Research on Computing in Education,32(2), 256-269.

Levin, S. R., & Buell, J. G. (1999). Merging technology intoteacher education: Technology tools and faculty collaboration.Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 16(1), 7-14.

Powers, S.M. (1997). Designing an interactive course for theinternet, Contemporary Education, 68, 194-196.

Schlager, M., Fusco, J., & Schank, P. (2001, in press).Evolution of an on-line education community of practice. To appear inK. A. Renninger & W. Shumar (Eds.), Building virtualcommunities: Learning and change in cyberspace. NY: CambridgeUniversity Press.

Waddoups, G. L. (2000). Extending, adopting, and defendingpractitioner identities: K-12 teachers participating and learning inan online community of practice. Unpublished doctoraldissertation, University of Illinois, Champaign IL.

Weiner, R. S. (2000). Cybertimes education: Degrees granted onlinemay lack status. New York Times. November 15, 2000.

We would like to thank Universityof Illinois Online, Ed-Online,the College of Education, andthe Department ofEducational Psychology at the University of Illinois for theirsupport of CTER OnLine and the evaluations reported in this paper. Wealso would like to thank the CTEROnLine students, facultyand supportstaff, without whom CTER OnLine would not be such a powerfulcontext for learning and research. A special thank you goes to TamaraMcLane, David Barber and Lynn Gilmore for permission to includeportions of their video interviews in this paper.