Teaching with the Internet, the online university as media hype?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching process at the post-secondary level when Internet-related technologies were used in the delivery of teaching materials. More specifically, the purpose was also to ask the question: how and why do a group of university instructors choose to use the Internet as a teaching tool? As well as trying to discover details about the use of these technologies in the classroom, it was also the aim of this study to try and determine the impetus behind that usage. The questions were concerned with utilization issues and issues questions. The study determined that most of the interviewed professors used the expected Internet utilities in their teaching and avoided such peripheral utilities like videoconferencing, whiteboards, FIT, IRC and chat rooms. Their reasons for using Internet technologies were varied but most agreed that personal convenience and a desire to add another effective tool to the traditional modes of instruction were high on their lists. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)