Web-Based Courses

Abstract Online program development depends on an educationally and technologically sound curriculum supported by a solid infrastructure. Creation of a virtual environment through design of online registration and records, financial aid, orientation, advisement, resources, and evaluation and assessment provides students with access and program integrity. The planning of an academic support system as an electronic environment provides challenges and institutional issues requiring systematic analysis. Using the World Wide Web to deliver nursing courses facilitates learning on demand and learner-centered instruction. From the student level on, institutions are able to establish new forms of electronic collaboration that have the power to facilitate major improvements in access and learning while successfully addressing cost and quality. The development and implementation of educationally and technologically sound curricular content is the central product of Web-based distance education, but it is only as eff...