Welcome to the Online Instructors’ Lounge (OIL).

My name is Denise Lance. I have taught online for seven years for the University of San Diego via Onlinelearning.net. My course teaches general educators about including students with disabilities in their classrooms. While I was a doctoral student at the University of Kansas, I designed the web-based component of a course on language and deafness.

Back then, I hand-coded everything in HTML (not the most fun I have ever had), but I have since used both Blackboard and eCollege systems. Now that I have used eCollege for a couple of years, I tend to prefer it, but there are things I liked about Blackboard too. No course delivery system is perfect. I’ll save extensive discussion and comparison for another time.

I also understand learning online from a student’s perspective. I have taken courses on assistive technology with mainly print materials and email discussions. I earned an M. A. in English from National University completely online in Blackboard. As a freelance writer, I occasionally take online courses in various formats to hone my skills.

So, what can you expect to find here? Teaching online is a rather lonely task. In most cases, you do you not talk to students in person, but you also do not have colleagues in the office next door with whom to exchange ideas, share, and sometimes commiserate. I hope to create a place to do that here–through exchange of comments and eventually a forum.

To spark discussion, I will post teaching tips, abstracts of research, news, book reviews, job leads, technology reviews and tips, and anything else that might help those who teach online.

Whether you teach for an institution of higher education or offer courses or mentor independently, you are welcome to join us! My hope is that you will find ways to invigorate your teaching as you connect with others who teach online!

Please send ideas, suggestions, and questions to denise@teachandlearnonline.com