Online Issues

When teaching in an online environment there are some issues that you must contend with in a different manner than you would in a face-to-face teaching situation. Not only do you have to develop new technological skills and create new and different instructional strategies and interactions, you also must undergo some basic changes in your perceptions of issues like copyright, accessibility and security as they relate to teaching online.

• Copyright
  Instructors teaching online courses have the difficult task of designing, maintaining, and conducting courses in a new and developing medium. While this offers new opportunities, such as freeing the instructor and students from the limitations of time and location, it presents new questions such as, "how to present materials to students?" and "what materials can be legally presented to students? "
• Accessibility and Section 508
  Section 508 requires that Federal Agencies and organizations that receive federal funding, make all of their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public. Since UCF receives federal funding under the Assistive Technology Act, we are required to meet Section 508 standards. Here you will find an overview of items you need to consider while developing your online course.
• Risk Management is all about minimizing the chance that your time or effort will be wasted. When working in the online environment your will want to be informed and prepared to protect your data and hardware from damage and security risks.