To ensure effective interaction, course designers need to consider these questions:

• Who will be interacting with the students?
• How often will interactions occur, and how long will they last?
• Around what topics or tasks will interactions occur?
• What interactive technologies are available?
• For what topics or tasks of interaction will each technology be used?

Interaction can be designed to occur in real time, or synchronously (by audio, video, or synchronous computer conference), or asynchronously (through traditional or electronic mail).

Synchronous interaction usually (though not always) takes place with learners in groups, and asynchronous interaction with individual learners.

Some courses may be designed to include interaction among the learners, independent of interaction between the learners and instructors.

More on interaction

Kabonoki, K. 1999. Building Quality into Media Distance Learning Materials Paper presented at the 1st National NADEOSA Conference, which was held from 11-13 August 1999 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.(This is a link to an external web resource)

Lusunzi, I.S. 1999. Building Instructional Activities in Distance Education Self-instructional Materials Paper presented at the 1st National NADEOSA Conference, which was held from 11-13 August 1999 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.(This is a link to an external web resource)

Kruger, M. 1999. A Learning Approach For Human Development In Distance Learning Paper presented at the 1st National NADEOSA Conference, which was held from 11-13 August 1999 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.(This is a link to an external web resource)