At faculty gatherings, it seems conversation inevitably turns to how to integrate the Internet into our accounting courses. Yes, the tools of technology are ever changing and full knowledge of how to use them seems elusive. But why enhance accounting courses with a web presence? What course design opportunities exist when a web presence is added?

     On campus, faculty teach courses at a specific time and place. Students learn by attending and participating in class, reading their textbooks and doing homework. Professors and students determine what has been learned through exams or papers. From conversations with accounting faculty, what they really like about on-campus teaching is the personal interaction with students. What frustrates faculty about on-campus teaching is the time and place constraints imposed by classrooms, class times, office hours, and students.

     Why web-enhanced courses? The answer is simply because the web allows course design possibilities not practical in a strictly on-campus course. Adding a web presence means being released from time and place constraints. It increases the possibilities for student interaction and learning responsibility. Besides making course syllabi, handouts, and working papers available on the web, faculty can identify teaching resource strategies other than lectures and in-class assignments and make them available to students in different formats on the Internet, i.e., teaching notes, videos, PowerPoint slides, FAQs, online help, and threaded discussion forums. Students can engage in learning activities and projects created in various mediums to gain confidence in their knowledge, i.e., web pages, spreadsheets, shared documents, and e-mail. Pre- and post- assessment opportunities can also increase with secure online testing. Experienced faculty agree that the advantages of teaching web-enhanced courses primarily focus around expanding course access and improving student engagement. The disadvantages cited by faculty continue to reflect their frustration with technology infrastructure and support.

     In this article, we considered the advantages and disadvantages of web enhanced courses. Why it is a worthwhile challenge to succeed in a different kind of classroom—one that requires advance planning, can be full of technical glitches, requires more writing and less talking, and reaches students in new ways? As you continue to design and develop your web presence, stay alert to the possibilities and opportunities to keep the best of what you do on-campus and how you can rethink the rest! How can the Internet compliment your teaching and courses?