Faculty experiences, student expectations of technology supported collaborative teaching over the Internet

Synchronous teaching over the Internet among five faculty members from different universities is not only a technological challenge but also a philosophical and pedagogical opportunity. Issues in the Built Environment is the name of the course that faculty members and information technology experts from East Carolina University, Iowa State University, Texas Tech University, Arizona State University, Oklahoma State University and University of Minnesota created with the use of communication and video conferencing technology. Faculty whom valued the interdisciplinary collaborative approach were selected from Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape, Urban Design and Construction Management. A common syllabus was developed where twelve synchronous presentations took place over the spring 2004 semester. Each participant faculty member presented their area of expertise to the entire Internet class and students formed partnerships with their peers at distant universities to develop a semester long project using synchronous and asynchronous tools of communication. Pedagogical complexities of teaching an interdisciplinary course: and students' educational experiences are examined in contrast to conventional learning environments. Successes and limitations that students and faculty encountered are analyzed together with the technological and managerial requirements for undertaking the project.