Computer Literacy and Applications" is a four-credit entirely online course that covers an array of complex and modern computer concepts and topics such as hardware, software, World Wide Web, cutting edge technologies, and real world hands-on projects that are the necessary elements for today's businesses and societies. Researches have been conducted on this course. My research paper has been accepted and published in a top-tier journal: "Journal of Research on Technology in Education", volume 40, number 4, 2008.

The course, which has served approximately 1,000 students through the computer science department each semester at Iowa State University, has produced a 94% student satisfaction rate. The course is exemplary in course design, interaction and collaboration, assessment, and learner support. The systematic design of the course material made it easy for students to navigate through the course material and optimize their in-depth learning. Various Blackboard tools facilitated learning-centered virtual classrooms, while case study group projects stimulated critical thinking skills and student interest by prompting students to research topics and interact with classmates. Homepage design projects built a strong online community, and course assessments helped students reach the highest level of Bloom's taxonomy. Students completed essay questions, constructivist-based real-world projects, quizzes, comprehensive mid-term and final exams, and four comprehensive hands-on simulation tests in a proctored test center. The orientation sessions, online chat sessions, the face-to-face help desk, instructor office hours, and quick replies to all student email provided outstanding student support. After the course, the majority of participants indicated they learned a great deal and enjoyed the class very much.

"As a Blackboard senior certified trainer, I always strive to fully implement the effective teaching philosophies and pedagogies of online learning into my classes. The self-evaluation process through the provided rubrics in ECP offered a great way to reassure that the instructional design of the course deployed all needed Blackboard features and underline principles in order to achieve better learning outcomes and high student satisfaction rates."