Development of an on-line introduction to nanotechnology course: Issues and challenges

The emerging field of Nanotechnology is leading to a technological revolution in the new millennium. Realizing the need for providing nanotechnology education and training at the undergraduate level to technicians and technologists, Excelsior College, a well respected distance learning institution in higher education has recently embarked upon a plan to develop and implement an on-line 4-year nanotechnology degree program. Since the Excelsior learning model permits offering a course of study with a significant amount of the coursework and other requirements met by external courses and workforce experience, hence the on-line instruction elements will be phased in gradually. Initially, two on-line nanotechnology core courses will be developed. The first one, titled "Introduction to Nanotechnology" is currently under development. The second one, titled "Basic Nanofabrication Process" will be developed during Summer 2008. This manuscript describes the development of on-line nanotechnology courses at Excelsior College. The manuscript discusses several issues to be dealt with during the development of the above mentioned introductory on-line/web-based nanotechnology courses and provides details regarding the course development strategy Excelsior College will be using to address the above mentioned issues. The manuscript also describes the innovative course development model used by Excelsior College. This course model combines virtual reality, graphics, text, and sound. The model features a multidisciplinary perspective and is designed specifically for the needs of working adults.