Sex ED on the Web: Exploring Solutions to Traditional Instructional Challenges‪.‬

ABSTRACT: The emergence of the Internet and the World Wide Web has opened new avenues for course development in human sexuality education. This paper reviews how properly designed online courses in humans sexuality at the university undergraduate level can remedy some of the challenges currently encountered in face-to-face sexuality courses. Online environments have been characterized by five attributes: many-to many communication; time independence; place independence; text-based environment; and computer-mediated learning. When appropriately used, these attributes can help faculty address a variety of challenges including large class sizes, students' reluctance to participate, sensitive subject matter, and limited interaction. Despite their promise, sexuality courses designed for a Web-based environment also present challenges around such issues as privacy, nuances of communication, information overload, ownership of electronic discussion material, administration, and misunderstandings arising from uses of humour. Key words: Interactive learning Web-based instruction Sexuality education Computer-mediated communication Course design