Student personality also affects the efficacy online format -- some extroverted students need the energy generated by the class to feel fully engaged with any material, regardless of the subject matter. Also, some students need individualized tutoring and support for material they find difficult, like the sciences. Moore stresses the importance of motivation and enthusiasm about the subject, and learning in general as critical aspects of benefiting from online learning formats, but having a learning style well-suited to the format may be another important part of creating an online classroom that 'works.' Older students who feel uncomfortable with revealing themselves online may have difficulty reaping the full benefits of an online classroom, no matter what their level of motivation.
Selecting good textbook and online content, providing real-life support through tutoring satellites, and incorporating as much interactive technology as possible, through Blackboards, video and talk sessions, and email, are all vital aspects of making any online class work. Perhaps the moral of Moore's...
However there are many steps that teachers can take to enhance the functionality of the online classroom and enhance the material so the students can benefit to the maximum degree from the format.
Some subjects, such as kinesthetic activities like athletics, are likely to never fully work in an online format, although some highly motivated individuals have apparently had some success with online personal diet coaches and trainers. Also, the arts, since they require detailed personal attention to a student's individual strengths and weaknesses will never be able to be entirely outsourced online. But given the demands of life today, online formats can help students enhance their working life by raising their technological qualifications. Students must be motivated to learn by a strong sense of discipline, and teachers must be likewise motivated by a strong love of teaching to bridge the digital divide in the virtual classroom.
