With the rise of technology, comes students' experience with computer games, chatting online, social networking and learning tools.  As teachers, the use of online or computerized learning tools is a way to reach out to students using the familiarity of technology.  There is also a large need to offer online course work for college students to be able to earn a degree or certificate while working and supporting a family.  Many community colleges have adapted this type of learning environment and have been successful in enrolling students.   As a young program at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, the Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program was interested in developing online courses for the general introductory courses in forensic science, Concepts in Forensic Science 1 and 2.  Both of these courses are survey courses in forensic science, the first course covering general practices in forensic science, such as crime scene investigation, evidence, pathology, and fingerprints, to name a few topics.  The second semester course describes more biological and chemical evidence and explains the analysis of evidence.  Both courses are popular within the university, enrolling 200 students per academic year combined.  There was a necessity to offer forensic science courses during the summer sessions as well as online; therefore, both introductory courses were modified to be offered online during the summer sessions, which are 6 weeks long.  The ability to develop these courses highly relied on cyber tools and types of learning environments that would engage students in the topics within the forensic science courses.  Attendees of this presentation will learn tools that were used in the online forensic sciences courses.  This will include affective tools, non-affective tools, as well as assessment within the cyber environment.  Assessment comparison will also be discussed between the face to face model and the online course.

How online tools can improve students' learning in forensic science

246th National Meeting (2013)

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