At the beginning of each semester, students across the University log on to CourseWorks in search of syllabi, book lists, and course descriptions. Once classes start, they log on to access grades, pertinent files, and class announcements. But CourseWorks is often neglected by professors. The University should mandate that professors use CourseWorks so as to standardize online information-sharing for its courses and improve students’ overall academic experience.

The CourseWorks service, launched in 2002, was designed with this purpose in mind. Created by Columbia University Information Technology and the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning, it was meant to provide an easy way for students and professors to communicate over the Internet. Professors can post syllabi and grades, upload class files, and enable online discussions as needed. Some find the user interface difficult, however, and choose not to use the service. To send mass e-mails to an entire class, for instance, a professor must individually select each recipient from a list—a task that is daunting if not outright prohibitive, especially in larger lectures. The site’s effectiveness is hampered by the fact that not all professors use it, with some opting for personal Web sites and others for no Internet communication at all.

Making CourseWorks mandatory would make student-professor interactions more efficient. Professors should be required to post syllabi and to maintain up-to-date CourseWorks gradebooks. Centralizing course information would ensure that students and instructors are on the same page as to course expectations and grading. Moreover, professors should be encouraged to enable the discussion feature, which provides a convenient forum for students to communicate with their TAs and classmates. Because students can sometimes answer their peers’ questions about course logistics and content, online discussion threads can reduce the need for students to approach their instructors with questions that others have already asked. If more broadly used, CourseWorks could both reduce the workload for the professor and enhance the benefit students derive from fully engaging with their classmates.

Even if CourseWorks usage remains at professors’ discretion, the University should make it easier for them to rely on the site for course communication. A more user-friendly interface, including simplified e-mail features, would make the site more appealing to tech-savvy and technophobic professors alike. Professors should also be trained in the use of the site as part of their orientation. User support is available, but the online literature is long and tedious, and introductory CourseWorks workshops are offered only in late August and early September, when professors are busy preparing for the start of classes. A lack of proper training in CourseWorks contributes to some professors’ reluctance to take advantage of the services being offered. If professors were better taught how to use CourseWorks features, more might choose to use the site of their own volition.

CourseWorks has the potential to be a one-stop shop for course information. A regularly updated CourseWorks page can make life easier for all parties involved and add much to the day-to-day functioning of a course. The technology exists for the site to be integrated into all courses, but it must be put to use.