First impressions, a very strong visual selling point that none of us can ignore.  Whether the first impression is of a training environment or the content of a qualification or the initial delivery on the first lesson.  Each and everyone of us will remember a specific element and this element then becomes the driving force behind the learners perceptions of his/her environment or learning.  I say very powerful because first impressions can be the carrot or the stick when it comes to learning! Why am I asking these questions, simply because in the world of Online education, the one factor that can remedy or exacerbate a learners perception is missing - a face-to-face tutor! This omission which is the stalwart of traditional teaching and consequently teaching strategies lends itself to two further questions - Does this releasing of ties to traditional methods encourage diversity and motivate practitioners to reach out and encompass cutting edge principles ? or does it simply mean that without the ever presence of the teacher and to a greater extent fellow learners increase the possibility of taught session imploding on themselves due to stagnation and apathy leading to drop out and closure?

I have asked these questions because they are the questions that online tutors must reflect on.  As a prospective learner on this Masters I have first impressions and expectations.  Luckily they are all positive, but one element that has been playing on my mind is the myrriad of platforms used to deliver content to the learners and for learners to use.  For example, Facebook, Second Life, Myed, Blackboard, Blogs ect.  That is a great amount of technology that needs to be learnt in the first instant before a learner can comfortably know which platform is used for what and for when!  Granted this is a Masters level and is aimed at technologists but is the greater use of technology the better the result, the best paradigm to use ?  Overkill comes to mind or is it just too much too soon ?