Is online education really so distant?

Online education has persisted in higher education since the early 2000’s; however it has yet to be fully embraced by departments, programs, and educators. Many educators are quick to point out the flaws of online education and may have difficulty implementing online courses. At the University of Georgia, an online version of Entomology for Teachers was recently redesigned and the various concerns about online education from both instructors and students were taken into consideration. By addressing these concerns, the new Entomology for Teachers course provides a rigorous but engaging course online while establishing traditional classroom dynamics and communities. By emulating popular science education YouTube channels for lecture materials, designing engaging and thought provoking assignments, and facilitating discussion, an online course was created that was not only academically demanding, but also meaningful, useful, engaging, and enjoyable for the students.