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Many students are working toward college degrees, professional licenses and certificates through online courses, simply because they are convenient and flexible.
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| Photo: Dana Willett |
“Many cite the convenience of attending class without having to travel regularly to a physical classroom at a specific time or day. Some students like online learning because well-designed courses are often engaging and rich with multimedia.”
When considering online education, students should keep several points in mind:
-- Most online classes are not self-paced in the sense that a student can take the course in as much or as little time as the student wants. “At most public universities, classes still follow an academic calendar with specific start and end dates for the course. Assignments will have due dates, too,” Willett said.
-- Online courses are not easier than traditional courses. “The workload is the same as a traditional course and students in online classes need to be deliberate about managing their own time in study,” Willett said. “To be successful, it helps to be self-motivated.”
-- Not all online courses are created equal. When enrolling in an online course, students should find out as much as they can about what's expected of them. “Sometimes a course listed as online will still require students to meet at specific times and days either in virtual classrooms or at a video conferencing location,” Willett said. Proctored exams may be required. A student may also be expected to have special computer hardware or software to be successful in class. For example, an online speech class may require students to record themselves doing a speech for upload to the instructor.
-- There are people who are ready to help students succeed in their online course. Naturally, the instructor for the course is a great resource. Introduce yourself to the instructor by email.
Source: The Fort Campbell Courier
