Online learning: a typical class
Just like in a traditional classroom, you’ll receive a syllabus for
your online class that will outline what you will learn and what the
assignments are. You’ll log onto your school's website to get your
lessons and assignments for the week. You may even research papers via
the school’s online library. Then, you’ll post your work online to be
reviewed and graded. You’ll communicate with classmates and your
instructor via chat rooms, email and online bulletin boards.
Online learning: reasons to do it
In general, the costs are generally less to acquire an online degree vs. a traditional campus degree.
When you learn online you avoid the stress that comes with making a
commitment to attending a traditional class. When it comes to online
learning, circumstances such as bad weather, family emergencies and
work deadlines won't require you to miss a class session.
With
online learning, your hours are your own. That means the frantic push
to get the material, memorize it and regurgitate in on a test is no
longer the way you learn. You can take your time, absorb the material,
review it as often as you want, discuss the content with other online
students and ask questions of your mentors and instructors.
Online learning gives you the opportunity to increase your income. According to the U.S.
Department of Education, on average, a person with a college degree
earns at least 83 percent more than a person with a high school degree.
You’ll be able to sharpen your technical or training skills for your
current job. You may even transform your current skill-set to move to a
different career track entirely. These are just some of the online learning benefits.
Online learning: is it right for you?
Are you comfortable working independently? That doesn’t mean on your
own, as there will be other students, professors, bulletin boards and
chat rooms where you can interact with others. However, for online
learning to work, you must be self-motivated and able to keep the
procrastination gremlin from entering the process at any point.
You
may already be juggling your time around a job, parenthood, brick and
mortar school courses and other life necessities. In the world of
online learning, time-management skills are particularly important
since an appropriate response to inquiries from professors, or timely
participation on a blog, translates to staying current with your
schoolwork.
You
don’t have to be a techie but knowing the basics of how to work with a
computer will help you avoid any unnecessary frustrations with online
learning. You must have a reliable internet connection to start with.
Specific computer requirements vary by school.
*The
Sloan Consortium survey is from the report: Entering the Mainstream:
The Quality and Extent of Online Education in the United States, 2003
and 2004. |