Online Courses
Ask Yourself if Online Makes Sense
Before you enroll in an online course, do a personal inventory to decide if it’s the best option. You should already know the importance of self-motivation and good organizational skills. You should know how to manage time effectively. You should accept responsibility for communicating clearly with faculty and peers.
Here are some additional guideposts for deciding between online or traditional classroom courses:
What skills do I need to succeed in an online course?
Any online course experience will be enhanced by your ability to make good use of the online medium, interacting with a variety of primary source materials, media, outside experts and resources. Online courses may ask you to use appropriate research strategies for finding and evaluating the quality and credibility of web-based materials used in the online course.
How well should I know my learning style strengths and weaknesses?
Each person learns differently, and should know something about their individual learning style. Any plan for online success should take into account your particular mix of strengths and potential weaknesses around such things as reading comprehension, written or spoken lectures and notes, testing and other factors.
What will be expected of me in an online course?
Online courses ask you to be an active, vocal participant in a learning community that includes both student-to-student as well as student-to-teacher interaction. You will need to follow-through on assignments and maintain a consistent effort throughout the course. You will ask questions early and often to keep clear about expectations, and to prove that you are an engaged learner, self-directed, and responsible for self-reflection, self-assessment and honing your critical thinking skills as part of course work.
How are students graded in an online course?
Each online course will clearly describe how student performance will be assessed. The course syllabus will list all required assignments, weight given to each, due dates, and penalties for late submissions. Authenticity of student work will be verified.
Will I still have student and faculty interaction in an online course?
Some online courses will ask you to collaborate online, and participate in online group activities. Respecting others, sharing responsibilities and communicating in a clear, professional manner at all times will facilitate the collaborative process.
