The first two online courses I took were the first steps to being certified as a Microsoft network administrator. It was a topic that was somewhat foreign to me, and fortunately it was a highly programmed approach to learning. There were modules of information presented followed by a quiz. You could take the quiz to see how much you remembered and if you didn’t like the results you could restudy the module and take it over again.
At first I found this refreshing because I could work until mastery. It was refreshing not to have to think at a higher level and synthesis information into papers that only my instructor would read. I even dreamed that these types of modules would be created to provide the necessary repetition to students who were struggling to learn to read.
The downside to this approach was there was very little interaction between other members taking the class. I did enjoy being in my own home and working at my own pace. Eventually I tired of the highly programmed approach and felt very isolated. I also found out I didn’t want to be a network administrator.
The next online courses were centered around teaching and there was a lot of interaction among the members of the class. The email was overwhelming but I dealt with it by creating folders in Outlook Express for each member of the class. I also noticed a pattern of responses among the class members. The first person who emailed or posted their responses to the other members of the class, usually received the most feedback. I tried to be near the front of the responding pack and also vowed to respond to every person in the class. One of the classes used an online platform and I didn’t have to download the email to my computer. I could just go to the class site and I liked this a lot better. Since this was 2001 in the infancy of online education this will probably not be a problem. I like how platforms like Moodle allow a student to post responses, but also offer the option of private email.
Online classes are different from onsite classes. No sponges are allowed. You can’t sit in the back of the classroom and soak up information, and choose not to participate in the discussion. You are expected to participate and your participation is measured. The instructor can store and count your number of responses to assignments and to other members You can’t hide. You have to be an effective sponge, you soak up the information and then squeeze your brain of the information and your reaction for all to hear and see.
Online instructors from the University of Milwaukee Nursing school have told me that online classes are more work for the instructor. This was in response to my question of why the University of Milwaukee charged more for online classes. They brought up my point about responding to all class members and not just the few who volunteer to talk in class.
My advice to prospective students is to remember you can’t be a sponge when you are in a online class. Your lack of responding and lateness are highly visible to the instructor. The tradeoff is a high degree of flexibility for a higher amount of accountability. No sponges allowed.
Capella does a great job getting their students started with the online degree program. There was a course for professional development that really helped me plan out my strategy for degree completion. The class really delved deep into getting the students ready for the intensity of an online PhD program.
First, we developed a Degree Completion Plan. We looked at all the requirements for the degree program including the coursework, residencies, and other requirements. Then we considered our lives and work schedules and came up with an anticipated timeline for completion. This created a master plan that we could work from.
Then we figured out the support we’d need to be successful. This was our chance to look at the personal, professional, and academic support network that existed and to identify any gaps. This process also encouraged dialogue with those resources to help “rally the troops” when it was necessary.
Finally, we worked with an advisor/instructor who has been through the coursework and who could provide relevant insight into the demands of the program. We were encouraged to become committed and dedicated to the process to ensure we were able to complete it successfully.
In my experience, many schools have some such “getting started” first course. It’s more intense than an orientation, but more personal than traditional coursework.
The steps we took in this course were helpful, essential really to any new student to work through. Identify a plan. Set realistic goals. Evaluate the support network. Be open to help. Identify study strategies and techniques that will work best for your learning style and available time. Create a disciplined approach to your studies. Getting off on the right track from the beginning is essential to long term success.
Posted by Jen Zeman on January 23rd, 2009
It would be less than honest if I did not say that being a freshman online student was a little scary. I knew that the course requirements at the bachelor level would be more stringent than at the community college level, but I wasn’t sure just how much. It was a lot more. However, I had prepped myself enough before classes so that it wasn’t overwhelming. In fact, it was quite exciting!
Some words of encouragement to those “freshmen” just starting out:
- Take the time to get organized. Being organized reduces the chances of missing course requirements and helps you to stay on top of assignments.
- Don’t overload your schedule. If you work full-time I would recommend taking no more than two courses a semester. I was taking three and while it worked for me, it meant that my life was work and school – nothing more. I would also recommend reducing the number of extra-curricular activities you participate in. If you start to have too many things competing for your attention, your school work will suffer. Make school your priority!
- Check in with the online classroom at least once a day. Most programs require participation in weekly discussion questions. There is also usually a place to post online questions to the instructor so it’s good to check that out regularly (if you have a question on something, most likely someone else will have the same question).
- Allot plenty of time to get the course required assignments and readings completed on time. Remember that even though you are not physically sitting in a classroom three hours a week, the required readings will more than make up for it (i.e. the readings take the place of the lecture).
- If you work full-time, schedule strategic days off during the semester. Use these days to complete term papers or additional assignments. This will reduce the stress of trying to beat a deadline at the eleventh hour.
- Schedule time for yourself! Even if it’s just an hour a week, use it doing something fun and refocus your mind.
Above all else, stay positive and focus on your end goal – a college degree. By maintaining a positive focus, all things are possible.
Posted by Sharon Cece on January 22nd, 2009
The advent of online educating was, to me, what the invention of the remote control was to couch potatoes– the answer to a prayer. For the longest time I wanted to go back to school but I could not find the time or the energy to physically work it out. So, I stared at college catalogs and brochures and thought about it but never took the next step to get to the front step.
Fortunately, I never had to take that step. Leg-wise, that is.
It was a brilliant notion to have college “come to me”; everything I needed to partake in the cup of higher learning right from my bedroom office. Thus, the beginning of my online education was convenient, time-saving and close-at-hand. It also was at times frustrating, overwhelming and confusing. I’ll elaborate.
I had never participated in online study before. I just assumed to go to college you had to drive your car to university, sit in class, drive home. Do your homework, drive back, take your test. Ok, so now here I am and I can do everything from my computer. Wow. First, login. Oh wait, I need a student password. Which I didn’t have. So I have to contact a rep at the college, leave a message, someone calls back in a day or two. They refer me to someone else to whom I leave a message. That person is on vacation, so I contacted the next person on the list. This went on a little while.
Here you have a perfect introduction to online learning. Never expect an immediate reply; sometimes it’s a day, sometimes two, sometimes even a week. Often you are corresponding by email and emails have issues just like any other electronic medium; as well, computers hiccup, servers burp and e-programs take coffee breaks . As with any process, expect the unexpected.
Ok, now you have all your logins, student id numbers, passwords and sites. Next, you have to navigate. For me, this was the most confusing as a “freshman online”. At FSU, you had to find your online college site, then your specific course site, and then any other site that was an extension of your course site. There’s also the student information sites and main FSU webpage, the bookstore sites, financial information site, all the necessary emails and contact information, etc. and so on. I consider myself pretty adept at site navigation but I did feel overwhelmingly inept until I had all the sites bookmarked for easy retrieval.
Moreover, since you rarely if ever speak to your professor, TA or even advisor face-to-face, as referenced above, communication is seldom immediate. This can be a tad frustrating when you are stuck on an issue. Therefore, as a freshman, gather all the relevant contact info right away and keep it in a handy spot for reference. Also include as many students as you can; become friendly with seniors or veteran online students who have been in the program awhile as they will give you great advice. This is no time to be shy; in fact, online students need to be more bold than traditional students due to the lack of physical interaction. Be sure to contact your advisor or professors with any questions or concerns, and try not to get too frustrated if you don’t receive an answer to your question right away. Sometimes it takes a little while, but you will get an answer.
Finally, give yourself a break. As with any new adventure, time is the best teacher. Sooner than you think, you will be navigating the course sites and course work like you’ve been doing it all your life. You’ll understand how to operate Blackboard, Java, virtual classrooms, threaded discussions (don’t worry, I didn’t know what any of that was either). You’ll even know it so well that you’ll be helping other confused freshman coming in asking you for help. And you’ll do it all from the privacy of your home, office or the great outdoors, even from a friend’s house or beach house. You’ll go to college without ever having to “go” to college. You know, online educating might even be better than the remote control.
Well, unless you happen to be a very cultured couch potato–then it’s a toss up.
Posted by Jeff Davis on January 21st, 2009
Since I was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, I truly enjoyed beginning my online education. Overall, it was a great experience. In my career field, there could have been nothing better or that would have made me happier than to take classes online versus the more traditional method. There was a slight learning curve however, just as there is with learning almost anything. It took some time to familiarize myself with the online process and procedures. What I have noticed most about using the internet to attend class is that it teaches us skills in using technologies such as researching information and communicating with other students. These skills are critical as we become more and more of a global community where our coworkers can be located just about anywhere worldwide and across many different time zones.
Being able to attend class at anytime and from anywhere is simply an incredible feeling. It allows you total flexibility to help you juggle between family, work, and school. I like the fact that course materials are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have the ability to read and re-read lectures, discussions, comments, etc. and without any of the normal distractions that you might encounter in a regular classroom setting. To me, this is a great advantage over a brick-and-mortar school.
Even though all you really need to get your online education started is a computer with Internet access and the determination to follow through and complete your goal, my best advice for incoming “online freshmen” is to use your time wisely in order to maintain a healthy balance in your life.
