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 Are you ready for distance learning?
- Do you have enough time to commit to a course now? Online
courses take as much time as a class taken on-campus. Some of
our courses are presented in a compressed format, covering a semester's
worth of work in only eight weeks. This requires a serious commitment
of your time and energy.
- Are you self-disciplined? Taking courses
online allows you the flexibility to study when it is convenient
for you. However, it becomes your responsibility to complete
the work on time. Self-paced courses do not have specific
assignment due dates, so you must set your own schedule to complete
the work before your course end date.
- Are you comfortable with computer technology? Our
courses are delivered online. All assignments are submitted in
an electronic format. Our interactive courses make extensive
use of email and electronic discussion boards. Library materials
are available electronically. Check our computer
requirements to
be sure you can access our materials.
- How are your reading and writing skills? Online
learning is generally text-based. Most materials and instructions
are presented in written form. Assignments are usually written.
Interactions with your instructor and fellow classmates take place
through email and written discussion boards.
- Do you prefer learning on your own or in a
group? If you like to
learn on your own you will be comfortable with our self-paced courses.
If you learn better when working and interacting with others, you
may be more comfortable in our interactive courses.
What
you can expect in an online course
We offer courses in two different formats: self-paced and interactive.
What is expected of you is different for each format.
Self-paced courses are available 365 days
a year and allow you four months to complete them. They are organized
into three to five learning units, with one assignment per unit.
You determine when you turn your assignments in, though we recommend
one every three weeks. You will work with the textbook and the online
course materials to meet the learning objectives of the course. Your
assignments are submitted and returned electronically through the
course assignment tool. You will be able to email your instructor
with questions.
Interactive courses have specific start
and end dates, much as an on-campus course would. The courses last
from 8 to 15 weeks. You will be in the course with other students,
studying the material at the pace set by the instructor. Assignments
are submitted electronically through the assignment tool or attached
to an email to the instructor. Regular participation in the electronic
discussion room is expected in these courses. You will need to
log in several times during the week to read and respond to postings.
Tips for E-learning
General
- Online learning requires a lot of reading and writing. If your
reading and writing skills are weak, or if English is a second
language, realize that these courses may be more demanding or require
more time than a classroom-based course.
- Successful online learners have self-motivation, self-discipline,
and good time management skills.
- Online courses are more convenient, not less time consuming,
than on-campus courses. Set aside a regular time each day or week
for your course, just as you would for an on-campus course.
- Don't be afraid to speak up immediately if you have any problems.
Remember that most students are new to online learning. The Extension
Studies staff and your instructor can help resolve any technical
and instructional issues you may encounter.
- Check the eSalve website regularly for announcements and schedule updates.
- Review the WebCT tutorials before you start your course so that
you are familiar with the software.
For Self-paced courses (campus code 90)
- Set deadline dates for finishing each of the learning units,
then set dates for each of the sections within the unit. Stick
to those dates as if the instructor gave them.
- Start the next learning unit immediately after submitting an
assignment. It can take one to two weeks to get an assignment back.
Put that time to good use. Don't wait for the instructor's comments
before starting your next assignment; however, don't submit the
assignment until you have a chance to review it in light of the
instructor's previous comments.
For Interactive Courses (campus code 95)
- Most interactive courses are accelerated, running only eight
weeks. Time management is critical to success in these courses.
If you fall behind it is almost impossible to catch up.
- Log on daily to read discussion postings. This keeps the amount
of reading at manageable levels.
- Write your discussion postings in a word processing program, then
copy and paste to the discussion board. This prevents losing your
work if you lose your connection while posting to the discussion board.
- Learn the Rules
of Netiquette to avoid embarrassing yourself or
offending someone else online.
- Access to a course is usually given a few days before the start
date. Log on to review the syllabus, post introductions and get familiar with the software
so you are prepared for the first day of class.
Getting the Most Out of an Online Discussion
- Log in daily . To truly create and follow
a discussion, members must make frequent comments. Logging in daily
also reduces the amount of time you spend in the discussion room at
any one sitting.
- Reply to comments . A discussion is supposed
to be an exchange of ideas. If you only post your answer to the
instructor's question, then you have completed an assignment, but
not become part of the discussion. You can respond to another posting
in the following ways:
- disagreeing in a polite, substantiated way
- supporting another's ideas with additional evidence
- expanding on an idea
- connecting ideas from several postings
- tying several ideas together and connecting them to
an assigned reading
- Keep your comments brief and to the point .
You wouldn't take the floor for 5-10 minutes in a classroom
discussion, so don't write a paper in a posting. Huge postings can
stop a discussion dead in its tracks. Other students may be intimidated
by them or may not have the time to read them, and hence your ideas
are never heard. Some instructors will give a recommended size for
postings, or grade you down for long postings.
- Follow the rules of "Netiquette." Mind
your manners just as you would in a classroom.
- Respond to ideas, not to people. Name-calling,
rude comments and foul language are as unacceptable in an online
discussion as they are in a classroom.
- ALL CAPS is considered the equivalent to shouting.
Use only when absolutely necessary.
- Be careful of humor or sarcasm; it is easily misinterpreted
online. If you are joking, you must say you are joking.
Learn about emoticons, the combinations of keystrokes that denote
specific emotions, such as :) or ;)
- Don't write anything you wouldn't want to see
in the newspaper. Email, not a discussion board, is the way to
share personal information.
- Always be mindful of where you are posting. When
there are multiple topics in the discussion board, make sure
you select the correct topic when composing your message. If you
are part of a group discussion and the general discussion, you would
not want a posting meant only for your group to end up on the general
board for the whole class to see.
- Post in reply to a thread most of the time. Only
start a new subject if what you want to say has nothing to do
with any of the other topics under discussion.
- Use descriptive and specific subject lines. This
way students know whether what you have to say may or may not
be of interest to them. If you are asking a question on a specific
research topic, only those students who are also interested in
that topic would want to read your posting.
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