What are...online school? Few questions

TransferStudent8
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:06:26 +0000

Online classes cover the same material as regular classes. They also have the same assignments and exams. The only difference being that instead of physically attending the class to receive/hand-in assignments and exams, you receive and send them online through the school’s website. Also, lectures that the professor would normally give in the class is available online for you to read or hear, depending on the course’s format.

Typically at the start of an online class, you receive a syllabus detailing the assignments, the required reading, and test dates. The coursework and lecture information is separated by week for you to follow along. The lecture material takes the place of what the professor would have gone over during the class if you were physically attending. The lecture online is usually in the form of a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or a video clip of the professor speaking.

There are many advantages to online classes versus physically attending classes. The biggest advantage is not having to make time in your schedule to attend classes. In an online class, you are responsible for submitting your assignments and exams by the due dates, which you know in advance. Online classes give you the flexibility to complete your coursework on the days you have time to, as long as your work is submitted by the due date.

Another advantage is the cost. Costs vary from school to school but in my experience, online courses are slightly less expensive than the cost for physically attending classes. Also, you can still purchase your books at the school’s bookstore, but if you want to go completely electronic with your course, you can purchase an electronic version of your textbook for a lot less money.

In place of class participation, online courses usually require posting to a discussion board on a weekly or semi-weekly basis. Being a relatively quiet person, I personally prefer this. In a class I physically attend, I’m much less likely to participate in class discussions. The discussion board posts allow all students from the class to participate, which I feel is a great advantage.

As far as disadvantages go, disorganization is online course’s biggest enemy. Since you will not have the professor reminding you of deadlines or repeatedly covering the course material, you have to keep yourself on top of the reading and all due dates. If not, you will quickly become lost and probably miss a few assignments. I input the syllabus into my calendar as soon as I get it so I know exactly when everything is due and where I should be in the reading each week.

Another disadvantage is not being able to receive immediate answers to any questions you might have. Most professors are diligent about replying to emails from students in an online class. However, if you normally complete your school work late at night and you come across something you don’t understand, you cannot expect an answer to at least the next day.