What
is Online Learning?
It is the delivery
of courses through your computer, using the Internet to link faculty
and students. This process can occur between two computers in the same
town or between computers on opposite sides of the earth. All students
in this environment become actively involved in interactive learning
groups.
How
does Online Learning work?
The
process begins with you enrolling in an online course. At that time
you will be assigned passwords and login instructions. You must then
undergo a brief technical orientation to teach you to use the
Blackboard® system or the WebCt platform. This happens either in your
first online class, or in a separate technical orientation.
Online courses
have regularly scheduled beginning and end dates, and there are
deadline dates assigned for your classroom activities (including your
homework, assigned readings, and even virtual classroom discussion
requirements).
As a student,
you are expected to participate in your virtual classroom regularly.
This includes participation, discussion, submission of regular
assignments and participation in group activities, if any. Your online
instructor will give you very detailed instructions to guide you
through this process.
Online students
can order their textbooks for each course through the many online
bookstores. You can view the online bookstore at
Amazon.
What
are Blackboard® and WebCT®?
Blackboard® and WebCT®
are Internet-based systems designed to allow students to participate
in classes in an online format. They allow you to send and receive
information from your instructor, the classroom, other students or
groups of students. There is no software to install to access
Blackboard® or WebCT®,
but you will be required to have access to the Internet.
What is a virtual classroom?
The virtual classroom is the common meeting area for all students
assigned to an online class. Each classroom has a unique name, which
will be provided to you before the start of each course. Only students
taking that particular class have access to that virtual classroom.
This form of
education is what the experts call "asynchronous."
This means what you do is neither time nor place dependent. You go
online to read lectures, participate in discussion and possibly
complete exams. Many of the assignments and exercises required in
online courses will still be completed off-line using word processing
software. Your classroom is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Does asynchronous discussion really work?
While almost everyone who tries this style of learning likes it, we
find that it best suits those who have very busy work and personal
lives. One of the barriers prohibiting many busy working adults from
going to college is the requirement to be in a particular place at a
particular time. Remember that online programs have been specifically
designed to take advantage of technology. We have not attempted to
replicate a model that works well in a face-to-face traditional
environment. The online delivery method gives you the same results,
but in a far more efficient manner! Also remember that in an on-ground
classroom, students are often allowed to sit without participating. In
the online environment, this is not allowed. Everyone must
participate.
Is the learning process affected?
Absolutely not. The primary problems associated with asynchronous
communication come from the initial difficulty the student has in
becoming accustomed to the new delivery method. Once acquainted with
the process, most students report that an improved learning situation
occurs.
When
communication is asynchronous, any student can participate anytime it
is convenient to do so, whether that is midnight or noon, in a hotel
room while traveling on business or on an airplane at 30,000 feet.
Online students
have an opportunity to spend time reviewing the class archives
(comments, lectures, and discussions) and can compose their responses
at their own schedule. The material and concepts are approached at an
individual rate. Our students and faculty find that a greater level of
depth and breadth can be achieved in asynchronous communication than
in "real-time" communications.
What is a typical online class like?
All online courses are broken down into equal parts called seminars.
Typically, online courses are six weeks in length. On the first day of
each seminar (week), the online instructor sends any introductory
information on the week's topic, restates the assignments from the
course outline or module and sends an introductory lecture to begin
the study process for the week. To stimulate discussions, the
instructor would also typically include discussion questions related
to the topic at the end of his/her lecture.
As the week
progresses, you work on your readings and assignments, and you
participate in classroom discussion just as you would in a traditional
classroom setting. However, you use the computer to participate in the
class discussions, to carry on private discussions with classmates or
your teacher, to ask questions and to receive any feedback. When your
assignments are due (you usually have a specific deadline for your
required work during the week), you send them to the instructor or to
the classroom online. Instructors grade your papers, provide feedback
and comments, and keep you informed of your status weekly.
Is an online course easier than an in-class
course?
The level of difficulty should be about the same. The focus of the
work is different, however. For example, all of your focus in an
online course is on reading and writing. This is not the case in an
on-ground classroom setting where part of your participation is
listening. Aural learners may have difficulty in accepting this more
visual learning process.
Is it possible to talk to my instructor and
fellow classmates in private?
It certainly is. Essentially the Blackboard® and the WebCT systems
are conferencing (or email) systems that are expanded. Students can
use either their personal email account or their virtual classroom for
private communication. Remember, only students enrolled in that
classroom will be able to join in the discussion or view course
material.
In
a regular classroom I can sit in the back of the room and listen.
Suppose I don't want to participate in the online classroom?
If this is the case with you, then you do not want to enroll in an
online class. In an online class all students have an equal
opportunity to participate in the discussions. This is a large part of
how you learn in this environment. Online courses require that
everyone participate to succeed. For this reason, online classes are
much smaller than on-ground classes. A typical online class may have
12-15 students.
What kind of computer equipment do I need?
Your computer system must meet the following requirements:
 |
Pentium
100 processor, or higher |
|
|
Minimum
of 32 meg of RAM |
|
|
Windows
95 or 98 |
|
|
28.8
modem or higher |
|
|
3.5
high-density floppy drive |
|
|
CD-ROM
drive |
|
|
Internet
Explorer 4.0 (or higher), or Netscape Navigator 4.0 (or
higher) |
|
|
Internet
access |
|
|
Microsoft
Office 97 is highly recommended. |
|
|
You
must have a word processing program (preferably Microsoft
Word) |
|
|
A
Macintosh system equivalent to these requirements can also be
used. |
Definition
of terms often used when talking about online courses:
Asynchronous:
In computer programming, asynchronous (from Greek meaning "not at
the same time") pertains to processes that proceed independently
of each other.
Browser:
A browser is an application program that provides a way to look at and
interact with all the information on the Internet. The word
"browser" seems to have originated prior to the Internet as
a generic term for user interfaces that let you browse text files
online.
Chat:
On the Internet, chat or chatting is talking to other people who are
using the Internet at the same time you are. Asynchronous
communication is not considered chat.
Discussion
board: A discussion board is a general term for any online
"bulletin board" where you can leave messages and receive
responses. You can also just read the board. Bulletin board services
were invented for this purpose (as well as to allow for the exchange
of uploaded/downloaded files). This is where the on-line course
discussion takes place.
ISP:
An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that provides access
to the Internet and other related services.
Microsoft
Internet Explorer: Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) is
the graphical Internet browser that is provided with the Microsoft
Windows 95, 98, and NT operating systems.
Netscape
Navigator: Netscape Navigator is another widely-used
Internet browser that is provided by Netscape Communications.
Thread:
A thread is a sequence of responses to an initial message posting.
This enables you to join an individual discussion from among the many
that may be there. A thread is usually shown graphically as an initial
message and successive messages after the original message
Source:
Baker College Online