"Someday, in the distant future, our grandchildren's grandchildren will develop a new equivalent of our classrooms. They will spend many hours in front of boxes with fires glowing within. May they have the wisdom to know the difference between light and knowledge."
-Plato

Are you ready for online learning?

In a study analyzing variable factors that lead to learning successes and failures in distance education, DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support), the leader in distance education for the Armed Forces, developed a list of critical factors that lead to success in non-traditional learning:

  • The student must have an academic goal that can be articulated.
  • Emotional maturity is essential as distance learning can be lonely.
  • The student must be able to set and achieve goals.
  • The student must be able to work alone.
  • The student must be a self-starter and self-motivated.
  • The student must have self-understanding of needs and limitations.
  • Students need to have persistence and patience.
  • Students must be self-confident.
  • Students need above-average reading and writing ability.
  • The student must be willing to contact faculty and fellow students for help with content problems.
  • The student must have an academic support system at home

(Source: Suite101: What You Need to Know About Online Education: Essential Knowledge When Considering Distance Education)

Those who are not familiar with online learning think it is not difficult at all. They later discover that it is quite challenging. The U.S. Department of Education conducted a review that compared the effects of online learning with learning in the traditional face-to-face setting. The Department published its findings in a report called the "Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning"; (2010). It states:

Online learning has become popular because of its potential for providing more flexible access to content and instruction at any time, from any place. Frequently, the focus entails (a) increasing the availability of learning experiences for learners who cannot or choose not to attend traditional face-to-face offerings, (b) assembling and disseminating instructional content more cost-efficiently, or (c) enabling instructors to handle more students while maintaining learning outcome quality that is equivalent to that of comparable face-to-face instruction.

In The No Significant Difference Phenomenon, Thomas Russell's review of 355 comparative studies revealed no significant difference in learning outcomes, commonly measured as grades or exam results, between traditional and e-learning modes of delivery.

(International Distance Education Certification Center, 2001)

A major benefit of online learning is that it is convenient for students who lead active, productive lives. The student dictates the amount of time he or she spends on a course. However, this convenience may present problems for those who lack adequate time-management skills. Attending an online class is just as important as attending a traditional college class. Students must remember it is essential that they manage time efficiently by logging onto their courses periodically and keeping track of all reading assignments, quizzes, and exams.

Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Do I work well unsupervised?
  2. Am I able to stick to a schedule and avoid procrastination?
  3. Can I meet deadlines?

Online learning is heavily dependent on technology. Communication is mostly conducted by e-mail or through discussion boards. It is critical for students to be resourceful and communicate with faculty and staff whenever an issue arises.

Qualities of a Successful Online Student

Online students differ from students who participate in the traditional educational setting. Online students must operate with a higher level of discipline, since they are primarily responsible for receiving their own education. The following is a list of qualities that contribute to the success of the online student.

  1. Committed
    Education, especially online education, rests entirely on the student's level of commitment. In order to pass a course, students must be committed. A student who is committed is willing and able to complete all assignments and pass all required quizzes and exams in a timely fashion. If the student is committed, he or she has a greater chance of successfully completing a course and, as a result, being closer to completing his or her education.
  2. Self-disciplined, self-motivated
    It is critical that online students be self-disciplined and self-motivated. Time management and resourcefulness are two skill sets that can help students remain self-disciplined. Online students must keep motivated and stay focused on when they will complete their education and receive benefits from it.
  3. Critical thinker and decision maker
    Critical thinking and decision making are essential skills for all students, especially online students. Critical thinking is the ability to determine and evaluate one's own thought process. It is the ability to think through difficult problems or dilemmas and find possible and plausible solutions. Online students encounter various dilemmas, from trying to decipher a multiple-choice question to figuring out which topic to choose for a composition paper. It is the student's responsibility to use his or her critical thinking skills and make decisions. Decision making and critical thinking are also important when deciding which courses will be the most advantageous to take.
  4. Meets minimum requirements
    For online students who are on a strict time schedule, it is imperative to make sure that the minimum requirements have been met. This will ensure that the student can complete the right courses on time.
  5. Strong communicator
    Students must communicate any issues they have with faculty and staff. Communication is most often conducted by e-mail or through the discussion boards, so students can expect timely feedback.
  6. Open-minded
    Similar to what students experience in the traditional education setting, online students face different thoughts and opinions from their peers. It is important to remain open-minded about such differences and to express and evaluate opinions in a professional and academic manner.
  7. Have unlimited access to a computer
    Online students must have unlimited access to a computer since all courses are conducted online. There is no physical location where classes are held. It is the sole responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she has access to a working computer and that all of the computer's technical components are functioning properly.

Mastering Technology

There is no doubt that to succeed in online education, one must know how to use technology. This skill is at the heart of online learning. The ability to use computers is required, and these skills transfer well into most careers today. Colleges and universities have shifted to, or are making the shift to, more use of online learning tools, even in courses that are not strictly offered via online delivery methods.

The computer skills needed to succeed in college programs are often the basic skills employers expect of their employees. The ability to integrate online learning and computer skills could therefore mean being employed faster.

First the Hardware…

Computer – Without a computer, online learning is impossible. It is that basic. Your computer can either be a desktop or laptop. Having both is ideal, so if something happens to one, you have backup. Make sure you have plenty of memory and hard drive. Always back up your files.

Microphones and speakers – In order to hear audio and video clips and lectures and to participate in live chats, you will need microphones and speakers. You may also need headsets to listen to these materials privately.

Then the Software…

Operating System – Your college will usually inform you of the requirements in terms of operating systems and which ones are compatible for use with its Learning Management Systems (LMS) and software programs.

Microsoft Office – This software program is a must for most schools. It is used to create text documents (Word), spreadsheets (Excel), and presentations (PowerPoint). MS Office also comes with Publisher and Access for other purposes. There are other options, such as Google Docs and Open Office, if you do not have Microsoft Office.

Adobe Reader and Acrobat – These programs are needed for reading and creating PDF files. Many documents for reading come in these file formats.

Media Players Plug-ins – For streaming audios and videos, these plug-ins are necessary. Flash, Windows Media Player, and Quick Time are downloadable, free, and easy to install.

The following are computer technology skills that are essential for online students. Before you can develop these skills, however, be sure you know how to type. In online learning, typing is a basic skill for learning and communicating.

Word Processing – It is necessary to have a thorough working knowledge of word processing programs and their full capabilities. All written homework can only be done with the use of a word processing program. The most common word processing in adult education programs is Microsoft Word.

E-mail – This is a basic tool used to communicate with instructors and classmates. E-mail is also used to send document files, images, videos, links to other Web sites, and presentations.

Notes – There is a handy tool called Microsoft OneNote. This tool is used for storing, organizing, and sharing notes for research papers and other written schoolwork.

Presentations – Most courses use presentation tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint, either as part of the Lecture Notes or for projects required of students. It is important to have a thorough working knowledge of the capabilities of presentation tools.

Multimedia – Another important technology often used by instructors to support course work are videos, audios, and podcasts. Be familiar with what they are and how to use and access them.

Spreadsheets – It is important to have a working knowledge of the capabilities of spreadsheets, such as the most common Microsoft Excel.

Resource:

If you do not have these Microsoft programs, you can access free online resources for these technologies at Google Documents. Explore and learn at:

Learning Management System

The LMS is an information system that administers instructor-led and online courses and keeps track of student progress. This is the platform that online universities use for delivering and teaching the courses to students. Here at Ashworth College, the LMS used is eCollege.

There are two basic types of online learning usually used. Asynchronous delivery is commonly facilitated by media such as e-mail and discussion boards. Participants, teachers, and students need not be online at the same time. It is flexible access. Asynchronous online learning makes it possible for students to log on to their course at any time. The other mode of learning is called synchronous learning.

Synchronous online learning is generally supported by media such as videoconferencing and chat. Students and teachers view synchronous e-learning as more social because they are in direct contact and interactive in real time. Learners feel less isolated and more engaged. This learning, however, does not have the flexibility offered by the asynchronous method.

Components of an Online Course

If this is your first time being an online student, you probably wonder what makes up an online course. The learning materials in an online course may be delivered differently from a traditional course, but the components are essentially the same.

As with any other college course, there needs to be:

  1. Course Syllabus – the first and most important document to have at the beginning of the course. The syllabus spells out everything you need to know about your course, including your instructor, your textbook, what will be covered, and expectations about grades and schedules.
  2. Lecture Notes or Reading Assignments – this part of the course can be delivered in a variety of ways including text lecture notes, PowerPoint presentations, audio or video recorded lectures, or a combination of these modes.
  3. Assessments – these are exams or tests based on readings and discussions and can be in the form of objective tests such as multiple choice, matching tests, fill in the blank tests, or subjective tests which include essay exams, case studies, research papers, and other forms of written exams.
  4. Discussion Boards – this is where the professor engages students in a discussion group. The professor initiates the discussion by posting a question, and students participate by responding to the professor and to each other's ideas and opinions.

It is important to remember that online learning can be more challenging than traditional classroom learning. The ability to write clearly is very important, as this is the primary basis by which the instructor can evaluate the knowledge of the student in the absence of face-to-face communication. There is a lot of reading and writing involved. It is therefore best to plan on spending 10-15 hours each week on schoolwork.

Getting Organized as an Online Learner

You are now ready to get started. You may be nervous and excited, particularly if this is your first online learning experience. Take a few moments to breathe and do the first things first.

  1. Set up your Study Space – Have a place to call your own study area, free of noise and distraction. Keep all your learning materials in this space. Be sure it is conducive to learning and comfortable enough for you. You need a desk and chair for your computer and for writing and reading; a place for your textbooks; and probably a message board. You may design it any way you want. The most important thing to remember is that it must be organized and kept clean.
  2. Be sure your computer works well – Do a thorough checkup and cleanup of your computer. Delete unused programs and files to free up more storage space. Check your access speed and install antivirus software. Keep updating your software programs for maximum computer performance.
  3. Make sure you have everything you need – Be sure to have the software required by your school. Buy or download programs as needed. Have other hardware handy as well, such as a printer, a microphone, speakers, and a headset. You may also need printing paper, ink, flash drives, and other peripherals.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the online school's learning platform or Learning Management System – Ashworth College uses eCollege. Learn how to log in, take the demo class, try navigating the course, and find and read the syllabus to prepare for what's coming. Know how to reach your instructor and ways of communicating with him or her.

Resource:

(Sources:

  1. Department of Education. (2010) "Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta Analysis and Review of Online Learning";. Office of Planning, Education and Policy Development Program Studies.
  2. Russell, T. (2001). The No Significant Difference Phenomenon, 5th ed. (Montgomery, AL: International Distance Education Certification Center.))