Online Learning

An online learning environment is ideal for students who are self-motivated, comfortable working independently, and can effectively balance competing priorities and time. While online learning has a lot of positive attributes, it comes with a lot of responsibilities and may not be the best fit for every student. It is important to ask yourself if online learning is right for you. Take the assessment for online learners through OASIS (Online Assessment System for Internet Students) to help you get a better understanding of what to expect from an online course.

Take the Online Assessment

Online courses aren't easier. Just because you aren't going to class every day doesn't mean that an online course will require less work. In fact, online course can actually be more work because you will largely work independently, which comes with some extra responsibility and effort. You can expect online courses to have the same rigor and expectations as face-to-face courses.

Online courses may be more convenient but they have been designed to take about the same amount of time as you would spend if you were taking a traditional class. Aside from the time you save in getting to and from class, you should be putting in the same amount of hours for an online class as you would for one on campus.

To estimate how much time your online class will take, for each credit hour, you should expect to spend an additional 2-3 hours per week on homework, readings, and discussions. For example, a 3-credit class would require 3 hours of class time and 6-9 hours of study, resulting in 9-12 hours total each week.

For accelerated courses, you can expect to spend significantly more time per week completing your coursework.

Time Management: If you have a tendency to fall behind in your coursework and procrastinate, online courses may pose a challenge to you. While you will not have set class times, you will still need to meet course deadlines for reading, viewing lectures, participating in discussions and handing in assignments. If you feel you won't be able to keep up with this without the structure of weekly class times, then you may want to consider on-campus or hybrid courses instead.

Technologically Savvy: To excel in online courses, you need to be comfortable using a computer and navigating the Internet. You will need to be able to use a web browser, email. and a word processor and understand how to save, send, share, and open files in different types of software. Online courses are not responsible for teaching students how to use a computer (outside of computer-focused courses), so students must come prepared with these skills.

Active Participation: Online courses aren't a place to hide out. You will be expected to discuss ideas covered in the course and to interact with professors and other students, as most online courses demand engagement and a high level of participation as part of the grade.