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The
statements, as well as the evaluations of responses,
are shown below. These answers will give you a good
idea of what to expect from an online course. This section
will evaluate your learning style. The following section
will ask you about your computer
skills.
1.
The amount of time I expect to spend on my online course
is:
a)
more than I would for an on campus course.
b) the same as I would for an on campus course.
c) less than I would for an on campus course.
If
you are interested in a online course because you
think that it will be less work than a traditional
on campus course, then this style of learning may
not be right for you. Most of our students believe
that an online course is at least as much work as
an on campus course. In fact many say that their online
course involved significantly more work. However,
most students feel that this additional work load
is more than compensated by the fact that they were
able to "go to class" whenever they had the time,
whether it be 2 a.m. or 6 p.m.
2.
With regard to assessing my own progress and learning
in a course:
a)
I feel I can gauge how well I am doing on my own, even
with little instructor feedback.
b) I need regular feedback from my instructor, but
that feedback does not need to be immediate.
c) I need frequent and immediate feedback to assess
my progress.
If
you answered (a) or (b) an online course will probably
work well for you. However if you answered (c) you
may be disappointed with this learning format. Due
to the nature of learning in this format feedback
from your instructor may not be as frequent or as
timely as you are used to from a traditional class.
However, this can vary from course to course depending
on the teaching style of your instructor. Many students
feel that they actually receive more quality feedback
from their instructor in this format. Many students
also feel they have more consistent contact with their
instructors in an online course.
3.
I consider my reading skills:
a)
Very good- I need very little or no help to understand
what I read and to implement that knowledge.
b) Average- I need to go over some sections twice
and sometimes need an instructor's help to understand
the material.
c) Not great- I have to reread many sections and
usually need help in understanding the material.
Most
of the course materials in an online course are presented
in a written format. Instead of being presented to
you orally, the lectures are text based. As a result,
you are unable to ask the instructor for immediate
clarification if you do not understand a point being
made. Instead you will need to contact your instructor
on-line. Due to the inherent time delay in this form
of communication, the clarification you may need will
not be immediate, even though it will be timely. It
will be essential to your success that you be able
to understand the material you are reading. As a result,
if you answered (c) then this format of learning may
not be right for you.
4.
When it comes to assignment deadlines:
a)
I usually have things done ahead of time.
b) I usually have things done on time but sometimes
need reminders of the deadline.
c) I often turn in things late or forget that they
are due if not reminded often.
One
of the most important things to understand is although
you are able to work on your coursework when you want
to, online courses are NOT self-paced courses. They
have assignment deadlines just like an on campus course.
Failing to meet these deadliness and falling behind
in coursework will lead to an unsuccessful online
learning experience. Since you do not have a regular
class meeting time, it is essential that you are able
to keep on top of your assignments. You may not have
instructors and fellow students to remind you.
5.
I prefer my feedback from an instructor to be:
a)
Written comments.
b) Written comments with some oral clarifications
if needed.
c) Oral comments so I can understand the feedback.
If
you answered (c) you may not be happy with an online
style course which usually does not involve oral feedback.
The feedback you will be receiving will almost exclusively
be written.
6.
When given an assignment I prefer to:
a)
figure out the instructions on my own with little clarification.
b) try to understand the instructions, then ask for
clarification.
c) have the instructions explained to me in detail.
If
you answered (c) you may have problems with this type
of course. Most successful online students are those
who are able to work well independently and with little
direct guidance. While it is true that your instructor
is there to assist you in understanding the course
materials it is your responsibility to seek out this
help.
7.
Classroom discussion is:
a)
very important to my learning style.
b) somewhat important to my learning style.
c) not important to my learning style.
There
is no right or wrong answer to this question. Although
there is no face-to-face discussion in an online course,
there is still discussion. The amount of discussion
will depend on the structure of the individual course.
This interaction will likely take the form of an online
discussion group, chat, or e-mail. The thing to consider
is whether or not having discussions in an electronic
format will work for you. For some students electronic
communication is a poor substitute for face-to-face
discussion. However, many of our students actually
prefer this style of discussion and feel they participate
more freely than they do in an on campus setting.
8.
Having face to face contact with my instructor is:
a)
not important to me.
b) somewhat important to me.
c) very important to me.
In
an online course there is usually little or no face
to face contact with your instructor. If you answered
(c) and feel that you need to see your instructor
often in order to succeed then this style of learning
may not be right for you. Some instructors do make
arrangements for in person office hours or make special
arrangements to meet students. However, you should
plan on the vast majority of your contact with your
instructor being via e-mail or other electronic communication.
9.
I consider my learning style:
a)
Visual: I learn best by reading and viewing visual aids.
b) Auditory: I learn best when things are verbally
explained to me.
c) Tactile: I learn best by "doing" (i.e. a lab experiment).
Although
some online courses have elements that fit all three
of these learning styles, most of the information
is still presented visually. As a result, if you answered
(b) or (c) then an online class may not be the best
fit for you. If you answered (b) then you may consider
one of our courses that uses videotapes to supplement
the course materials. If you answered (c) then you
may want to look into one of our courses that includes
hands-on labs. However these classes do require an
on campus meeting once a week to perform those experiments.
10.
My primary motivation for taking a class online is:
a)
I need it for my major or I am very interested in the
subject material.
b) I love the Internet and taking a class this way
seems like a perfect fit for me.
c) I want to save time.
If
you answered (a) you should have the necessary motivation
to take an online course. The most successful online
students are ones who are taking a course in which
they have a personal interest or one that is necessary
for their graduation. If you answered (b) then an
online course may work well for you or it may not.
Just because you love being online does not mean that
you will like learning in this format. Some of our
unsuccessful students are ones who were merely fascinated
with the technology, but who had not really thought
out the ramifications of taking a course in this format.
If you answered (c) then an online course is probably
not for you. While it is true that you will most likely
not have to come to campus and that you can work on
your own schedule, this in no way means you will spend
less time on your online course. In fact most students
feel that they spend at least as much if not more
time doing work for an online course.
11.
The social aspects of the traditional on-campus environment
are:
a)
not very important to me.
b) somewhat important to me.
c) very important to me.
If
you answered (c) then we do not recommend a schedule
that consists solely of online courses. While there
are opportunities for interaction with your classmates
in an online course, this interaction may be unsatisfying
for someone who needs high levels of social activity
as part of the learning experience. If this is true
for you, you may want to look into taking some on
campus courses to supplement your online courses.
This is not to say that you will not have interaction
with your classmates in an online course, in fact
many of our students say that they got to know their
fellow classmates better in this type of learning
environment.
If
you answered mostly a's:
You
should be an ideal online learning student. Your answers
reflect that your learning style and academic needs
are in tune with the realities of taking a course online.
However, this should not lead you to think that it will
be a seamless transition. There will surely be some
adjustments you will have to make to your learning style,
but these adjustments should be relatively minor.
If
you answered mostly b's:
An
online course should work for you, but you may need
to make some adjustments to your learning style in order
to be successful. Review the explanations above to see
the areas in which you will need to make some changes.
However, with effort you should be able have a productive
online learning experience.
If
you answered mostly c's:
You
may want to think seriously about whether an online
class is right for you at this time. You may be dissatisfied
with some elements of the online learning environment.
Taking an online course need not end in disaster but
we highly recommend you look closely at the explanations
above. You will need to make major changes to your learning
style to succeed. Use the information on these pages
to help you decide if that is possible.
Now that you know more about taking a course online,
the next question is "do you have the computer
skills necessary to be a successful online student"?
To find out complete the computer skills exercise below.
Do
you have the necessary computer
skills to be a successful online student?
The
following statements
and the response evaluations are shown below. These
explanations will give you a good idea of what computer
skills you will need to be successful in an online course.
1.
I have been using a computer regularly :
a)
for over 2 years.
b) for 1-2 years.
c) for less than one year.
Since
you will be doing most of your coursework on your
computer, it is imperative that you have the computer
skills necessary to perform those tasks. If you are
not comfortable using a computer, then taking an online
course may not be for you. Do you really want the
added stress of struggling with a computer? Classes
have enough inherent stress as it is.
2.
I have been using the Internet regularly :
a)
for over 2 years.
b) for 1-2 years.
c) for less than one year.
Although
computer skills are very important to your success
with an online course, it is not the only technological
factor. Your course will be taking place over the
Internet and instructors will often use Internet resources
to supplement their courses. If you have had very
little experience using the Internet, you may have
some problems feeling comfortable in this type of
learning environment.
3.
I consider my e-mail skills:
a)
Advanced: I use e-mail daily and I frequently send attachments.
b) Intermediate: I use e-mail at least 2 or 3 times
a week and I have sent a few attachments.
c) Minimal: I use e-mail less than once a week. What's
an attachment?
E-mail
is an important means of communication in an online
course. You may be required to exchange documents
with your instructor via e-mail attachments.
4.
I consider my word processing skills.
a)
Advanced: I use a word processor frequently and have
little problems creating documents. Cut and paste? I
know how to "cut & paste".
b) Intermediate: I use a word processor regularly,
but sometimes need help creating the document. Cut and
paste? I think I know how to "cut & paste".
c) Minimal: I have little or no experience using
a word processor. I am not familiar with the terms "cut
& paste".
Because
your communication with yourself, your instructor
and your fellow students is written, it is imperative
that you be able to work well with some word processing
program. We usually recommend that you do all of your
work in the word processing software and save each
document on your computer before submitting your work.
In order to post the information you need to know
how to access your files and how to be to
cut and paste the information you need between applications.
If this is all foreign to you then you may want to
postpone taking an online course until you feel your
word processing skills have improved.
5.
When asked to use new technologies (i.e. DVD, Internet,
voice mail, computers, etc.):
a)
I look forward to learning new skills.
b) I am a little nervous, but still make an attempt
to learn.
c) I feel very anxious and try to avoid using new
technologies.
Regardless
of your previous technological skills if you are new
to online learning you have to become familiar with
the course management system used. You may have to
use some new technologies in your course. If you are
intimidated by learning new technologies or software,
then an online course may not be right for you. Many
students are able to overcome these obstacles, but
there are also many for whom the learning curve is
too step.
If
you answered mostly a's:
You
should have all the technical skills to take an online
course. While you need to become familiar with the course
management system you should be able to pick up these
skills quickly.
If
you answered mostly b's:
You
may find the technology used in your course challenging,
but you should be able to work through it with some
effort.
If
you answered mostly c's:
You
are likely to find the computer skills needed in an
online course very challenging. Which could hurt your
chances for success. We highly recommend that you improve
your skills before considering an online course.
We
hope these two exercises were able to provide a profile
of a successful online student, indicate what the online
learning environment is like, and helped you decide
whether or not you will enjoy and excel in that environment..
If you still have questions consult your academic advisor
or contact the Online Education Office via e-mail.
online.education@sunywcc.edu
or
by phone (914) 606-6827
(Surveys
used with permission from Hudson Valley Community College)
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