How Online Classes Work
Completing a course of study at an online college can earn you the same degree you'd receive at a traditional campus. But, unlike a traditional campus, an online school can offer students more options, more flexibility, and more efficiency. Even if you decide to attend a traditional campus, you still might take a few of your required courses online, as almost all major colleges and universities offer Internet-based classes now. Read on to learn how online classes work and what you can expect as a student.
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When online students attend class, they typically log into a portal on the website of their online college to access a virtual classroom. Upon registering, your school should issue you a log-in name and password that will grant you access to your various online classes. Once you enter the page set up for a specific class, you will see a variety of features and functions.
Typically, on the main page of the classroom site, there is a general discussion board where the instructor can post important announcements and instructions for students. Most online classrooms also have navigation bars that allow students to access different features, such as email, chat, class materials, discussion boards, group discussion boards, etc. Certain areas of the classroom are accessible to all students, while other areas can be accessed only by an individual student and the instructor.
Class Materials
One of the many benefits of how online classes work is that most, if not all, course materials can be accessed electronically. Some classes may require students to purchase one or more traditional texts from the bookstore of the online college, but these texts are sometimes replaced with electronic documents accessed in the virtual classroom. Most courses use a mix of the two-a traditional textbook supplemented with electronic reading materials in the form of PDF, Word, and other documents. Instructors typically post the course syllabus and other important documents in the "class materials" section of the classroom for students to download. Some instructors will also include PowerPoint presentations of the subject matter in this section.
Working and Interacting
When online college students submit assignments, they do so in one of two ways: creating a post on the discussion board (with or without an attachment, depending on the assignment) or emailing the document or presentation to their instructor for review. What is most unique about how online classes work is the way in which students and instructors interact with one another. Participation and dialogue are important parts of the learning process in online classes, and students and instructors engage in discussion on class topics through discussion board posts, email, and online chats. To participate in a class discussion, a student typically posts a message under a discussion thread, which the instructor or another student may have created. Instructors tend to devote an entire discussion board to one topic or question to keep the discussion focused and easy to follow. In most online classes, students' participation is graded on both quantity and quality.
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