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Does an online course allow for a flexible schedule?

Flexibility is certainly one aspect of online courses. However, there are other important aspects of online courses of which you should also be aware.

You'll find that planning and time management are necessary skills with your online courses becoming almost as much your responsibility as the instructor's. It's true that online courses offer flexibility, but within certain boundaries. For example, your online courses commonly:

• have definite start and end dates
• have a unit or weekly schedule to follow
• have required material to read
• have assignments or labs to complete
• have due dates for submitting assignments
• have due dates for completing quizzes and exams
• have due dates for responding in course discussions

There is flexibility within the weekly schedule. For example, you may be required to respond to a unit discussion question by Wednesday night and to, then, respond to other students by a specific day. This level of course flexibility allows you to go into your course any time Monday through Wednesday to post your initial response.

Is an online course easier and less time consuming?

Online courses are certainly different in some aspects than a course in a classroom. Easier, though?

A common misperception is that online courses are "easier" or take less time to complete than traditional courses in the classroom. Don't count on it! While you don't have to sit in a classroom, you do have to log in to your course, probably multiple times per week. Students report that, compared to the classroom, their online courses require:

• as much reading
• as much homework or lab work
• as many written assignments and projects
• as many group projects
• as many quizzes and exams
• and time in graded course discussions with required student participation

Is interaction a key to success in an online course?

Interaction with other students and the instructor online is certainly desirable. How do you accomplish this goal?

Interaction enhances learning. Everyone's active participation in an online course will result in a dynamic and positive learning experience. In your course, you might find yourself interacting with other students and the instructor:

• in course discussions
• on group assignments
• by sharing documents and useful web sites
• in real-time chat sessions
• via email

You may find yourself interacting with the instructor:

• reviewing comments on your assignments in the dropbox or gradebook
• posting questions and receiving answers in the course office, if the instructor has one

What's a typical day in online courses?

Successful students will check into their courses at the start of the week so they know what needs to be accomplished during the week to come. Then, they will be back in the course as required by the weekly schedule to participate in discussions, submit assignments, communicate with the instructor or other students, and complete any quizzes or exams.