Is this Your First Online Class?

Students who enroll in an online class for the first time often are unclear about what to expect in these new forms of courses. Below, please find some answers to frequently asked questions about hybrid or online classes.

Question: Is an online class the same as a self-paced class?

Answer: No. While some online classes are similar to independent study, most online classes are NOT self-paced classes. The due dates for documents and class participation reflect those of a "regular" on-site class. Homework, other activities, and online class participation must be completed by preset dates and times.

Question: How much time do I have to spend online?

Answer: You should plan to spend at least the same amount of time you would spend on a face-to-face class.

Question: Do I have to log on to class at a particular time?

Answer: No. You will have deadlines by which to post your homework, but when you complete that work (2 am or 11:30 PM or any other time) is up to you. In general you should try to do your work on a daily basis to avoid being overburdened at the end of the week. If you have a problem, contact the instructor or use the discussion bulletin board to try to get assistance from other students in the class. If you leave it to the last minute and then run into trouble, you'll end up completing your work late or maybe not at all.

Question: Where do we meet for class?

Answer: We don't really "meet" in a real-time or physical face to face sense. Instead, we'll interact regularly through forum using several discussion topic as well as email. To access fourm just click on the forum link at the top of any page and log on to the class discussion.

Question: Is taking a class online easier than a "regular" class?

Answer: No. The course content that you face in an online class usually is identical to that of an on-site class on the same topic. Some people think the workload is even more demanding than a regular face-to-face class in that you have to be a self-directed learner, stay motivated and stay on top of your work for the class. It has been shown that the most successful online students tend to share the following characteristics:

• Self-motivation/self-starter
• Good organization and time-management skills
• Somewhat familiar with computers and the Internet
• Resourceful and actively seek answers and solutions to questions and problems

Question: What Internet skills would be helpful in an online class?

Answer: The most successful students have the following Internet skills:

• Familiarity with their web browser and an email program.
• Know how to make and organize bookmarks in their browser software.
• Some familiarity with web-based interactions–email, bulletin boards, listservs, mailing lists, and chat rooms will also be useful.
• Some proficiency with word processing.
• Experience in successful Internet searches using a variety of search engines.

Question: How do I find out if I am prepared for an online class?

If you are wondering if an online class is for you, take this brief self assessment test.

Question: Is there a class available which will help me improve my skills for online learning?

If you would like to refresh certain skills for successful completion of online learning, such as how to send an attachment through e-mail or zip files before e-mailing, -- A short web ready class offered by the college will give you one credit unit and also will help you learn the needed skills. Could be taken concurrently.

Source:
Frequently Asked Questions created by Dr. Marsha Conley, Instructional Technology Coordinator at American River College and Sita Motipara at Skyline College.