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How To Take College Courses On-line
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The How-To Business Book
11/20/2000
By: Mitchell Young
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This fall, responding to what is perhaps the most far-reaching opportunity facing institutions of higher learning, Yale University has opted to stick its toe into the distance-learning waters.
In a joint venture with Oxford, Princeton and Stanford, Yale announced that it and its three sister institutions would each provide $3 million to launch a distance-learning venture to provide online courses in the arts and sciences to their combined 500,000 alumni.
This Ivy League decision is only the latest in a processional move by colleges and universities across the nation to add online courses and programs to their traditional offerings - so-called distance learning.
Distance learning is becoming the next on-campus rage because it provides flexible, learner-centered instruction to students at times and places that are convenient to them. With this new flexibility, a new class of students is gaining increased access to higher education.
In the case of the Ivys, it's dispersed alumni. In Connecticut, it's an audience of people outside the typical college age groups, many in their early 30s. Also, they are more female than male. In general, online course-takers are employed and have family responsibilities that make traditional bricks-and-mortar college attendance difficult.
For these students, travel time is limited and the costs of a babysitter can sometimes exceed even the cost of the college course itself.
Courses are delivered in a variety of models, including television and video-based, but more and more it is computer/Internet-based course content that is growing in popularity. Internet tools are ideal for education and training, and courses can incorporate multiple media, e-mail and chart interaction - even audio and video clips.
In Connecticut, the Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium - encompassing more than 30 colleges and universities statewide, including the University of Connecticut, the state's community college system, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven, Quinnipiac, Albertus Magnus, Teikyo Post, Sacred
Heart and Fairfield - are working together to share costs, expertise and to promote online education.
The courses offered by consortium members have been accepted as part of a demonstration project by the federal Department of Education for scholarship funding.
Distance-learning courses have the same requirements as traditional courses. And if you are qualified to take courses at a particular institution, you are qualified to take their online courses, too.
The deployment of online courses and even complete online degree programs are growing rapidly. Students will find courses in early childhood education, American authors, history, Japanese culture, accounting, computer science and dozens more. Southern Connecticut State University offers a master's program in library science completely online. Each semester the online course catalogue grows - along with the number of students taking those courses.
The consortium has created a single gateway for the online course offerings in Connecticut. It can be accessed at www.ctdlc.org.
Students and educators alike agree that online education is not for everyone. For the prospective student, a self-assessment is available at the Web site, and the questions are ones that every student needs to ask him or herself.
Why do I need a degree?
How important is socializing?
What about classroom interaction, personal motivation and help from the professor?
Can I work within deadlines?
Am I tech-comfortable and familiar with e-mail, faxes etc.? (And is my computer up to the challenge, even if I am?)
Do I have the time to devote to the course, and do I have the discipline to direct my coursework myself?
Potential students will also find a free-sample online course at the site, which will provide a real understanding of the online learning process.
Many professors offer time for meetings with online students, but keeping the ball running is harder than just showing up for the course, putting in the time and taking the tests.
Online courses costs vary, and each institution sets its own prices just as they do for their on-campus courses. However, costs typically range from $250 for a three-credit course and rise to about $800. Graduate course prices follow similar rules.
Online courses count toward a degree in the same way as bricks-and-mortar courses. There are some complete degree programs that can be taken entirely online. Students can use distance learning courses as part of a traditionally completed degree.
Each institution decides what credits they will accept and outline their requirements in their course catalogues. And while the consortium schools work together in promoting courses, they do not automatically accept credits for courses offered by participating schools.
It is important to work with advisor at the institution you choose to properly design a program and clarify how any existing credits, online credits and bricks-and-mortar credits can be applied to a potential degree.
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