Are you ready?

Succeeding in an online class requires a set of characteristics that are unique from those required in a traditional face-to-face class. Successful online students are:

  • self-motivated,

  • self-disciplined,

  • organized,

  • and proactive in seeking help.

Students should also be able learn well through reading, watching videos, and participating in weekly course discussions. It is critical that students complete the assignments on-time and to the best of their abilities.

EXPECTATIONS:

Many students expect that an online course will be easier, or entail less time. This is not true. This online class will take just as much time as a traditional classroom course. College credits are based on the Carnegie Unit, the structure of the US Education system, for a system of “units”. One semester unit represents one lecture hour of required classroom time and two hours of student preparation time. Thus, four unit courses require 4 lecture hours and 8 hours of student preparation, or approximately 10 hours total, per week that students will need to spend on this course.

If students are unsure about whether they have the characteristics of a successful online student, please consider these resources:

Take the survey: Are Distance Learning Courses Right For You? Please download the attachments below for more in-depth Blackboard information.