Before we can discuss successful strategies for students
participating in online education, we need to understand what online learning
is, and how to use this new medium. Online learning has various definitions,
but an essential component for all is the use of computing and
telecommunication technologies to deliver and receive course materials.
Online education utilizes the Internet or videoconferencing to
create learning communities. Course materials are provided on a Web site and
are occasionally found on CD-ROM; email, bulletin boards, forums, and chat
rooms are used to interact with other students and teachers.
Online learning can enhance traditional forms of education. It
may take place in the classroom or workplace, it may be performed at home, at
online access centers, or at a public library. Online learning provides
hands-on experience using information technologies and makes it easier for
students to access learning and customized lessons.
Online learning may refer to a range of approaches, from making
resources available electronically to the creation of rich, interactive, online
experiences involving synchronous and asynchronous conferencing. The former
emphasizes the content, the latter focuses on the relationships that underpin
teaching and learning.
An emerging body of literature and research suggests that
quality online learning is associated with:
·
Interactive and
collaborative relationships between teachers and students
·
A student centered and
constructivist approach
·
Providing student
support
The use of integrated technology environments provided by
courseware such as WebCT or appropriate videoconferencing facilities
Online teaching and learning is increasingly portrayed as a new
paradigm with many believing that, unless online courses involve rich,
instructional and social interaction, they are not part of this prototype. To
quote a publication widely reported in online instructional design forums:
"Without the support and participation of a learning community, there is
no online course."
How Does Online Learning Work?
Course materials may include Web resources, multimedia software,
videotaped lectures and seminars, and audiotaped lectures. Class discussions
with classmates and one-on-one interactions with faculty occur online via
e-mail and chat rooms as well as through teleconferences.
These interactive online courses are taught by the same
world-renowned faculty who teach on-campus and receive the same college credit
as the comparable on-campus courses. Whether you aim to update your skills,
build your résumé, or explore a new career direction, this cutting-edge
technology can help you achieve your goals.
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Online Learning Benefits:
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·
Update your skills
with virtually no interruption to your career or personal commitments
·
Take advantage of the
flexible format and tailor a program to your individual needs and schedule
·
Put your new knowledge
to work at your company while you learn
·
Study where you're
most comfortable and when you're most productive
·
Interactive technology
offers threaded discussions and real-time chat to enhance learning
·
Extensive technical
support and academic advising foster your success
·
Your certificate,
diploma or degree has the same value as if you had completed the program on
campus.
Tips for Online Learners?
Most of the courses
you will find here are based on the idea that people learn best in a
community. The instructor plays an important, but different role from the classroom
environment. You'll notice changes in the way your group operates, but the
usual practices of courtesy are very important in online learning environments.
Here are some tips:
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·
Participate.
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It's not enough just
to show up; you must contribute your ideas and share your knowledge and
information with others to help develop a sense of community.
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·
Be
persistent.
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We are all moving into a new environment and everyone is
learning together. If you have a problem, don't wait; send an email or contact
your instructor immediately.
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·
Share
tips, help, and ask questions.
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Most of us are doing
this for the first time, so there are no silly questions. If you have a
solution, share it with others.
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·
Think
before you click the send button.
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Did you really mean what you said? Will others
understand your comments? Will someone be offended? You cannot predict
reactions to your comments, but you can review what you have written before you
send.
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·
Try
to convey your emotions.
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We can't see
your smile or your sarcasm, but you can convey your meanings with a couple of well-chosen
words.
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·
Remember
the person at the other end.
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Ask for feedback
if you are not sure how you are doing. If you disagree with someone, use your
skills to communicate your feelings clearly, but with sensitivity.
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·
Derogatory
or inappropriate comments.
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Inappropriate
comments which relate to race, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation are
not acceptable and are subject to the same disciplinary action as in a regular
classroom. If you have concerns about comments made, then contact your tutor
immediately.
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·
Plagiarism,
copyright and intellectual property.
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Issues are the
same as in the standard classroom. You may not use others' work without their
permission.
Top 5 Sites for Online Learning:-
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1. Khan Academy:
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Founded by Salman
khan in 2006, this non-profit website now boasts over 4,000 education videos covering topics from
finance to animation to art history. Each video is about ten minutes long and begins
with a blank screen that the narrator (Khan himself in over 3,000 of the
videos, according to Forbes) draws on in bright colors to illustrate concepts. Khan’s style is
surprisingly easy to follow. “I teach the way I wish I was taught,” Khan says.
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2.
Skill share:
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Skill
share’s tagline is simple: “Learn Differently.” This site proposes a new kind
of model for online education—anyone can sign up to take a class, and anyone
can sign up to teach one. Instructors determine a price for their class
(usually fairly low, around $15-$30) and decide whether they want to teach in
person or apply to teach an online global class. The site has an incredibly
wide range of offerings. A couple of courses that caught my eye: Grace Bello’s
“How to Write a Killer Magazine Pitch” (99 students enrolled so far) and Anne
Ditmeyer’s “Mapmaking: Learn to Communicate Places Beautifully” (870 students).
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3.
Code academy:
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“Education
is broken. Come and help us build the education the world deserves.” Code
academy’s mission statement is blunt. But it isn’t wrong. America’s educational
system needs a reboot, and Code academy offers a viable solution. Like Skill
share, Code academy offers courses created by users for users. Code academy’s
home page features “tracks” that allow students to pick up programming skills
from the ground up via simple tutorials and interactive exercises. Along the
way users earn badges and increase their total score. The gamified aspects of
the site make it kind of addictive and far too much fun for something
educational.
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4.
Lynda.com:
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For
$25 a month, users can get unlimited access to lynda.com’s library of over
1,800 video courses covering a variety of subjects. The
site’s software tutorials are particularly useful when trying to brush up on a
program you haven’t used in a while or learn the particulars of a newly
released version of an old favorite. According to co-founder Lynda Weinman the
site can help users keep their skills up to date: “It can be the difference in
getting a new job or getting advancement in your job or achieving the things
that you want to achieve today,” she says in an introductory video.
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5.
EdX:
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Founded
and run by educational powerhouses Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, EdX features
“learning designed specifically for interactive study via the web.” The site
currently offers online courses from Harvard, MIT and Berkley, and
plans to include classes from Wellesley, Georgetown, and the University of
Texas in the fall. Though the site claims to hold students to the high
standards the schools involved are known for,
users receive certificates rather than credit for completing courses.
I’ve included EdX here because it has a number of classes listed for this
summer, but it’s worth nothing that MOOCs (massive open online courses) are
available through a number of programs, including (as of this spring!) the I
School.
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