Determining What "Online Course" Means
Online
courses are being offered everywhere and are promising
all kinds of success.
There are a few things to look for before signing up.
Accreditation
Not all courses will offer you credit toward your degree. The course description should reveal
Non-credit courses will give you practice,
skills and knowledge in preparation for your chosen field of
study; however, they are exactly what the name implies -- zero
credit. Take these courses to build your basic skills.
Credit
courses will give you credit,
practice, skills and preparation, but the credit is not transferable
to other institutions. Take these courses to build your skills
and fill local college credit requirements.
Transferable
Credit courses will give you practice, skills
and preparation in your academic path and are transferrable to other academic institutions. WebReady for example, is CSU transferrable. Other courses are UC transferrable.
 Check with the instructor to find out what kind of credit you will receive and if it will meet your
academic needs.
What exactly does "online
course" mean?
Online
courses include a continuous range from mostly on-campus
to all online. They are commonly referred to with these two
terms:
Web-assisted or Web-enhanced meet on campus. Some course materials are offered online such as the syllabus, handouts and other printed course materials. This kind of course may also use online discussions, quizzes and gradebooks.
Hybrid courses have anywhere from 40 - 80% of their class meetings online.
They meet in class for most of the scheduled course hours with
some of the course hours being spent online (optional or required)
doing support activities.
Online courses have anywhere from 81 to 100% of the course meetings
online. They require students to spend a majority of the
course
hours interacting online and may include some classroom attendance
or "office hour" meetings.
Check with the instructor to find out how many hours are required online
and if any on-campus introductory, exam or consultation meetings
are required.
How much "online interaction"
can you expect?
Depending on the amount of time, institutional support
and motivation an instructor has, the development of online interaction
in a course can vary.
online course types
| Course Types |
Interactivity |
Comments |
| Online courses with email only |
- email exchange
- document exchange
|
The potential for group or student interaction is limited.
This is more like a correspondence course. |
| Online courses with web pages |
- email exchange
- syllabus, resources and handouts posted
- assignments posted
|
The potential for group or student interaction is basic and requires good independent-learners to be successful. |
Online courses with web site activities and interactions |
- email exchange
- syllabus and handouts posted
- assignments posted
- practice quizzes
- discussion / chat
- images, movies, podcasts, etc.
|
The potential for group or student interaction is highly likely. This is what we'd like all online courses to be like. |
Check with the instructor in advance
of signing up for an online course and find out
if you can preview the course pages. Also, ask about
the amount and kinds of course interactions that will be included.
What makes taking an online
course a successful experience?
Mostly the same things that make taking an on campus course a
success:
- A highly motivated student who is willing to commit to learning.
- A highly motivated instructor who can present materials in a way that students can understand and use.
- Course materials that are current, well-organized and media-rich.
- Internet skills and comfort with working in the online environment. (Being WebReady)
Take the Pre Test
Continue! 
Centers for Teaching and Learning, San Mateo Community College District, CA USA Updated 9/6/2008 by Sevastopoulos
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