Online classes

[The Fall Guy]

Have you ever taken any online classes and if you have how do you feel they compare to live classroom teaching?

 

[ValleyGal]

No one has responded to this and it's been a couple of weeks.... I do not have much experience with online classes, but I can tell you about it... I am an audio learner, so if I hear a lecture and can interact with the people in my class, then I do really well. I did not read one textbook throughout my undergrad (4 year) degree, and still graduated in the top 5% of the class. I tried to take one psychology class online and we were required to all read everyone's comments and respond to 5 or more. There was no way I could keep up when there were about 60 of us in the class - and do the textbook reading on top of all that. I spent more time on that one class than I did on all the other classes combined. I dropped the class after 3 weeks.

But... I took a couple of my teaching courses online and since it was really well structured and the reading was not so intense, I did well at those. The classes were also much smaller - 25 or so, and we were put into discussion groups so we didn't have to read everyone's comments, just those in our group.

I think online courses have come a long way since then, with a combination of video, audio, and live chat rooms, so I'm sure that makes a difference.

My husband has done most of his master's program online and since he is a speed-reader and well disciplined, he does well with those. My preference is in class, interactive, audio/visual, and structured.

 

[onlyme]

No one has responded to this and it's been a couple of weeks.... I do not have much experience with online classes, but I can tell you about it... I am an audio learner, so if I hear a lecture and can interact with the people in my class, then I do really well. I did not read one textbook throughout my undergrad (4 year) degree, and still graduated in the top 5% of the class. I tried to take one psychology class online and we were required to all read everyone's comments and respond to 5 or more. There was no way I could keep up when there were about 60 of us in the class - and do the textbook reading on top of all that. I spent more time on that one class than I did on all the other classes combined. I dropped the class after 3 weeks.

But... I took a couple of my teaching courses online and since it was really well structured and the reading was not so intense, I did well at those. The classes were also much smaller - 25 or so, and we were put into discussion groups so we didn't have to read everyone's comments, just those in our group.

I think online courses have come a long way since then, with a combination of video, audio, and live chat rooms, so I'm sure that makes a difference.

My husband has done most of his master's program online and since he is a speed-reader and well disciplined, he does well with those. My preference is in class, interactive, audio/visual, and structured.

I like the idea of distance learning with the computer, by my question is: what happens if a virus occurs during a scheduled webinar or if the printer fouls up at the wrong moment? I'm not very adept with dealing with such contingencies.

So how are you doing? & If I may ask, what subject did dh do his Master's in?

 

[Lamb]

My daughter had taken some online classes for high school and the classes were all prepared ahead of time. She didn't have to be at the computer at any set time and all her assignments were submitted electronically. It can be difficult to discipline oneself to complete the work with that type of freedom of studying when you want.

 

[onlyme]

My daughter had taken some online classes for high school and the classes were all prepared ahead of time. She didn't have to be at the computer at any set time and all her assignments were submitted electronically. It can be difficult to discipline oneself to complete the work with that type of freedom of studying when you want.

In the end all forms of learning require some kind of discipline, right?

 

[Lamb]

In the end all forms of learning require some kind of discipline, right?

Of course. If you have a routine where you must be at a certain place at a specific time then it's easier than only knowing you have to complete everything by the end of a term. My daughter waited it all out thinking she could handle the load. I have no idea how she did it but some people work well under pressure...not that she would want to try that again!

 

[onlyme]

Of course. If you have a routine where you must be at a certain place at a specific time then it's easier than only knowing you have to complete everything by the end of a term. My daughter waited it all out thinking she could handle the load. I have no idea how she did it but some people work well under pressure...not that she would want to try that again!

Often it's a straight trade between: What if the computer fouls up? versus: What if there is snow and ice on the road during winter semester classes at a distance? In the end, it's often the weather and the calendar that are in the driving seat.

 

[Lamb]

Often it's a straight trade between: What if the computer fouls up? versus: What if there is snow and ice on the road during winter semester classes at a distance? In the end, it's often the weather and the calendar that are in the driving seat.

Most people (besides me but that's changing soon) have cell phones with data now as well as tablets that can access the internet. Power outages? Professors can be contacted later and things explained. Emergencies can be dealt with on an individual basis since human beings are still the ones that can be contacted.

 

[ValleyGal]

I like the idea of distance learning with the computer, by my question is: what happens if a virus occurs during a scheduled webinar or if the printer fouls up at the wrong moment? I'm not very adept with dealing with such contingencies.

So how are you doing? & If I may ask, what subject did dh do his Master's in?

I graduated with a BSW a few years ago, and am happily working. My husband is finishing his master's in Professional Counselling through Liberty U. He has since relocated to Canada, though, so he will be recognized as a counselling psychologist.

Neither of us have ever had viruses during an online class. We both have good antivirus protection, though. At one point, though, his laptop needed a new screen and when he got it back more than a week later, the whole thing was ruined. They replaced it, but he was without his computer for upward of a couple of weeks. During that time he used my tablet (which has a keyboard). If I did not have the tablet, he would have had to use my computer while I was at work or go to the library and use one of the public computers.

As long as you stay on top of regular computer maintenance, it should be okay. But if anything happens at the wrong moment, like in the middle of a scheduled and mandatory webinar, just let the instructor know and they may be able to make concession for it. Online instructors know that tech issues will come up - it's inevitable.

 

[Inkachu]

Have you ever taken any online classes and if you have how do you feel they compare to live classroom teaching?

Just finished my first online class (Gen Psych) last month. I was extremely disappointed in the experience, though I enjoyed the convenience of not having to drive to campus, since I work full time and have a family. It was nice to do the assignments on my own time, but I had hoped there would be more online interaction and involvement between the professor and other classmates, and there was virtually nothing. Some assignments required us to post on a forum or respond to another classmate's post, but that was it. Still worth it to have the convenience of doing it all from home, though. I probably wouldn't think so if I were a young, single, childless college kid, though.

 

[NewCreation435]

I got my degree from Liberty and with the exception of three classes that were intensives they were all online.
I liked it and had great professors. When there was computer problems they would give you extra time to turn in work which I thought was very considerate.

 

[dogs4thewin]

No, but I have seriously considered doing so.