Are you also one of the many who has been wondering how online classes work?
Education nowadays comes in various formats depending on what the learners can afford and feel doing too. There is homeschooling where the modules or the teachers go to the student’s house to teach them one on one. A classroom-based education where students are being classified according to their grade level and guided by a teacher. There is online learning where you are learning through the power of digital platforms and tools.
In this article, we will focus on talking about how online courses work. Online courses are generally a combination of slide presentations, video presentations, and online discussions supplemented with online assessments that students need to complete.
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Consider Online Courses For Your Study
Online courses bring a lot of benefits to both the educators and the learners. Some of the services are:
1. They offer flexibility for busy students. Most especially to those students who find balancing time for family, work, personal time, and schoolwork quite tricky.
2. An online course also attracts young professionals looking for career advancements and parents aiming to provide their family sufficiently.
3. Online courses are also an option for students who have dropped out of school and might reconsider returning to finish their education.
Read: How Online Courses Are Better Than Offline
General Overview of What Students Can Expect from Online courses
1. Log Online
To begin the online courses, you should have the login details to the online meeting or discussions. Here are the lists of what you need to prepare:
- Computer system
- Reliable internet connection
- Compatible software required by the online course
If you already have these requirements, you can start joining the online course. You should also know the link or the website of the online course.
2. Join the Meeting and Listen to the Lecture
Online courses may either be live sessions or recording audio or video presentations. If it is a live session, make sure that you know the class’s schedule and the link to attend to it.
Like attending the course in the classroom, you may need to write down notes while the online study is ongoing. If it is a recorded audio or video presentation, make sure to access the presentation smoothly.
3. Assignment Completions
Online courses may provide assignments that need to be completed online. But there are online courses that offer different software where you can access the lessons.
Assignments come with deadlines, and the students must submit to complete answering the tasks before the deadline. There are also courses that you need to buy the assignments in order to achieve them.
4. Participating in Discussions
On all the online courses, the students would still need to participate in online class discussions. There are online courses that schedule their class discussion online weekly or biweekly, or monthly. On that note, you should also need to be updated on the schedule of the online discussions.
Few Things You Must Know Before Taking Online Courses
Online Courses Are Not An Easy Journey
If you think online courses are more comfortable than the standard type of learning which is held in a classroom, you should think twice. Choosing to go to online classes versus traditional classes is not a comfortable journey.
Yes, online courses indeed offer flexibility and convenience to learners and educators. Nevertheless, the freedom of the students can add pressure and stress to the students. It does not change the amount of work you should put into learning, be it in an online or traditional course.
Read: How to Develop An Online Course
Make Connections
Online courses are not hindering your social relationships. You can make connections with your fellow online learners by making friends with them. If you are jumping from one online course to another, there is a bigger chance for you to connect with more people and make friends with them.
Do Better In Online Classes
Online courses offer not only flexibility but also a huge opportunity to do better than in traditional learning. If you are a meticulous person and organized enough to track the things that you need and comply with the requirements before the deadline, you really can complete the online courses early.
Online classes can also be an excellent option for you if you are not comfortable learning with a group of people like in traditional education. Moreover, you can always reach out to your online teacher or instructor and be clarified by asking questions through messages.
Not All Online Courses Are The Same
Online courses come with a variety and different types of approaches to teach to their online students. There may be similarities in the kind of assignments and projects provided, but it is still different in terms of how it should be presented and graded.
It is highly recommended to address any questions that you may have about the online classes’ schedule, assessment schedule, and submission of projects.
You May Need IT Consultant
Since online courses work in the digital space, you may need an IT consultant that you can ask for help when you have technical issues that need troubleshooting.
If you have ideas about the software and technology you’re using, it is best to have a deeper understanding of troubleshooting these applications when the need arises. You should also have a reliable and robust internet connection and computer system crucial to stay on top of your online course.
Make Or Break Your Time- Management
Online courses call for total independence and sole responsibility to discipline yourself to keep up with your work and assignments, projects, and assessments.
Time management and self-discipline are essential attributes that you need to have in order to be successful in learning online.
Why You Should Consider Doing Online Courses
You can study whatever you want with online courses. Look at building your knowledge and skills in your interests.
- You can study anytime and anywhere
- You can review your lectures or modules instantly
- A time to exercise and test out your self-motivation and self-discipline.
- It produces less anxiety than face-to-face classes.
- Improved Communication and Collaboration
- Refined Critical-thinking Skills
- You can focus more on choosing ideas you may prefer
- New Technical Skills
- More time to Think before you can share materials
- Learning Schedule is Flexible
- Flexible Availability of Online Instructors
- You can create your own schedule that favors your time.
Online courses are shorter than a traditional college semester and generally self-regulated, covering particular skills and topics that you can think of. Choosing this path comes with a huge responsibility: looking for the best school or website that offers online courses.
Where You Can Find Online Courses
Here are some best websites that can be an excellent option for your online courses.
- Alison offers a vast range of comprehensive courses on technology, language science, personal and soft skills, and financial literacy.
- LinkedIn Learning offers a subscription that will give you unlimited access to various courses to enhance your skills in different fields, like arts, business, marketing, etc.
- Skillshare
- Udemy offers cost-effective online courses that are taught by experts, professionals, entrepreneurs. The online courses that they offer are in line with business, marketing, and technology.
- General Assembly offers traditional classes and online courses that can be full-time or part-time options. It provides various digital skills in marketing, iOS and android development, javascript, and data analytics.
- Pluralsight offers to explore classes in software, 3D development, VFX, design, game design, web design, and CAD software.
- AdobeTV will walk you through all its programs with tutorials and manuals on Photoshop and InDesign.
- Academic Earth offers free academic classes in arts, science, humanities, economics, computer science, religion, and more.
- Udacity is slightly different among the rest mentioned because the online courses offer a focus on software development. They offer free courses in software development, data science, and web development.
- edX offers university classes in various departments for anyone and can be taken anywhere. They have a partnership with some prominent universities like Dartmouth, Georgetown, and the University of Chicago.
- Codecademy is for web developers and programmers protege. It covers all kinds of programming, including JavaScript, Ruby, HTML, CSS, and Python.
- LearnSmart offers an excellent orientation on career development in Information Technology, security, project management, HR, and businesses.
Is Online Classes the Right Choice For You?
Online courses may be an additional option for taking a traditional approach, but many take it as a significant change in learning evolution.
This other option brings a unique experience that will allow you to learn at your own pace and time.
Do You Need To Attend Classes At Specific Times?
Online courses offer asynchronous or self-paced learning. The students can complete their assignments and learn the module according to their own pace and time.
They still need to meet weekly, though, for updates, questions, and clarifications related to the course.
Online courses offer synchronous component where students view the live lectures or participate in the online discussions through video conference.
How Long Do Online Courses Run?
Online courses follow the traditional semester-based schedule, but online courses divide the year into smaller terms and vary in requirements.
There are also online courses that allow students to choose the number of modules they will take.
How Is An Online Class Structured In General?
Generally, an online class is structured to the kind of learning material and presentation of the lecture.
The online course is typically logged into the Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS is where they can actually view the lecture material, assignments, support services, access course materials, and monitor their progress on lessons.
The LMS can also be accessed through mobile phones and tablets to efficiently complete the course anytime and anywhere.
Learning education has evolved through the years and fortunately accepted globally. The new learning modules and strategies are continually appearing in the market, giving the students various options for their education.
Moreover, online learning also provides every individual a chance to complete a degree that they have started but have not been able to continue due to whatever reasons.
Online courses are truly giving hope and setting clear paths to those who may have lost hope and direction in learning. There is a vast future for online classes that may seem more exciting and challenging for many students who still want and are eager to learn.
Traditional education will never fade, as well as distance learning. However, with the increasing numbers of students participating in online courses every year, it appears that online learning is becoming a popular option for people.
Becoming the Teacher
Use the things you learn from online courses. Hopefully, it will help you in your career or business.
At some point, consider creating your own online course. There are different platforms you can post your course. You can find one that already has an audience of host it yourself.
You can charge a hefty amount of money for your expertise. I’ve personally paid thousands of dollars for knowledge.
Read: How to Develop An Online Course
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much should you spend on an online course?
Your online course can be the price of tuition. I’ve personally paid hundreds and thousands of dollars for online courses.
How long should an online course take?
It depends on the course. It make be a drip campaign and go for 12 weeks. Other courses can be completed within a month.
Are Online Courses or Offline Courses better?
Online courses are becoming increasingly the standard. It leverages the teacher’s time and helps students
