Online Degrees
Today, you can earn a degree from a major university without ever having sat in one of their classrooms. Many colleges and universities are jumping on the distance learning bandwagon and offering on- line courses and degree programs.
In this article we’ll look at how online degrees work, what you should look for if you are pursuing a degree via the online option, and what employers think of online degrees.
Online Learning Programs
With a computer, an Internet connection and a little self-discipline, you can earn a degree. Online degree programs follow much the same routines as traditional learning, with a few twists. There are lectures, but they won’t be in person. There are assignments, but you won’t hand them to your instructor. There are exams, but you won’t be able to look at your neighbor’s paper. There may be a set time that "class" begins, but you don’t have to be there then. In most situations, you are free to "go to class" when it fits your schedule. If you get a phone call during class, you don’t have to miss anything. If you get sick, you don’t have to ask for someone’s notes, and you just visit the lecture later.
You’ll communicate with your instructor by e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and instant messaging. Your classroom will live in a special software program that uses text chat and bulletin boards, as well as streaming audio or recorded lectures. You may be put into a virtual workgroup with other students and be required to solve a problem. You may have to work through interactive puzzles and quizzes. Contrary to popular belief, you will have contact with other students and the instructor.
Depending on the program and institution, distance learning may consist of synchronous (live) sessions or asynchronous (non-live) sessions. Transcripts and notes from lectures are archived, so you can always go back if you missed something. If there are live sessions with discussions among students, you can go back to those as well. Assignments may even be returned with audio clips so your instructors can convey their tone of voice along with their comments.
Printed documents may be sent to you through the mail, or you may have the options of printing them yourself or reading them online.
Some schools require an initial "boot camp" held at the campus, where you will meet the other students, instructors and support personnel. You’ll learn how to use the technology, learn about the library and reference systems, and begin your coursework.
Evaluating the Program
So once you know the school is accredited, is the decision easy Not necessarily. There are still a lot of questions to ask before you make your selection, such as:
·How is the course presented
Investigate the method by which the instructor gives lectures. Does the instructor simply put the lecture online as text Are there accompanying slides Is there any interaction Is there video or audio Are exams given How are assignments turned in The format of the course is sometimes as important as the content. Great content is more easily absorbed if it’s done in a dynamic and innovative manner that involves interaction between the student and instructor as well as interaction with the content itself. Online learning technology provides many opportunities for innovation. Find a school that takes advantage of it.
·How do students interact with each other
Is there an established method for interaction and congregating Online programs can use chat rooms, instant messaging, teleconferencing, and video conferencing to communicate. The key is to find a program that has this interaction built into it and even requires it. How the online community functions should be very important to both the instructor and the educational institution.
·Are the instructors qualified
Check out the credentials and degrees the instructors hold, as well as their knowledge of online learning and its differences from classroom learning. What kind of support do the instructors get for their online courses If technical problems arise, is there someone to turn to A school that is dedicated to its online programs will have the development staff and the support staff to make it successful. Instructors (and students) have to be able to adapt to changing technology.
·What kind of reputation does the school have
It may seem simple—a good school will have a good online program. That may be true, but it is also probable that its online program is still too new to judge, so you’re left with nothing but the reputation of the school’s traditional programs. This reputation, however, may not be as straightforward as you think. You can look at the overall quality of the school and make a judgment, but there may be weaknesses in the program in which you are interested. It’s not uncommon for a great school to have a weak program or two.
·How are students evaluated
Earning a degree should not mean just that—earning it. If students aren’t assessed properly and degrees are handed out with little or no verification that any knowledge has been transferred from the instructor to the student, then how can the program be rated Students, particularly adult students, learn more by doing than by simply listening. For this reason, it is important to ensure that part of the program involves applying what has been learned.
The Employer’s View
The big question in everyone’s mind is, "Is an online degree from an accredited college or university seen by potential employers as a lesser degree" Vault. com, a career network Website, did a survey of 239 professionals. According to the results, 77 percent of respondents believe that an online degree earned at an accredited institution is more credible.
Other sources did studies that revealed that there is little if any difference in the quality of education received through online distance learning versus traditional classrooms. John Losak found similar results in his own study. He analyzed graduation rates, time to graduation, and knowledge, as well as other elements. He found the students performed as well or better in online courses.
As more and more people get online degrees and use them in the workforce, managers will begin to feel more secure about the quality of education these people have. If John’s study holds up on a larger scale, then the future of getting jobs and advancements based on online degrees will be bright.
Until then, choose schools carefully, and check for accreditation and strong programs. When you’ve completed the degree, go to job interviews armed with information to counter any questions about the quality or validity of your degree. Make sure the interviewer knows how you achieved the degree, how you worked it into a busy schedule, how you overcame any obstacles. It will show a self- motivation and discipline that may be just the qualities the company is looking for.
What can you do in some schools’ initial "boot camp"