E-on Youth Center

Online Learning Programs

Filed under degree programs, distance learning, interactive puzzles, internet connection, mba programs, self discipline, university of duke

With a computer, an internet connection and a little self-discipline, you can get a diploma at home, at work or elsewhere. Online degree programs follow the same routines of traditional learning, with few changes. There are lectures, but you do not attend personally. There are tasks, but you need not hand them to the instructor. There are exams, but you can not look for proof of the neighbor. In many cases, we are free to “go to class” at the most convenient time.

You will communicate with the instructor by e-mail, chat rooms, bulletin boards and online messaging. Your classroom will be a special program that uses text chats and bulletin boards as well as audio or recorded lectures. You may be placed in a group of virtual work with other students and being asked to solve a problem. You may have to work through interactive puzzles and quizzes. Contrary to popular belief, you will connect with other students and the instructor.

In fact, the contact instructors / students in the MBA program at the University of Duke’s Global Executive is significantly higher than in other MBA programs for executives. Its Web site states that this happens because of the nature of learning via the Internet (24 hours a day, seven days a week). He states that teachers allow hours of weekly attendance at the office, but also monitor classes and discussion groups and answer e-mails regularly. On average, faculty will answer questions from students in 24-48 hours.

Dependent on the program and the institution, distance learning sessions can consist of synchronous (live) or asynchronous sessions (recorded). Copies of notes and lectures are archived and you can always return to them losing some detail. If there are live sessions with discussions between students, you can also come back to them. Tasks can even be returned with audio clips so students can hear the tones of voice of the teacher along with the instructions.

Printed documents can be mailed or you can print them or read them online.

Some schools require a “training” kept in the original campus (if any), where you will meet other students, instructors and support staff. You will learn how to use technology, learn about library systems and consultations and start your course.

Here are some examples of what you can try online:

* Georgia Tech has a page of examples of lectures (English site)

* University of New York has a demo page (English site) for your program online.

There are many different presentations and management techniques for online learning. A team of instructors with Web developers and designers assemble educational courses. The result is (hopefully) an extremely effective, interactive and high tech.