Online Learning Not for Everyone..
Online learning isn't for everyone. And that's fine, because the face-to-face classroom isn't for everyone, textbooks aren't for everyone, satellite courses aren't for everyone, and computer-based training modules aren't for everyone.
But if you are thinking of taking an online course, you need to consider whether or not you'll be successful as an online learner. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are obvious, but others may be less intuitive. Let's try to answer a few of these.
Do I have basic computer skills?Let's face it: online courses are being shoved down the throats of people who simply aren't ready to make the leap out of the classroom. If you're going to take an online course, you should have a basic level of comfort with your computer. You should be able to turn it off and on, start your web browser (Netscape and Internet Explorer), copy and paste text, save files, attach files, and send and receive e-mail.
Much of the content in these courses are delivered through the Web browser. You may be asked to visit other websites and then return to your course to discuss them, so you'll need to know how to move forward and back with the browser's buttons. You should also be able to conduct a simple search for information on the Web, using a tool like Yahoo or Google.
If you're not comfortable with your computer, it's OK to look for a face-to-face version of the course. Odds are, you would spend as much time in the online course learning the technology as you would the content.
But if you are thinking of taking an online course, you need to consider whether or not you'll be successful as an online learner. Some of the questions you need to ask yourself are obvious, but others may be less intuitive. Let's try to answer a few of these.
Do I have basic computer skills?Let's face it: online courses are being shoved down the throats of people who simply aren't ready to make the leap out of the classroom. If you're going to take an online course, you should have a basic level of comfort with your computer. You should be able to turn it off and on, start your web browser (Netscape and Internet Explorer), copy and paste text, save files, attach files, and send and receive e-mail.
Much of the content in these courses are delivered through the Web browser. You may be asked to visit other websites and then return to your course to discuss them, so you'll need to know how to move forward and back with the browser's buttons. You should also be able to conduct a simple search for information on the Web, using a tool like Yahoo or Google.
If you're not comfortable with your computer, it's OK to look for a face-to-face version of the course. Odds are, you would spend as much time in the online course learning the technology as you would the content.
posted by Educator Fran @ 4:01 PM
1 comments
