How does Online Learning Work?
Online courses are a great opportunity to advance your career or to supplement your personal growth if you can’t relocate or adjust your schedule. Online courses allow you to achieve your goals at home, on the road or while traveling—without disrupting your lifestyle.
Online learning is not much different than learning in a classroom setting. You will still have an instructor to guide you through the course and classmates to interact with. You will still complete coursework, have the opportunity to participate in class activities and have assigned homework.
Our online learning courses use Canvas—an online learning environment where you interact with your instructor and peers—and may include pre-recorded lectures and live webinar sessions. To get started, all you need is reliable internet access and a computer or mobile device. Other than that, the skills required for successful online learning are the same as those needed in a more traditional classroom setting: preparation, organization and self-discipline. The difference is how you apply them.
Types of Online Learning
- ASYNCHRONOUS CLASSES: Self-paced, on-demand learning with no scheduled class times. Access and complete lectures, readings and assignments on your schedule, with coursework typically due within a specific timeframe or by the end of the course. Self-paced courses are instructor-led with regular feedback and communication, as well as opportunities to connect with classmates. Instructors often hold live office hours, and group work can be scheduled around peer availability. Because you don’t have to be online at a specific time, this self-guided learning experience provides the most flexibility.
- SYNCHRONOUS CLASSES: Live online sessions with real-time interaction. Attend classes at the same time as your instructor and classmates and move through the course together. While assignments are expected to be completed by specific dates, there may be readings and pre-recorded lectures that you can pace yourself through. Because you attend class with a cohort of other students, synchronous courses require a commitment to the class schedule and can’t be rescheduled to fit your needs.
- HYBRID CLASSES: A blend of online and in-person learning experiences.