Questions about distance learning

medicrnohio, RN · Nov 18, 2003

I took several classes through distance learning and enjoyed them. You have to be very self directed though. If you can study on your own and don't mind always have an instructor to go to it's great. Good luck with whatever you decide.

FutureNurse2005 · Nov 18, 2003

i've taken several classes this way and have loved them! You have to be disciplined though, it is so easy to get off track!

good luck!

rpbear · Nov 18, 2003

I have taken several internet classes. They are great. One I took was very structured making you check in each week for assignments and things, the other was completely self paced. I think I like the structured one better. It kept me focused and forced me to do the work. Like others have said it is very easy to get off track.

pixiel · Nov 18, 2003

I personally love them!!!!! However just a few things to consider. At bottom quizes to see if distance learning is for you!

Before you register, there are several things that you need to know.

Doing well requires self-discipline.

While you may find the convenience of doing course work as you find time, there may be a tendency to put work off because you are not in a classroom, with the instructor watching and telling you that you need to finish before the end of class.

You must discipline yourself to ensure that you keep up on all assignments and not let yourself fall behind. Because, if you do let yourself fall behind, you will end up with so much to do near the end of the semester that you will, in all likelihood, not be able to catch up.

On-line courses require lots of interaction by the students.

Unlike in the classroom, you cannot "hide." You cannot be a passive learner. When discussion questions are posted, everyone is expected to respond, and if a discussion thread develops among several students, others are expected to join in. (In fact, in this particular course all students are required to respond to all discussion questions, and final grades will reflect the amount and quality of those responses.) So, there is no opportunity to "coast" through an on-line course. You must be prepared to work hard to succeed.

Successful on-line students share several characteristics.

Students who work well in a Distance Learning environment are self-disciplined, self-motivated, independent, proactive learners. Because they do not have the same kind of immediate deadlines familiar to those taking classroom- based courses, students who tend to procrastinate are seldom successful in a distance format. And those who tend to glide through a course, taking the path of least resistance, not participating in discussions, also find on-line courses difficult.

Access to the instructor is not limited to face-to-face encounters in the classroom or office.

The asynchronous nature of communication which is basic to the design and delivery of an on-line course is also at the heart of communication. Students may send messages (questions, concerns, etc.) to their professor at any time. The professor, then, may respond to those e-mails when they are opened. Professors have a different policies regarding how often they check and respond to e-mail, so be sure to check each professor's syllabus for that policy.

Problems happen.

Students and/or the instructor may experience problems in accessing or transmitting material. It is the nature of technology not to work occasionally. Should students experience problems, they need to be ready with a back-up plan. They should contact the instructor, perhaps by phone, ASAP. When an instructor fails to receive material from a student, the natural tendency is to assume that the student did not do the work. Students are responsible to make sure their work is successfully delivered or to let the instructor know that there was a problem and, then, if necessary, work with the instructor to devise an alternate plan to submit the material.

http://ecampus.uwyo.edu/index.real?action=Quiz

http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/isitforme.shtml

lizmatt · Nov 18, 2003

I love distance learning!! It really has made it possible for me to take classes almost full time, work full time and be a single mother of 2 toddlers. Like others have said, it is really easy to get off track though. I sometimes forget that I am taking classes - then have to cram to get assignments done. Good luck!

melessia · Nov 19, 2003

For those of you that have or are taking on-line courses, are there any of them that allow you to get your ADN? Most of the ones I have seen are to get a BSN after you already have your Associate's.

mitchsmom · Nov 19, 2003

I took almost all of my prereqs online and loved it - I wouldn't have been able to do it at that time otherwise. Ditto the above advice on self-discipline, etc.

I haven't found an online BSN program... maybe there is something out there but I looked a good bit and never found anything. I'm assuming this is because of clinicals. My BSN program offers about maybe 30% of its classes online (the interdisciplinary health science non-clinical ones). That's one reason I chose it, since I'm a distance student.