What is an online course?
An online course is a course in which learning and student participation take place via the Internet. Through the Continuing Studies website, students will access an e-learning environment which will include weekly lessons and assignments, online discussion boards and chat rooms to promote student interaction, and an online writers’ workshop.
Online courses are conducted over the Internet and typically do not have regular meetings in a physical space. Students need Windows 95 or above PC or Macintosh with at least a 33.6 modem, an Internet service provider, and a Web browser. Course materials are online at a dedicated course Web site. Class activities, including most instructor/student communications, are conducted via the course Web site.
An online course uses a computer and the Internet to deliver lessons and for interaction between the instructor and the student and the student to other students. For students who are unable to attend classes on the A&M-Commerce campus because of distance or time conflicts, online classes allow flexibility of time and place while the objectives and content of the courses are essentially the same as those offered in the traditional classroom setting. In an online course, the student accepts responsibility for learning outcomes. The instructor’s role is that of a facilitator and guide. Rather than face-to-face lectures, the instructor will provide information through online course materials and learning activities that are accessed through the Internet. Presentation of course materials will vary according to instructor design. The instructor will provide feedback and evaluation as the student completes weekly class sessions. There are several important sources of information in addition
