What is it like to be in a virtual classroom?
One of the most important aspects of your online learning experience will be collaboration with other members of the class to share experiences, complete group projects and critique one another s work. Engaging your classmates in discussion will not only provide you with the opportunity to better understand the lectures and assignments, it will build a sense of community. Since you may never meet any of your classmates or your instructor in person, it is critical that you communicate often through email and the class discussions. Discussions and team projects are major components of course grades, so by failing to join in collaborative activities, you will not only be isolated from your classmates, but you will receive lower grades as well. Grades are based on the quality as well as the quantity of your contributions, so you will not receive credit for making superficial comments like I agree or She said what I was thinking.
