Online Education
Online Education
The use of technology in education is presently growing at a rapid pace. The increasing amount of computers and access to the Internet is amazing. This is just the beginning of how technology will be in the future of education. There is an on going debate on whether or not an online class is better than that of a traditional class. With this debate many advantages and disadvantages are given, but the first thing to understand is what an online class actually is.
An online class is a course that uses the Internet to get the class material to the students. This is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week over the Internet or World Wide Web. The overall content is the same as an on-campus class, expect there are not regular class meetings, and all work is submitted via email (Rio Hondo College). Online classes will include the following elements: lectures, readings, discussion, homework and individual feedback. Online instructors lecture on a Website or email; this means an online lecture is a reading assignment; these vary from a few paragraphs to a few pages. Instructors also post readings, which is material on a Website for students to read. Students and instructors discuss or "talk" back and forth through email. Chat rooms are also used in some cases for real time discussions. Instructors post homework assignments on either the course's Website or delivered directly to the students via email. Some have students post or share their homework assignments for others to look at and respond to. Another element is individual feedback, this is when the instructor provides comments on the assignments and will be available to answer questions by email. If the instructor feels like this question would benefit everyone, asking permission to share the question and answer it in the public discussion area may come up. (Allen) The coursework usually consists of reading the syllabus, class information, and text, reviewing online material,...
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