Online Learning For Dummies

Foreword xv Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 3 Foolish Assumptions 3 How This Book is Organized 4 Part 1: Introducing a Different Kind of Learning 4 Part 2: Preparing to Be a Learner 4 Part 3: The Virtual Classroom: Being an A+ Student 5 Part 4: Special Considerations in Online Learning 5 Part 5: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in This Book 5 Beyond the Book 6 Where to Go from Here 6 Part 1: Introducing a Different Kind of Learning 7 Chapter 1: Planning for Your Online Learning Journey 9 Examining the Characteristics and Advantages of Online Education 10 The nature of online education 10 A few pros of online learning 12 Knowing the Technology and Computer Skills You Need to Succeed 12 Seeing How to Go About Becoming an Online Learner 13 Finding available courses 14 Evaluating programs 15 Applying to a program and securing the money you need 16 Getting accepted and preparing for class 17 Attitude is everything 17 Becoming a Star Learner 18 Making your way around your classroom 18 Meeting the instructor, fellow students, and other important folks 18 Communicating with clarity 19 Strengthening your study habits 19 Working well in a group 19 Being part of a bigger world 20 Minding your online manners and ethics 20 Completing and turning in assignments 21 Transitioning after you’re done with school 22 Looking at a Few Special Situations in Online Education 22 Students in kindergarten through high school 22 Learners with disabilities 23 Chapter 2: The Traits and Benefits of Online Learning 25 What Makes Online Learning Different from Traditional Education? 26 Connecting to learning and people via the Internet 26 Working when it’s convenient 28 No loafing! 30 Who Benefits from Online Learning? 30 Adults beyond traditional college age 31 Traditional college students 35 Seniors and retirees 36 High school and homeschooled students 37 Getting a Grip on Potential Pitfalls 39 Online learning isn’t easier 39 Spontaneous, face-to-face discussions are not the norm 39 Determining Whether You’re Ready to Join the World of Online Learning 40 Assessing your own discipline 40 Knowing how you learn 41 Being patient and tolerant 43 Chapter 3: The Equipment and Skills You Need to Succeed 45 Checking Your Technological Readiness 46 Meeting minimum hardware requirements 46 Meeting software requirements 52 Establishing a reliable Internet connection 54 Testing Your Technological Abilities 56 Reading and scrolling efficiently 56 Typing quickly and accurately 56 Organizing folders 57 Navigating the web 59 Downloading and installing software 60 Using email 61 Staying Safe Online 62 Making secure payments 63 Remembering and protecting passwords 63 Ensuring personal security 65 Part 2: Preparing to Be a Learner 67 Chapter 4: Discovering What’s Available Online 69 Examining Different Types of Online Programs and Courses 69 Earning traditional credit 70 Obtaining certifications and other credentials 72 Staying current or retooling for work through MOOCs 73 Continuing your education with a few classes for fun or profit 73 Finding Out Which Institutions Offer Online Programs and Courses 75 Four-year colleges 75 Two-year colleges 78 Competency-based education 79 Other institutions for certificates, professional development, and training 80 Virtual schools for children and teens 80 Checking Out Different Structures of Online Courses 82 Just you and the monitor (fully online) versus blended courses (partly online) 82 Instructor-led courses versus self-paced courses 83 Resources you’re expected to access even for face-to-face courses 87 Asynchronous courses versus synchronous (real-time) courses 87 Finishing Your Schooling Faster with Accelerated Programs and Courses 87 The benefits and challenges of accelerated programs 88 Tips for successfully completing accelerated classes 88 Chapter 5: Doing Your Homework: Evaluating Schools 91 Focusing On What You Need in a School 92 Considering the program you’re interested in 92 Determining whether a program is affordable 93 Checking out class size (and the student-to-instructor ratio) 93 Knowing how much time you can commit and how it may be spent 94 Planning ahead: Figuring out whether your credits will transfer 96 Finding an Accredited School 98 Recognizing the two types of accreditation 99 Seeing the benefits of accreditation 101 Determining whether an online program is accredited 102 Other factors that contribute to an institution’s credibility 103 Talking to the Right People to Find the Answers You Need 104 Talking to an academic advisor about the school 105 Asking a faculty member about the program 108 Chatting with other students about their experiences 110 Narrowing Your Options 111 Chapter 6: Applying to School and Securing the Cash 113 Applying to an Online Program 113 The basic application forms 114 Your personal essay 116 Letters of recommendation 119 Test scores 119 When it’s all due 120 A helping hand to assist you: The recruiter, advisor, or counselor 120 Calculating the Costs of Online Classes 121 Figuring Out How You’ll Pay for Online Classes 123 Do you need financial aid? 123 What types of financial aid are available? 124 Applying for Federal Financial Aid 125 Knowing whether you’re eligible for funds from Uncle Sam 125 Filling out and submitting the FAFSA 125 Chapter 7: Getting Accepted and Prepping for Class 129 Finding Out Whether You’ve Been Accepted or Rejected 129 Registering for Classes 131 Creating a plan with your academic advisor (also known as Coach) 131 Picking your first classes 132 Gathering the information you need in order to register 134 Navigating registration processes 135 Taking action when a course you want is full 135 When in doubt: Talking to your academic advisor 136 Getting Oriented 137 Determining whether an orientation is available and/or required 137 Distinguishing types of orientation programs 138 Participating in orientation 140 Buying Books 142 Knowing which textbooks you need 142 Deciding where to buy your textbooks 142 Buying new or used — that is the question 144 Chapter 8: Mentally Preparing and Having a Technology Mindset 147 Taking On the Right Attitude 147 Understanding growth and fixed mindsets 148 Recognizing that age is just a number 149 Knowing the Tools You Might Use 150 Learning management system: LMS 150 Self-paced learning 151 Taking screen shots 151 Additional tools 153 Storage and the cloud 154 Saving what you need 155 You Don’t Have to Know Everything 157 Mastering New Tools Quickly 158 Part 3: The Virtual Classroom: Being an A+ Student 161 Chapter 9: Navigating the Learning Environment 163 Reaching Your Virtual Learning Environment 163 Using the right address and setting some Internet options 164 Logging in and checking out the interface 165 Finding your course’s home page 166 Locating and Understanding Critical Documents 168 The syllabus, or course outline 169 The calendar 170 The grading system 173 Modules and More: Understanding a Course’s Content Organization 176 Attending Live Sessions 178 Discovering the value of virtual office hours 178 Accessing the virtual office 179 Chapter 10: Meeting the People in (and Around) Your Classroom 181 Getting to Know the Folks Who Are Front and Center 182 Acquainting yourself with your instructor 182 Interacting with fellow students 187 Seeing Who’s Behind the Scenes 190 Noting classroom guests and observers 190 Calling on technical support 191 Let me “Google that” for you 195 Receiving academic support 195 Developing your personal support system 198 Chapter 11: Communicating Clearly Online 199 Checking Out Methods of Communicating Online 199 Instructor-to-class communication in news and announcements 200 Learner-to-learner communication in discussions 201 One-on-one communication via private email or messaging 202 Creating and Putting Forward an Online Persona 205 Depicting positive personality traits online 205 Developing relationships 209 Participating in Discussions 210 Understanding why you’re asked to discuss 210 Organizing discussions in different ways 210 Figuring out discussion requirements 213 Avoiding overposting 213 Tapping into Social Networks 214 Benefitting from communicating outside the virtual classroom 214 Avoiding distractions 216 Chapter 12: Developing Good Study Habits for Online Courses 217 Setting Aside Time to Learn 217 Working at your peak times 218 Checking in every day for a short time 218 Calculating how much time you need to finish longer tasks 219 Blocking off enough study time each week 221 Navigating the Web Efficiently 221 Keeping multiple browser windows open 222 Avoiding time wasted by chasing links 223 Using social bookmarking tools 224 Reading Wisely 226 Finding the stuff you need to read 226 Deciding whether to print online reading material 228 Increasing the font size in your browser to help you read more easily 229 Taking notes on what you read 229 Keeping track of everything you’ve already read 230 Visiting the Library 232 Accessing the library 233 Doing research online 234 Watching tutorials on the library site 237 Working Offline 238 Chapter 13: Getting a Handle on Group Dynamics 239 Making Your Online Group Successful 240 Introducing yourself in a group forum 240 Establishing a leader and other roles 242 Setting up a group schedule 243 Meeting in real time 244 Using collaborative tools 245 Being patient 251 Resolving Conflicts 251 Understanding the conflicts you may encounter (and handling them) 251 Bringing problems to your instructor’s attention 253 Chapter 14: Recognizing We Are Global 255 Setting the Stage for Global Learning 255 Meeting People around the World 256 Recognizing the value of cultural difference 257 Accessing experts from anywhere 258 Accessing the Internet around the World 258 Considering residential expenses 259 Getting connected outside your home 259 Being aware of restrictions 261 Making the Most of Your Class Time 261 Recognizing what’s different about online classes around the world 261 Adjusting for differences in time zones 262 Joining study groups 263 Chapter 15: Understanding Netiquette and Ethical Behavior 265 Defining and Using Netiquette 265 Communicating politely and respectfully 266 Avoiding stereotyping 269 Recognizing the Importance of Online Ethics 269 Being honest in the written word 270 Showing integrity by following through 270 Respecting privacy and confidentiality 271 Asking before you repurpose prior work 271 Avoiding Plagiarism 271 Defining plagiarism and related concepts 272 Getting the facts on plagiarism 273 Citing sources properly 274 Checking your own work 276 Looking at the penalties for plagiarism 277 Chapter 16: Finishing and Submitting Your Assignments 279 Understanding the Ramifications of Rubrics 280 Breaking down rubrics 280 Using rubrics to your advantage 282 Writing 101 282 Examining different writing styles 282 Knowing what’s expected in your writing 284 Demonstrating critical thinking 286 Completing Different Types of Assignments 287 Mastering papers and projects 287 Participating in discussions 289 Taking quizzes and tests 290 Submitting Assignments 292 Where did you store that file? 292 Attachments! Uploading papers and projects 293 Post, Emily! Submitting discussion posts 294 The Submit button on quizzes and tests 294 Tips for submitting any assignment 295 Understand How and When to Use Media 295 Using images 296 Using infographics 296 Using audio 297 Using video 298 Chapter 17: Building a Portfolio of Work 301 Developing a Body of Work to Take with You 301 Understanding how to use an ePortfolio 303 Checking out typical components of an ePortfolio 303 Choosing a method for creating an ePortfolio 307 Designing a successful ePortfolio 309 Transferring your existing portfolio to the web 311 Getting Help with Finding a Job 312 Benefiting from career services at your school 312 Perusing general job search sites 313 Establishing networks while studying online 314 Part 4: Special Considerations in Online Learning 317 Chapter 18: Educating Students from Kindergarten through High School 319 Understanding Why Kids Are Attending School Online 320 Wanting to be online 320 Needing to be online 320 Seeing the Differences between K-12 and Adult Online Education 321 Safety concerns with children 322 Enhanced parental involvement 323 More real-time opportunities 325 The need to work offline 325 Checking Out Different Kinds of Virtual Schools for Kids and Teens 327 State-funded schools 327 Outsourced instruction and charter schools 330 Private online schools 332 Going Through the K-12 Enrollment Process 333 Finding the right classes 334 Confirming credits before taking classes 334 Understanding articulation agreements 335 Chapter 19: Accessibility in Online Education 337 Determining Whether the Courses You Want to Take Are Accessible 338 Do the courses follow accessibility standards? 339 Are the courses tested for accessibility? 342 How will the school help me if I cannot access information in a course? 343 Disclosing a Disability to Your Chosen Online School 344 Understanding why and when you need to disclose 345 Figuring out what information to disclose 346 Keeping privacy in mind 347 Using Assistive Technology Online 349 Reading web pages with screen readers 349 Transcribing and captioning audio and video files 350 Considering accommodation options for synchronous sessions 351 Part 5: The Part of Tens 353 Chapter 20: Ten Myths about Online Learning 355 Online Learning is Anytime/Anywhere 355 Only Kids Take Online Courses 356 An Online Course is a Helpful Way to Learn How to Use Your Computer 357 You Must Be a Computer Geek to Take an Online Course 357 Online Learning is Easier than Face-to-Face Classes 358 Online Courses Are Lower in Quality than Face-to-Face Courses 359 Online Learning is Always Independent 359 Online Learning is Less Personal than Traditional Learning 360 You Need a Webcam for an Online Class 360 Everyone Cheats Online 361 Chapter 21: Ten Best Practices for Online Learners —Including Self-Care 363 Treat Learning Like It’s a Job 363 It’s Not a Sprint — It’s a Marathon 364 Manage Your Own Expectations 364 Your Calendar is Your Best Friend 365 Advocate for Yourself: Ask for Help 365 Be Present in Class (And Let Your Instructor Know) 366 Give Constructive Feedback 366 It’s Okay to Take a Break 367 Sleep is Good for You 368 Say Thank You 368 Index 369