Online Learning

[SoMissTV]

I know that MSU's online MBA program is more than twice as expensive as the traditional on-site program. There are no facility bills to pay when the class is taught online, so I can only assume that online education at MSU is twice as good as the on-site education. Otherwise, why would they charge so much more? :)

[Conveyor Belt]

I know that MSU's online MBA program is more than twice as expensive as the traditional on-site program. There are no facility bills to pay when the class is taught online, so I can only assume that online education at MSU is twice as good as the on-site education. Otherwise, why would they charge so much more? :)

Don't you know you pay more if someone has to deliever it to you? It's not delievery, it's DiGornno!!!

[zorro]

I teach psychology online... Given that most of us are somewhat computer literate, what are your thoughts on taking online classes?
I think that it is a great idea.

How does someone take one of your online courses?

[nooskye]

I am taking online classes for a Business Degree through Kaplan University Online ... They are based out of Flordia and is linked to several "brick and mortor" universities. (www.kaplanuniversityonline.com) Supposidly one of the top Distance Learning Universities available ... ??? ...

We have to sign into our "live chat" sessions for a one hour seminar each week and be signed into our "desk" page at least three times a week, depending on our load. We have real assignments, web field trips, a library that is out of this world and some AWESOME instructors!! We have participation grades as well as mid terms and finals. O! And if we don't sign in or attend classes rather ... just like any other school, we are dropped.

About the only issue that I have with Distance Learning is that they can (and do) charge OUTRAGEOUS tuition to attend. Keep in mind ... I receive a FULL pell grant AND student loans to just barely cover my tuition and fees according to my student ledgar ... For a 10 week condensed course (let's just take Marketing for example) the tuition cost is $3000.00!!! I take two a term, so it's really $6000.00 ... That is a rate of $290 per credit hour ... That is putting my TWO YEAR, (not 4 ... 2) degree at the price of right at $50,000.00!! (What's more screwed up?!?! I could have gone to U of Miami for $132.00 per credit hour!!) :smt119 The Academic Advisors are told to play on the "convienence" (sp?) of no transportation or child care, missed work or missed family time, no "class rooms" etc. ... to get a student to buy into it. (I raised hell over my tuition when it was raised last year, that's the only reason I know) And the biggest WTF I had to ask them was why, if I wanted to transfer to a traditional school, like JCJC ... MOST of my credits WOULDN'T Transfer!!

It may be a bit different with any program of Extended Learning that USM or MSU or even PRCC has to offer ... I'm not sure ... but if anyone decides to take a Distance Learning Degree .... Just make sure you know EXACTLY what you are getting yourself into!!


*** YEAH, I GOT REEMED!!!***

[nooskye]

For mine you just register through PRCC. You can get more information at the PRCC website: www.prcc.edu


Do you know if they accept transfer credits????

[Astra]

I've taken a lot of regular courses enhanced with online content, and several completely-online courses. I've loved most of them.

Over the summer, I took 12 hours of lab science courses online through the MSVCC program. Now, it sounds a bit strange at first, but I was amazed at how thorough and well-implemented the courses were. The labs involved both activities to be done at home and data collection activities done on the computer that really demonstrated the experimental process well. I learned far more in the online courses than I did in any traditional lab, as strange as it sounds.

[nooskye]

If its from an accredited college, then yes.

They claim to be ... ??? ... But when i went to transfer my credits to a Jr. College there in Atlanta ... they said 'Sorry ... Can't do that ... ' Leaving me thinking WTF??? Guess I could try here, huh??

[fuzzis]

They claim to be ... ??? ... But when i went to transfer my credits to a Jr. College there in Atlanta ... they said 'Sorry ... Can't do that ... ' Leaving me thinking WTF??? Guess I could try here, huh??

There is a real prejudice against wholy online degree programs that are not part of traditional colleges. If you're doing a completely online program, you have to carefully inspect their accreditation. Kaplan is accreditted by NCA (http://www.ncahlc.org/index.php?option=com_directory&Action=ShowBasic&instid=1586) so your credits should transfer to another accredited facility.

Online learning can be a wonderful thing, but it takes effort on the part of the instructor. You cannot just put your regular course online and expect it to transfer and be a worthwhile experience for students. USM has two (I think two...at least one) instructional designers working in their DEAL (Distance Education and Alternative Learning) department, who are there to specifically help professors create authentic and engaging learning experiences for students. I don't know how many profs take advantage of that service, though.

Online learning is more expensive because of the convenience factor. We talk a lot about those factors in the field of adult education.

My most miserable online experience came when I was working on my masters, taking a curriculum class. There were people from all over the world in the class, and the prof did not consider that when creating the groups for a key assignment that lasted all semester long. There were 7 different time zones represented by my group. I was having to get up at 2 in the morning to do chats....or leave my job to go to a friend's house to use her computer to do chats. The assignment itself was also poorly designed.

fuzzis

[ACEsmom]

I miss the classroom interaction. I can't ask my questions and get immediate answers needed to go onto the next objective. I learn by principles and have to be clear before I can really "learn" - as opposed to just memorizing.

I've tried online classes but lacked the discipline.

[nooskye]

Online learning can be a wonderful thing, but it takes effort on the part of the instructor. You cannot just put your regular course online and expect it to transfer and be a worthwhile experience for students.

This I couldn't agree with more!! I have had some awesome instructors that made themselves available above and beyond and then others who got to our grades a week after the term ended, so we never knew how we were actually doing ... Guess teachers have issues at every level ... just like their students ...

With the tuition hike last year ... it covered the costs of adding a new live time, interactive white board to our seminars ... with this ... it made Algebra and other hard to distinguish courses a bit easier to learn ... it was like the instructor was sitting right in front of you teaching (LoL! As long as you didn't have dial up!) ... As far as the time zone issues ... we have people from all over attending as well ... 19 yos to 60 yos ... Alaska to Hawaii ... Everything is centered around the school's time zone, Central (I think) ... in Atlanta we were an hour a head of classes, while here, it is the same time ... I think the latest class I have ever had was at 9:00 that lasted til 10pm ... For the first year of studies, we work with our Academic Advisors on our schedule ... they give us their suggestions of which course would benefit the curriculum better and the days and times of Seminar, and we chose the one that would least interrupt the normal flow of things ... The Seminars are held anywhere from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm ... in hour blocks ... After the first year, we are pretty much on our own as far as scheduling and such goes ... I am trying to put off Statistics until the absolute LAST!! :)

Got a question for the scholastic minds .... I have taken core courses like two rounds of Bus Law and HR and I have taken electives like IPC (those I don't think will transfer) ... the curriculum courses ... are those the ones I need to concentrate on having transfer and chalk the electives up to extra knowledge learned? And do you think my financial aid will follow a transfer or will I have two sets of loans that have to be paid back? I do very much enjoy the convienence of attending online ... but with our lives not being as hectic as they were in Atlanta ... I am thinking that I would rather try a tuition drop for a change and attend a traditional school for a while ... at least til my BA is finished ... I might try to complete my Master's online ... but that's a while down the road ...

[nooskye]

A recent study conducted by a doctoral candidate at Stanford University suggested that online courses may take up to twice the effort on the part of the student when compared with tradition classroom-based courses.

It takes a constructive effort on all parts ... instructors and students ... like everythig else in this world ... it takes a "dedicated" type of person to pull it off ... :)