Step 3 - Online Learning

Welcome to Step 3 of this Orientation which will introduce you to online learning, or what we are now calling distance education, or DE.

Have you ever completed an online class before? For some of you the answer might be yes but for many of you this might be the first time you have ever enrolled (or attempted to) enroll in an online class, or what is also called distance education. What you should know up front is that distance education is not easy! Although there is no obligation to show up to class, you are still expected to be actively participating every week, but of course at the convenience of your own schedule.

Class Requirements

How much time can you expect to spend each week in this class? When you enroll in a 3 unit course you are agreeing to participate in 54 hours of self-initiated instruction, in addition to a minimum of 3 hours engaging in learning activities each week, such as reading, taking notes, completing assignments, and studying for quizzes and exams. At the bare minimum, here are a list of expected activities and time you will be spending each week...

Summary of Time and Activities

• 2-5 hours per week engaging in a variety of activities such as lesson tutorials, simulations, small group activities, discussions, and class projects (typically one activity per week) - I promise I try to make them interesting!
• 2-3 hours per week to read and annotate the chapter using the posted study guides, the module objectives.
• 30 minutes weekly to complete a lesson quiz
• 1 hour to complete the Midterm and Final Exams (Week 8 and Week 16 only)

It is too easy to fall behind very quickly in a distance education class so be sure that you have realistic expectations of the class and develop strategies to keep up with the weekly activities.

Rules of Netiquette

Just like in a traditional face-to-face classroom you are expected to engage in a manner that is thoughtful, respectful, and purposeful. This means that you are expected to manage yourself in a way that facilitates learning and in a distance education class this requires a unique set of skills in the virtual classroom- this is called "netiquette" and it is extremely important considering that you will be engaging in multiple collaborative activities this semester.

I encourage you to review the helpful links below on what netiquette is and how to contribute to a positive learning experience in a distance education classroom. You don't have to click on all of these links, but pick the one that you will take the time to thoroughly read.

• Netiquette (Santa Barbara Community College)
• Netiquette Guidelines (University of Southern Indiana)
• 365 Learning (University of Nevada, Reno)

You've finished Step 3 of the Online Orientation. Now it's time to move on to

Step 4 - Technology Requirements