Students - Distance Education

Online education means instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology.  Online Learning provides educational opportunities that are not limited to the time and space constraints of traditional classes.

Online instructors utilize a wide variety of tools such as online lectures, assignments, tests, discussion forums, and streaming video.  Our online courses are offered online through a course learning management system (CMS) called Canvas. Instructors may also use additional software and websites, depending on the course. Details and special requirements for each course can be found by clicking the CRN link on the online Class Schedule Search webpage.

FLEXIBILITY AND CONVENIENCE
Taking an online class has many advantages, including increased flexibility in completing homework assignments, the ability to communicate with your classmates and your instructor from the convenience of your own home or workplace, and enhanced access to written materials ranging from discipline specific internet resources to saved chats and instructor's class announcements.

ACCESSIBILITY
For some disabled students, attending courses on campus can be challenging. In an online environment, the other students and the teacher may not know that the online student has a disability. That can make online classes more attractive to students with special needs. In addition, students who are non-native English speakers can review an online lecture multiple times or review complex concepts at their own pace.

REDUCED COST
Attending online courses eliminates the expenses of gasoline, bus fares, and parking fees. When instructors accept papers online, students and schools save printing costs. To find out how much money you might save by taking an online, go to this Distance Education savings calculator. This calculator is simply something to demonstrate how much money you might save. It is not intended to guarantee savings. 

ENGAGEMENT
Students in online classes tend to communicate more thoughtfully. Some students find it difficult to speak in class. Posting to an online discussion forum allows students to take their time and formulate their thoughts in ways that the face-to-face classroom environment may not allow. In our experiences with teaching online, we have found that we actually know our online students better than many of our face-to-face students because of the social dimension of online learning. Students often find that online classes can provide more personalized attention.

NETWORKING & TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
Students who take online classes become more proficient and comfortable with using computers. Through assignments, discussion forums and group projects, students can learn to connect with one another online and with information in meaningful and useful ways. Skills like these are in demand by employers. Some students prefer to learn in the same medium they are using for managing information and communication in their life outside of school.

ONLINE LEARNING CREATES OPTIONS
If a student needs to take a class to graduate, they may have the option to take it online. Students who take online classes are more likely to take classes to update their professional skills later in their careers. They will already have the ability to participate in online training and webinars offered by future employers or universities.

Taking an online class has many advantages, however online learning is not for everyone. For instance, if you need the discipline of meeting on campus several times a week and you enjoy the in-person interaction between other students and your instructor, you are more likely to succeed in an on-campus class. The following are characteristics of students who would do well in an online class.

Successful online students must have both Technical Skills and Study Skills.

• Take a good look at yourself as a learner...
• What grades do you typically earn?
• Students who do well in on-campus classes typically do well in online classes. So, you can expect to earn the same grade in an online class as you would earn in an on-campus class.

1. Budget your time.
At a minimum, you will need to study between 6 and 9 hours EACH week in order to be successful in a 3 unit course.

2. Get organized.
It is recommended that you don't procrastinate and don't get behind.
It's very easy to get behind in an online course because you don't actually see the instructor or your fellow students on a regular basis. No one can force you to login to Canvas or to answer your email. If you're not careful, you can attend to the responsibilities that are right there in your life and postpone your responsibilities in cyberspace.

3. Meet deadlines.
Many students incorrectly believe that an online course is student-paced and they can choose when to hand in materials. Actually, most online courses are instructor-paced and there are real deadlines which must be met if you are to pass the course. If you really don't have time to do the work, drop the course before you fail the course.

4. Keep in touch with your instructor and your classmates.
Most instructors provide a discussion board within Canvas for you to post questions about the course requirements, the course content, or the technology. As soon as you begin to be confused or have a question, post it to the discussion board and ask for help from your fellow students. Most online students are glad to help and welcome a chance to get to know their classmates better.

5. Be a good reader and enjoy reading. 
Most lecture material in the online learning environment must be read. Students who are auditory learners (learn better by hearing) may want to consider taking face to face classes or downloading a free screen reader.

6. Be able to communicate clearly and concisely through writing. 
Since almost all communication is written, the ability to enter text in a reasonably speedy fashion is also of value.

7. Be an independent learner. 
Must be self-disciplined and self-motivated. This is an extremely important characteristic. Self-discipline and self-motivation play a pivotal role in whether most students will succeed or fail online courses.

8. Be willing and able to commit 6 to 12 plus hours per week per course. 
Many successful students say online learning is more time consuming than traditional learning.

9. Be open to sharing life, work and educational experiences as part of the learning process but exercise caution. 
Allan Hancock College does not restrict enrollment in Distance Education classes any more than it does in on-site classes. The law requires that we admit all qualified students. We encourage you to exercise the same kind of caution in a Distance Education class as you would if you were taking an on-site class. Do not share personal information about yourself; do not give a relative stranger or new acquaintance your home phone number, address, etc.