Over the past few months, we have discussed many facets of education that ranged from academic preparedness to techniques, tips and strategies to aid in your coursework.
Academic success is not something that every student is blessed with and, to be honest, the majority of us have to work twice as hard as the next person to "make the grade."
One item that is essential to our academic success is maintaining a balance with all the educational technology that surrounds us.
Much of this technology is a requirement to pass or take many courses.
Some students seem to "breeze" right through when it comes to using academic technology. For others, technology can be frightening and just plain hard to comprehend.
There are many examples of academic technology, such as video tutorials, smartboards, iPad applications and online courses. The idea of taking a full-length course over the Internet is just absurd for many, but for just as some it is a way of life.
Without this technology, many students would not be able to complete coursework or degree work. The idea of online coursework has existed as far back as 1963. However its popularity grew exponentially in the 21st century. Now, the majority of high schools and especially colleges employ the use of online coursework.
As with any piece of technology, there are trials and tribulations that both the inventor and user must work through. The thought of being able to sit in your pajamas at midnight hovered over a computer is not considered education to some, but for many students, it is considered an opportunity.
The diversified selection of courses offered online has grown to new heights for many high schools and colleges in the United States. Students can even enroll in an online course in another country if they choose to do so.
So, is there really a teacher or professor that is monitoring the content and completed coursework that you are submitting? The answer is yes!
There is a certified teacher that is creating the work assignments for you to complete on a weekly basis and he or she also is involved in chatting with the class on a daily basis.
Most online courses require you to partake in online discussion forums each week that are geared with many different topics. You will normally have an original posting and then have to "respond to a peer posting."
Tests are given with a time limit that would not enable one to use a textbook for cheating.
Many professors are very big on posting videos for the student to watch and comment on as well. Most online courses require the student to buy a textbook to supplement their work online.
There also is the "blended" course that requires the student to meet less frequently on campus and more frequently online. A course layout such as this can be the best of both worlds for many students.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of applications that can be used with online coursework.
In the next article, I will discuss the positive and negative aspects of taking online courses.
Cordell is the owner of Excell Tutoring Services, 1020 Arthur Road, Montoursville. He may be reached at 506-9998 or twcordell@gmail.com.
