What we know from research is that there is usually an adjustment period for most students as they learn the rhythm and patterns of online communication. Here are some tips for getting comfortable:
Communication Remember that you won't have all those nonverbal cues that you get in the physical classroom and neither will your instructor. Words on the screen help the instructor "see" you much more clearly. Also, your instructor's role will be much less that of the distributor of information and much more that of a guide or resource for students in exploring an area of knowledge. The teaching style used in online courses may be different from the traditional college model. In fact, we encourage our online faculty to tailor their teaching styles to the more collaborative and interactive model of the web. What does this mean for you? Again, taking a class online means you won't be sitting quietly in the classroom; participation is essential for everyone involved. As always, effective communication is critical to success. It's even more important in the online environment because your instructor can't see your frown or hear the question in your voice. Here, you'll be responsible for initiating more contact, for being persistent when you don't understand something. Your instructor wants to help –please write your question and send it along, express your confusion, your concern, and be direct! You will save a lot of time, and your instructor will have fewer sleepless nights. Be sure and ask about anything and everything that has to do with course content, course procedure and evaluation. Someone else probably has the same question. Using your computer… It is very important that you have had prior experience using a computer before taking an online course. Keyboarding skills are critical for your success and experience with word processing; email and Web browsing are necessary, as well. Skills that you need to know include how to:
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