Anyone taken college classes on the Internet ?

[deftron]

I'm talking about real classes offered by B&M (?) colleges. Not internet only schools.


Just wondering how the experience was. Did you like it, and if it was better or worse
than a traditional classroom style class?

I was trying to get into a History class online but couldn't. However, I didnt take Student
Development (BS class) my first semester like I was supposed to, so I'm taking that online now.
Maybe it will give me some scope as to how well the internet classes work.

 

[iamme]

Just make sure you're not lazy with it, which is easy to do, since it's all virtual. Keep up, and it should work out fine

 

[pyonir]

I have. It is a little hard to keep motivated and get the work done, but i liked it more. I think it is better than classroom, because you never have to go anywhere. more time to do whatever...

 

[aphex]

Make sure not to get too far behind, doing/watching 18 hours of class the day before the exam can suck a big rubbery one. Ive done that all too many times.

That being said, its nice having class at your own leisure. So far ive had 2 semesters of ALL tv replay/internet classes.

 

[iamme]

Originally posted by: pyonir
I have. It is a little hard to keep motivated and get the work done, but i liked it more. I think it is better than classroom, because you never have to go anywhere. more time to do whatever...

I was just going to add, to be sure you're the self-motivated type. With the classes I've taken, the prof gave more reading since, he thought people would slack, thinking an internet course would be a blow off.

 

[RossMAN]

It wouldn't work for me since I'm lazy and like the interaction with fellow classmates and the prof.

 

[loup garou]

I've taken a bunch (PHP, JavaScript, HTML, ASP, Perl, XML). I enjoyed all of them (except XML) and didn't have a problem keeping up with the workload at all. My XMLclass just finished (summer session), and it sucked the big one. My professor didn't give us any assignments until the last week of class, didn't answer emails, and was generally worthless. The class as a whole complained to the Director of Computer Studies and his response was basically, "you can either have a refund or a grade, your choice." Really a bad way to wrap up my college career. :|

 

[gentobu]

I took one last semester. I ended up doing the whole course about a week before the final. I found it really difficult to get myself to do the course work according to the schedule that the prof had set up. I would even log on to the class web site, look at it for a little while and then I would just say fvck it, and start playing CS or something.

 

[trmiv]

I have, twice. The first one was a Nutrition class that was the first online class offered by the school I was going to at the time. It was SOOOOO easy. Nutrition is easy enough as it is, but this was ridiculous. We took the tests online (one a chapter, so a lot of tests), I figured out that after you pressed the "Correct" button on the website and it popped up the score, you could press the back button, change your answers, and press "Correct again, and it would recorrect it! Needless to say I got 100% on every test! Funny thing is, I was apparently the only one to figure it out, because I and a friend I told about the exploit, were the only two to get 100% on every test.

I also took an Oceanography class online. That class was brutal. Seriously one of the most work intensive classes I have ever taken.

 

[dirtboy]

I'm taking classes at National University (California) and they offer both Internet and B&M classes.

 

[deftron]

Anyone else?

 

[Freejack2]

I took a couple of my classes over the internet. It was great. I didn't have to spend an hour to drive back and forth from the college and I could set my own pace. Assignments were due every other week and I didn't have to sit in a class for 3 hours every week listening to a repeat of what I read in the textbook.
Now if only computer science degrees were worth more than a liberal arts degree these days I'd be happy.

 

[burnedout]

One. A humanities class during the spring semester. There was lot's of writing and critical analysis involved. The course used Blackboard, which is employed by many colleges around the country from what I understand.

As many posters here have indicated, there is a requirement for self-motivation. Like a traditional course, there are deadlines to be met that are outlined in the syllabus. Lots of reading on an individual basis.

Taking another this semester.......... American Lit II. Two essays of around 1500 words each are required along with mandatory interaction on the website.

Should be fun.

 

[Meggie]

I took a business statistics class on the web at UT Austin. I had 3 hours of videos to watch at the lab plus homework due on Friday. Our professor also offered optional lectures on Mondays but that was worthless so I never went. I liked this class but I always started my homework on Thursday and I would be up all night doing it until Friday morning. Also I didnt start studying for this final until the day before but I pulled off an A after cramming for 12 hours. We took our finals in the lab using WebCT. I liked it better than the usual classes but since I procrastinated at the end, I had to work for this class more than the others. Just make sure to keep up with your assignments and readings and DONT think that this class is less important than the others like me.

 

[deftron]

burnedout-

My school uses the Blackboard system, too.

I guess if this Student Development class goes OK, I'll take another
calss over the Internet next semester. Probably History or
a Lab Science (would only have to go to school for the lab part)

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: deftron
burnedout-

My school uses the Blackboard system, too.

I guess if this Student Development class goes OK, I'll take another
calss over the Internet next semester. Probably History or
a Lab Science (would only have to go to school for the lab part)

The student-to-student and student-to-instructor interaction on Blackboard kinda reminds you a little of the forums here on AT. However, the Blackboard system isn't as refined as here. When quoting someone on Blackboard, it's best to use html tags.

We uploaded Word docs to the Blackboard system for review by the instructor and fellow students. I'm running a router with firewall here at home and at work, so that was a no go. Had to either RAS in with a dial-up account or disconnect from the router and run the cable straight to the NIC. I played around with the ports for a little while and then gave up and just uploaded the docs via dial-up.

If there is a lot of writing involved, the instuctor may require sending the work via e-mail. Some instuctors are paranoid of viruses and mandate the work be pasted into an e-mail message.

To me, courses such as these require a different type of dedication than in the classroom. Its all a matter of keeping up with things and managing time. Just apply yourself and you'll do well.

 

[diskop]

Watched broadcasts of live lectures on the internet. That was great. You should try it.