Online Degrees 101

Written by Online Degrees Directory
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The advantage of online courses is that they allow the student to tailor the class schedule around the demands of everyday life. The dominant means of communication between the student and the professor in an online class is via email. The class will have a dedicated website where homework is available and online meetings are scheduled. While there are set due dates for assignments and exams, for the most part the classes are handled at your availability. Students must complete a certain number of hours where they are logged onto a discussion board or website. Courses can be taught in a web-based format or through self-paced tutorials.

While novice computer users may find the idea of communicating solely through the Internet intimidating, the benefit is that the student does not have to waste precious time commuting to class. In addition, it gives students access to classes that may not even be available in the area in which they live. Some people prefer to learn by hearing spoken voice, and for those individuals some schools offer online courses that have class lectures in real time via a piece of software called NetMeeting. With NetMeeting, the class can communicate with each other through the Internet with a microphone attached to their computer and by typing on their keyboard.

The key to being a successful online student is self-discipline. There is no one standing over the student to ensure that all of the work is completed or no pressure from peers to encourage the completion of assignments. That said; it is a very attractive alternative for adults who want to earn a degree, especially those who can't afford the luxury of quitting their job to go back to school.