1. Planning on Attending an Online Course? Pick the three options in the order that you believe suits your style of learning: Read about it Take a survey Live discussion Recommendations

2. Planning on Attending an Online Course? When you are determining whether or not to take online courses, the style of its presentation will be important to your success. Online learning can be a rewarding experience if the right fit between your learning style and expectations match the educational institute you enroll in. What type of a learner are you? Does the style of the teaching match your learning style? Are you comfortable with your computer skills to complete assignments on time? Online courses may be conducted in a wide array of techniques. Some courses are completely self-paced and self-guided, while others are completely synchronized with online presentations. Courses can also range from working independently to “high levels of collaboration and interactivity” (Texas A&M). This is an example of one style of presentation: posting of readings with questions. Are you comfortable with this style? This style of posting information is not following acceptable presentations using PowerPoint. Are you comfortable with this style? The information presented on this page is similar to the amount of information you will see on your computer monitor. Are you comfortable reading information on the monitor and taking notes? Continue…

3. Planning on Attending an Online Course? When you are examining a series of courses to take, it is important to understand the policies and guidelines that you will be required to follow. If you have questions, who do you ask, how do you ask them, and what is the anticipated response time? Do you need verbal communication and visual input, or can you succeed with only reading the required material? How would you handle encountering computer difficulties when an assignment is due? Are you comfortable with this style of teaching: questioning with no clear answers, searching for information without additional guidance from colleagues?

4. Planning on Attending an Online Course? Take this online survey to determine if courses offered in the style provided by Texas A&M is right for you. Many institutes of learning are providing more detailed information prior to registration in an attempt to increase retention of students. Texas A&M How does the educational institution you are applying fit in with your responses? Change your answers until there is a better match. Can you still succeed with the changes you will have to make to your learning style? Continue…

5. Planning on Attending an Online Course? Take online surveys on learning styles to determine how you learn. With the results from the surveys, you will be better prepared to search for online courses that will help you be successful. Information and Test on Learning Styles Graphic Display of Learning Styles and Test V.A.R.K. Learning Styles Explanation

6. Planning on Attending an Online Course? If you enroll in courses that require conferencing over the Internet, are you comfortable setting up your computer and performing the necessary tasks? Install the following video conferencing software and test it. How comfortable are you with this? How did you handle any difficulty? Can you do this within the time structure of an assignment? Install the software and use the method of communication present on the following websites: Skype Zoho Eyejot

7. Planning on Attending an Online Course? Additional recommendations to prepare for choosing an online course: Take online surveys from the institution. Talk with current and former students. Take one sample course. Continue…

8. Planning on Attending an Online Course? This presentation is meant to show some of the instructional philosophies encountered when participating in an online course. Online course can be wonderful or horrendous, depending upon your ability to fit into the style of the instruction being used. Did you use the “continue” links? Did you use the “Home” icon in the right corner? If not, you might need to review your computer skills prior to enrolling in an online course. Do your homework before committing to a long term program! Continue…

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