- What is distance education?
- Distance Education (Commission on the Institutions of Higher Education North Central Association of Colleges and Schools) is defined, for the purposes of accreditation review, as a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when student and instructor are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance education may employ correspondence study, or audio, or video or computer technologies.
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- What is online learning?
- Also referred to as distance education; courses offered online that do not require the student to be on campus for most or all class participation. Students can work with course materials at their own convenience or they can work collaboratively on class projects using tools like chat and discussion groups (bulletin boards).
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- Is online learning just another fad?
- No. With Internet usage growing rapidly, the Internet is becoming increasingly important in more and more functions of personal and business life. In order to meet ever changing and growing demands on people, education must be provided in a flexible, convenient format. Online courses are a necessary evolution in education.
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- What are some benefits to online learning?
- There are many benefits of online learning for both the student and the instructor. The following are just a few of the potential benefits:
:: Flexible Scheduling
:: Enhanced Learning
:: Adult Learners
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Increased Interaction with Classmates
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Virtual Office Hours
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The Web's the Limit (not the instructor)
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Electronic Competency on the Job
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Availability
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Collaboration
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- If I prefer to sit back and listen in a classroom, will I be comfortable in an online classroom?
- If this is your classroom style, you may not be comfortable in an online class. If you don't participate by posting messages, neither your instructor nor your classmates will know you are "in class." The online environment requires that every student participates for the entire course to succeed. For this reason, online classes are often smaller than face-to-face classes. A typical class has up to 15 students. Ideas and concepts, "discussed" online, become the major focus of the class.
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- Do I need to be online at a specific time and day in order to participate?
- You can complete your work at anytime and anywhere via the Internet.
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- Are there any times I need to be on campus?
- Doctoral students are only required to be on campus during residency, which occurs once each year. Online master’s students are not required to be on campus during any part of their coursework, unless they so choose.
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- How do I access my class online?
- Students are required to access their classes online via Blackboard .
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- How do I submit papers?
- Students are required to submit their papers via email attachment.
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- How do I get my course materials?
- Course materials are available for students in Blackboard or through our online database (Regent library or other online resources).
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- Can I use the library online?
- Yes. Once you are given your Regent email address and password, you can access the Library database online, using your Regent Login and Regent Password.
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- Do I need a computer to take a class?
- Yes. The program is definitely an exclusively online program.
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- What kind of computer equipment do I need?
- The basic computer equipment you need is Internet Access and the ability to work on your papers. A more detailed description is provided by our IT department.
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- Do I need my own computer? Can I use my computer at work?
- We recommend that students use their own computer.
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