Our online classes are taught by highly qualified instructors, and you are in class with a group of peers. The classes are NOT self-paced tutorials. We limit class size to help ensure that there is a great deal of interaction among students and teachers in every class. The classes have a structure and there are readings and deadlines and assignments just like in face-to-face coursework. But because the classes are asynchronous, during a given week you can participate during the times that are convenient for you. With asynchronous threaded discussion, class conversations unfold over periods of time, and therefore you must check into class at least three times a week for a fall or spring class, and five times per week for a summer class since summer is a compressed semester. On occasion we may run a synchronous session via chat or webcasting, generally as an optional session. If there is to be a required synchronous session in a class it will appear in the course description so you know about it in advance. Am I one of those adult learners who will succeed in an online program?
Before enrolling in an online program, it is helpful to consider how well your goals, interests, learning style, and life commitments fit an online learning environment.
Sucessful online students tend to be: • self-motivated • fairly organized • comfortable learning by reading, using pod-/vod-casts, and writing • people who stay on top of their work rather than needing reminding about deadlines • busy people who understand learning takes time and do not expect online classes to take fewer hours than face-to-face classes What kind of previous experience do I need to have?
To be successful, you don't need to be a computer wiz kid, but you must be familiar with using a computer. You must also feel relatively comfortable when you have to try something new with your computer, have internet acces, have your own e-mail account, and have experience with:
• word processing • e-mail (sending, receiving, and using attachments) • using a variety of file formats ( Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs) • file management on your computer • navigating websites • basic internet searching What kind of support will I receive as an online student?
As a PDS student, you will be able to focus on your studies and feel secure that we have you covered from every angle. You will have an academic advisor who can help talk you through your options and answer questions about your plan of study. Our advising wiki also gives you 24/7 access to the kind of information and resources students in our online programs most frequently request.
If you encounter any technical issues, eCollege, our web-based course delivery system that you will use to access your onlie courses has a 24/7 help desk (877-778-8437) that is available 365 days a year (including holidays). Rutgers also has a separate help desk (732-445-4357 | help@eden.rutgers.edu) in case you need assistance with any of your Rutgers accounts (e-mail, Net ID, etc.). Can online learning really provide a rich learning enviornment?
Our experience after more than eight years of providing distance education at the graduate level tells us that it can, but here's what some of our students have told us:
"What a great experience! No driving to campus, looking for a parking place, dinner on the run, etc.; instead I was comfortable, at home, participating in thought-provoking discussions and learning about the many issues I am now encountering in my job as a middle school Media Specialist. As a member of the 50+ club, I highly recommend this newer type of coursework - it's effective and flexible." - Edie Klink, Randolph (NJ) "The Rutgers program is great. I learned a lot and did feel like I got to know the faculty and the other students." - Susan Swords Steffen, Elmhurst College (IL)
An instructor in our Youth Literature Online Certificate Program, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, published an article about her experience teaching online after her first year with us. It was published in the Horn Book Magazine , May/Jun2002, Vol. 78 Issue 3, beginning on page 293. The article is available online with the kind permission of Horn Book. It may give you more insight into online learning. |
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