Online courses have become an attractive alternative to the on-campus classroom environment. Students can now complete assignments at their leisure and go on with their busy everyday routines.
File Photo
A student participates in an online class
Since the first Ole Miss online course was offered in 2001, online courses have become increasingly popular, particularly within the last five to 10 years, according to the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
For the 2013 spring semester, Ole Miss is offering 58 online courses. There are courses offered from campus schools such as the School of Education, the School of Applied Sciences, the College of Liberal Arts and the School of Journalism.
Although online courses do not require students to actually attend class on campus, most online courses do have one proctored exam during the semester.
Some courses also include weekly online meetings or discussion boards.
Those enrolled in the course must log in online and participate in group conversations through a program known as Angel or through their university Blackboard account.
Online instructors are still available to their students through email or arranged in-person meetings, just as they would be available to students in a traditional class setting.
Sophomore hospitality management major Jillian Harris has a part-time job off campus, so the traditional course times offered did not fit into her schedule. An online course was the only option.
“It’s hard,” she said, “because in the classroom you are actually forced to pay attention. You’re already sitting in class so you might as well make your time worthwhile.”
She said online classes are more difficult.
“Your teacher posts podcasts, which can be anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours, and you have to force yourself to listen to them and really be an active listener,” she said.
Anne Klingen, the director of Ole Miss Online, has the same perspective on online courses.
“Online classes are harder for students that are used to being participants in the classroom and being fed by the instructor,” Klingen said.
“With online classes you must be very active and self-motivated. Most students aren’t ready for that online model and tend to struggle at first.”
Both part-time and full-time students make use of online courses.
“Many full-time students enjoy the flexibility of online, self-paced courses because they can schedule them around their regular courses, and part-time students particularly may have difficulty fitting traditional courses into their schedules,” said Rebekah Reysen, a learning specialist at the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
The cost of an Ole Miss Online course is the same as a traditional 3-hour course, with out-of-state tuition still applied.
The Department of Financial Aid also states that students will be charged an additional $33.33 per credit hour online course fee for each online course.
