2008 Woodie Awards
Online Winter Classes Help Make the Grade
Phillip Seyfried/Maria Miaoulis
Issue date: 11/15/06 Section: Campus Briefs
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Imagine oversleeping and still making it to class on time. Parking is great at any hour of the day, and no one has to stalk someone for his or her space. The professor never lectures and students are free to dismiss themselves whenever they please.
In what universe does such a utopia exist? Skeptics, relax and have faith.
The aforementioned situation has taken place for several years at William Paterson University. Online courses offer students with conflicting schedules an alternative to the traditional scheduled classes offered each semester.
By logging onto the Blackboard website, http://bb.wpunj.edu, students are "going to class." The professor posts assignments or activities, and students complete them within the specified time period.
Similar to a traditional classroom, participation is a major part of a student's grade. Students are judged based on contributions to class discussions, such as posting replies to questions or commenting on the reading material as frequently as possible. The more time and effort put into the work, the more one gets out of the experience.
Commuter students benefit from online classes because they can reduce the amount of days they travel to campus. Time that would be spent traveling can be used to complete class assignments. Just think, in the time it takes you to drive to campus, fight for a parking spot and walk to class, you could have already completed an assignment for an online class. And don't forget about the money saved in gas and mileage.
The benefits are not limited to commuter students alone.
"Online classes are flexible," said John Annillo, a business management major who resides on campus.
Some students do feel online classes are not for them.
Brendan Connelly, a senior history major, enrolled in his first online class this semester.
"It's hard to keep up with the work on the computer," he said. "I think there are too many distractions going online."
Jennifer Monturi, a junior communication major, said she would not consider taking an online course.
In what universe does such a utopia exist? Skeptics, relax and have faith.
The aforementioned situation has taken place for several years at William Paterson University. Online courses offer students with conflicting schedules an alternative to the traditional scheduled classes offered each semester.
By logging onto the Blackboard website, http://bb.wpunj.edu, students are "going to class." The professor posts assignments or activities, and students complete them within the specified time period.
Similar to a traditional classroom, participation is a major part of a student's grade. Students are judged based on contributions to class discussions, such as posting replies to questions or commenting on the reading material as frequently as possible. The more time and effort put into the work, the more one gets out of the experience.
Commuter students benefit from online classes because they can reduce the amount of days they travel to campus. Time that would be spent traveling can be used to complete class assignments. Just think, in the time it takes you to drive to campus, fight for a parking spot and walk to class, you could have already completed an assignment for an online class. And don't forget about the money saved in gas and mileage.
The benefits are not limited to commuter students alone.
"Online classes are flexible," said John Annillo, a business management major who resides on campus.
Some students do feel online classes are not for them.
Brendan Connelly, a senior history major, enrolled in his first online class this semester.
"It's hard to keep up with the work on the computer," he said. "I think there are too many distractions going online."
Jennifer Monturi, a junior communication major, said she would not consider taking an online course.
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