Piece of Cake??? Not Really.

As a result of the increase in Online and Web-Assisted courses here at Pace University, we thought the following article might be of interest to faculty who were eager to get the perspective of students who take these asynchronous courses. Following are anonymous testimonials from two graduate students here at Pace University who have or are currently taking an online course or courses. The names have been changed to protect the innocent…and the two students who asked not to have their names given. Unfortunately, we were unable to get an undergraduate perspective at this time, but we feel that these two graduate students also offer the perspective of taking these classes in addition to their full-time occupations.

Student 1

The first thing that attracted to me to the idea of taking an online course, in addition to a web-assisted (WA) course at the same time, was the idea of not having to physically attend classes. Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed the classroom experience during my undergraduate period and had wonderful professors in class who were passionate about their teaching. However, the thought of having to attend a 3-hour class with another hour in travel after working in an office from 9-5 isn't as appealing these days. Factor in family duties and errands, and an online course looked like the best thing since sliced bread.

Though I had never taken an online or WA course before, I still had almost no trouble adapting to the Blackboard system and how the software works. This is probably attributed to the fact that I work closely with computers during my day job. However, I do have friends who also take these courses and agree that the software is very user-friendly…when it is working as intended. The first few weeks of the semester I had a difficult time accessing the system as well as my email, which wasn't good for a first impression. As the problems started to subside, I really enjoyed using the software.

As for my classes, there were noticeable differences between my Online and WA courses. In my online course, I found it odd and a little uncomfortable at first to communicate with classmates I had never met in person. The interaction, using the discussion board and such was much easier in my WA course, where I had the opportunity to physically see my classmates before responding to them online. I think the discussion board feature is great, because it gives me the opportunity to articulate an intelligent response to a question, rather than blurting out something in class on an impulse, which I may regret later. Another difference I encountered between the courses had to deal with asking questions to the Instructor. It seemed to me that there were not nearly as much questions in my online course as opposed to the WA. The opposite should have been true. Both instructors offered forums online for questions and such, but the lack of questions made me hesitant to ask some of my own. I thought to myself at times, "Am I the only one not understanding this?". It was during these instances at home on my computer that I wished I was back in a classroom setting. Also, it became clear that my classmates in the WA course almost always waited for the in-class sessions to ask all their questions.

In summary, I don't think that one style of learning (asynchronous vs. synchronous) is that much more difficult than the other. However, I would agree that they are two very different styles of learning, requiring varying needs. When taking an online course, a certain level of self-discipline and motivation is needed to put in the required amount of work for the course. The convenience of not having to physically travel to class each week is somewhat negated by this extra effort required by the online student. As with everything in emerging technologies, there are advantages and disadvantages. Once I became familiar with this new style of learning, I became more comfortable and really started to enjoy it. However, I would recommend to those interested in taking an online or WA course, to fully understand what is required and make an educated decision to decide if this style of learning is right for them.

Student 2

As a part-time graduate student at Pace University who also works full-time, I found that online courses provide me with more flexibility in learning and in my schedule. When I saw that a course I was required to take last semester was offered online, I decided to enroll in it. At first, I was a little skeptical and didn't really know what to expect.

Our first assignment was to introduce ourselves using the Discussion Board and then formulate groups in order to work on the group project that was due at the end of the semester. Initially, I thought this would be a hard task- how are we supposed to work on a group project without ever meeting in person? However, I found that Blackboard provided all the tools necessary for us to be able to effectively create a project deserving of an "A".

I was surprised to experience a lot more communication with my classmates and professor than with a traditional face-to-face course. I really felt a sense of community when using the Discussion Board feature of Blackboard. The personalities of my group members were apparent and I felt like I really knew my teammates by the end of the semester.

Online courses are not as easy as one might think, however. I found that in order to be successful in an online class environment, a student must have excellent time management skills. This requires planning ahead and being organized, which can be a challenge when there are work and family obligations.

Online learning also requires more motivation and self-discipline, and I don't believe online courses are for everyone. If a student is not motivated or self-disciplined, then an online course may not be the right option. Online courses are not "the easy way out." Students must provide the same amount of effort as a face-to-face class, if not more. I would like to take another online class next semester.

I found that Pace does offer resources to students before, during and after they take an online course. In order for students to be sure that online learning is for them, students can review what skills and requirements that are needed in order to be successful in an online class located at http://online.pace.edu/selfreview/. There is also an Online Orientation for students to take once they've registered for an online or web-assisted course, along with other resources and support found at http://online.pace.edu.

I also had the experience of taking a web-assisted course at Pace. A web-assisted course is one that meets in person some days and online other days. My class was supposed to meet in person on the first day, as notified by our instructor. However, we found that many students did not show up to class thinking it was solely an online course while others showed up to class thinking we will be meeting in person every week. Perhaps since online and web-assisted courses are a new endeavor at Pace, students weren't completely aware of the process. However, that is all changing due to the success of online and web-assisted courses.

"I think the discussion board feature is great, because it gives me the opportunity to articulate an intelligent response to a question, rather than blurting out something in class on an impulse, which I may regret later."

"When taking an online course, a certain level of self-discipline and motivation is needed to put in the required amount of work for the course."

"I was surprised to experience a lot more communication with my classmates and professor than with a traditional face-to-face course."

"I found that Pace does offer resources to students before, during and after they take an online course."