Online classes offer convenience, new learning experiences
One of the most time-honored marketing schemes for online college courses is the pitch to “do school in your pajamas.”
Daniel Ashton loved his Maranatha Online course last fall, but chose more formal attire.
“I went to the library a lot, and I didn’t think I should wear pajamas there,” Ashton said. “It is quiet and relaxing. You can pop on your headphones and listen to music while you do homework. It’s nice.”
A popular concept
Maranatha Online began its upward swing in the fall of 2008. There are 15 undergraduate courses being offered during the summer of 2009, with many more planned for the future. In addition, an entire master’s degree in Bible can be completed online through Maranatha Baptist Seminary.
Sloan Consortium research indicated that 3.94 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in the fall of 2007, a 12-percent rise from 2006.
Ashton, a freshman from San Francisco, said the convenience of being able to study in a time frame of his choosing was the primary reason he chose to take English Composition II online last fall. For Laura Harpole, a freshman from Newhall, Iowa, it was the chance to explore a new educational world.
“I had never done an online class before, and I didn’t consider myself to be that brilliant with computers,” Harpole said. “I learned how to do a lot more things online than just this class. It was definitely a good learning experience.”
A new way to learn
Both students said they enjoyed the structure of the course as well. There were fewer tests and quizzes than in a traditional classroom setting. The learning was accomplished through more subjective methods, such as discussion posts, essay tests, research papers and peer reviews.
“I spent more time on my peer reviews than anything,” Harpole said. “I mean, it’s fun to play teacher, but I wanted to do my very best when handling other people’s work. I learned a lot from that part of it.”
Online learning is not entirely unstructured, of course. Ashton said there were deadlines and definable steps along the way for each project and paper.
“One difference is that there are no assignments given just to fill empty time or just to give an assignment,” Ashton said. “There was a point to everything we did.”
Harpole said the subjects for her papers and writing assignments ranged from compiling a resume to studying the concept of school uniforms to exploring the historical reliability of Christ’s resurrection.
Both said they plan to take another online class, as soon as this summer.
“I can go home for the summer, get a job, and still do my classes,” Ashton said. “At home, I might even do them in my pajamas some night.”
--Andy Call, 2/23/09