Читать книгу Online Learning For Dummies - Susan Manning - Страница 37

IN THIS CHAPTER

Comparing online learning to its traditional counterpart

Looking at who’s learning online

Watching out for a few potential disadvantages

Considering the traits you need to succeed

Ask almost anyone in the civilized world to describe school and they will probably tell you about a physical place — a shelter with a roof, desks, and chairs — along with people who assume specific roles, like teacher or student. The teacher decides what is to be taught, passes on the information to students, and awards scores to indicate their progress. The students sit attentively, do the work prescribed by the teacher, and perform tasks or take tests that measure how much they’ve achieved. That’s the old-fashioned model of a school, one that is familiar to most people. Even a one-room Amish schoolhouse fits that description.

Yet ask someone about online learning and you’ll likely get a different perspective. Almost everyone learns online! Whether you log in to your company’s compliance training, view a free course about personal finances, or watch a YouTube video on how to change a fuse in your car — you are learning online. With the arrival of the Internet, the world has increasingly shifted from classroom-based instruction to learning online.

In this chapter, we sort through the factors that make the online experience different from traditional education. By taking a look at who is learning online and what they’re gaining from the experience, along with doing some honest self-assessment on your own, you'll be able to determine whether this type of learning is right for you.