Welcome to Learning Online
This resource will guide you through your journey as an online learner. You will begin with three core parts.
Figure i:1: Three core parts of Learning Online. Illustration by Jessica Tang.
Who Am I as an Online Learner?
Becoming a self-directed learner is key to the online learning environment. In part 1, you will apply the plan-monitor-evaluate cycle to identify learning goals, select strategies, and monitor your progress.
Who Am I with on My Learning Journey?
Part 2 focuses on becoming a member of a community of inquiry. The community of inquiry model provides an excellent framework for you to explore your role in creating an effective learning community and develop strategies for working successfully in a team.
Who Are My Instructors? What Is Their Role?
Instructor-student relationships in online learning are different than in traditional classes. In part 3, you will understand the role of your instructors and explore ways to create effective relationships with them.
Complete these three core parts first. As you complete them, you should be able to do the following:
- • define your role as an online learner by developing a mindset for independent learning
- • prepare for your role as a team member in an online environment
- • relate to online instructors in a way that supports your learning and growth
After completing these core parts, you may select additional content that supports your skill development.
Figure i:2: Additional content in Learning Online. Illustration by Jessica Tang.
Learning to Manage Your Time
Online learning requires strong time management skills. In part 4, you will learn about the process of planning your term, developing a workable daily schedule, and managing daily tasks.
Professional Communication
Professional communication is a key workplace skill. Online learning allows you many opportunities to develop skills in clear, effective, and professional written communication. Part 5 introduces you to strategies for communicating in email and other online settings.
Analyzing Online Assignments
Your online courses may include new and unfamiliar types of assignments. Part 6 introduces you to strategies for systematically analyzing your assignments so that you can achieve the learning goals set out in your course.
Strategic Reading
How do you manage online reading without suffering from information overload? Part 7 introduces strategies for reading strategically and taking notes on nonprint resources.
You may complete these four parts in any order. To navigate to the part of your choice, move to the chapter that corresponds to your chosen topic.
Before beginning these parts, review the following descriptions of asynchronous, synchronous, paced, and self-paced learning. These terms will be used throughout the book to describe the learning environment.
Online Learning
Online learning allows people to study in exciting and new ways often not offered at more traditional universities. It is quite different from other, more traditional universities in several important ways. For example, at Athabasca University (AU), there are multiple delivery modes, including individualized study, grouped study, practicum, and paced online. You may also hear the terms synchronous, asynchronous, paced, or self-paced.
What Is the Difference Between Synchronous and Asynchronous?
Synchronous refers to a learning environment where learners and the instructor are engaged in the environment at the same time, and feedback can be given immediately. This is often the model at traditional universities, where learners attend their classes at a given time every day with their instructors and other classmates. Some courses or components of courses may also be synchronous or have synchronous components to them.
Asynchronous refers to a learning environment where learners and the instructor are engaged in the environment more independently and at different times. There is often little to no real-time engagement with others that is planned or intentional. Learners in this environment often learn on their own time and schedule. While some courses may overall be asynchronous in nature, there may be some synchronous elements to them, such as Microsoft Teams virtual meetings.
What Is the Difference Between Paced and Self-Paced?
Self-paced refers to an individualized learning environment where the learner sets their overall schedule within a specific time period (e.g., four months) to complete the learning associated with a given course. For example, in a self-paced, individualized learning environment, learners may all start and complete the course on a different day than their classmates. Though learners may be given a suggested schedule of how to navigate learning activities and assessments, it is up to each learner to complete them within their contract dates. For example, at AU, most undergraduate courses are asynchronous and self-paced or individualized study.
Paced refers to a study environment where learners all start and end on the same day and follow a predetermined schedule of assignments, exams, and discussion forums together with their instructor. For example, most graduate courses at AU are asynchronous and paced, meaning that learning is offered typically in weekly units, and learners participate at a time of their choosing each week in various discussion and learning activities, both independently and with their peers.
What Is Grouped Study?
Grouped study refers to learning that occurs in a physical classroom setting, in a face-to-face environment. This model is very infrequent at AU.
What Is Practicum?
Many programs have practicum components. These are courses that include a field placement at varied locations and times that are in person, within a designated time frame. For example, the FHD at AU offers several programs that have practicum requirements for learners, including the undergraduate bachelor of nursing program, the nurse practitioner program, and the master of counselling program.