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Learning Online

Tips and techniques for taking a course or seminar on the Internet

Why Learning Online is Totally Different

Learning online is very different from attending a traditional in-person seminar. Learning online involves a totally different set of expectations, skills and behavior. And right now, in the early stages of the 21st century, online learning is still in its infancy, still imperfect, still being developed. So learning online takes a good deal of patience as well.

Presently, learning online is less expensive and less time consuming than taking a course in person. Ultimately, though, learning online will also be better than learning in person. For cognitive learning and knowledge skills, online learning will be superior to learning in person. Eventually online learning will constitute about 50% of all the learning we do.

Traditional lecture/presentations

Learning online differs from traditional on-site lecture presentations. Here are some characteristics of traditional on-site lecture presentations (seminars, courses, etc.).

	It is activity based. The activity is showing up. If you show up, you have satisfied the requirements for the seminar or course (credit classes and some kinds of training are exceptions of course).
	You don’t start studying until the seminar begins. There is not usually a lot of advance work before the seminar or course starts.

	The presentation is almost totally oral. Most seminars and courses have the content presented by the teacher or presenters speaking at a certain time.
	It is held at a given time, and only at that time.
	"Discipline" is external. From the structure of the course to the time demands, they are almost always imposed from the course providers and teacher, not from the learner.
	Relative to online learning, there is less dialogue from the participants, and fewer questions.
	It is a social experience. It is enjoyable. You get to meet people and discuss non-topic related items during the breaks, before and after.
	Sometimes there’s food, usually coffee.
	It is a more passive experience. The instructor is very active, participants are less so.
	Quality is perceived to be the instructor’s obligation. You usually evaluate the instructor or presenter. You are often not evaluated.

Characteristics of Online Learning

Here’s what to expect in online learning.

	Content is delivered differently. It will not be given to you. In an on-site seminar or class, the teacher talks and all you have to do is listen.
	Online, you have to initiate learning and actively go get it. You have to figure out what you want to learn, because there is so much material. You have to read the material. You have to explore links. This takes self-direction. You also have to define your learning-- what you want to learn. Others will not define it for you.

	Expect to learn via dialogue with the teacher and other participants.
	Expect to work. Learning online is work. No question about it. It is hard. It takes energy.
	Learning online is outcome oriented. Results. There are "knowledge skills." There are things to know. You are here not for the process, but for the results.

Learning online seems like it takes more time, but it actually takes less time. But you have to create the time. Be aggressive and push your schedule around, rearrange it, and make the time.

You Will Feel Different.

You will experience many feelings when you begin to learn online. In the beginning, those feelings won’t necessarily be positive. You will feel confused, frustrated, irritated, unappreciated, lonely. You will not feel satisfied at the end of the online experience.

There are two reasons for this. First, online learning is in a primitive and early stage of development. Second, learning online has a whole different set of feelings and emotions to it than does the traditional in person lecture/presentation. Here’s what you should do.

Acknowledge the dissonance. Revel in the dissonance. Well, maybe not revel, but you can "get into" the dissonance. Recognize your feelings (to yourself, you don’t have to bare your feelings to others) about learning online-- it’s hard, it’s lonely, it takes effort, there are no smiles, there’s no shopping, no dinners out on the town. Now get into it. Figure out what’s going on, how you will deal with learners online when you are teaching online. Try to determine what you can best get out of an inperson traditional class or seminar. Or are you just missing the trappings of the seminar (free coffee, doughnuts if you’re lucky; breaks; a chance to meet others; a chance to get out of the office;).

The dissonance-- the uncomfortableness, the feeling of inadequacy, of disappointment, frustration, a little depression maybe, the feeling that the teacher isn’t doing it right, and that the person who set up this online course has failed miserably-- that’s all part of moving professionally and personally into the Information Age, into the 21st Century. You are not alone in your feelings.

Everyone feels the same way. Because we are all products of the Industrial Age, the 20th century. And now we have to learn in a totally new and different way. We don’t like it. We don’t know how to do it. And we can’t turn back.

The complete article is available to LERN Members.  Contact Tammy@lern.org to obtain it.