What is Distance Education?
The Department of Education defines Distance Education as the use of technology to deliver instruction to students who may not always be present in a physical class or are separated from the instructor by time and/or distance. Also, Distance education ensures quality learning by requiring regular and substantive interaction between the instructor and students.
About ASU-Newport Distance Education
ASU-Newport recognizes that many people do not have the opportunity to attend college in a traditional face-to-face setting. Staying true to its mission, ASU-Newport is constantly looking for different ways to make learning and attending college accessible. Providing distance education courses can often be very important to learners who are trying to balance education with work and family responsibilities. Because of this, ASU – Newport uses modern technology platforms and cutting-edge connectivity to provide innovative learning opportunities. Through this innovation, ASU – Newport is empowering individuals to learn skills that will help them advance their communities and strengthen the local economy.
Types of Distance Education
Online Courses
An online course is a type of course in which all the instruction is delivered via an online environment. Students can access the course at any time and any day of the week to work on the completion of course requirements.
Hybrid Courses
Hybrid courses are a means by which in-class instruction is mixed with online assignments. This reduces the time a student spends in class by replacing some in-person learning with web-based projects and activities. While students are still required to attend class at the scheduled time, the decreased in-person learning time offers extra flexibility.
HyFlex Courses
HyFlex courses offer an extra convenient and flexible option for students. In HyFlex courses, material is taught in-person with the option for students who cannot attend to connect remotely via web-conferencing or watch a recording of the class later. This ensures students have the option to attend in-person when they need extra help or to participate remotely when they have scheduling conflicts.
Tips for Online Students
Participation is the core element in an online course.
Because an online course environment is a different structure than the traditional
classroom environment, an online student must have some particular skills. The student
must be highly motivated and self-disciplined. It is important for online students
to have good reading skills and the ability to understand and follow written instructions
in order to be successful in an online course.
Ask as many questions as you need.
Because there is no physical classroom setting, interaction with other students and
the instructor take place through tools such as the discussion board, announcements,
e-mail and chat rooms. Unlike the classroom, instructors may not be able to tell if
you are confused or if clarification is needed by facial expressions or body language,
therefore online students must ask questions.
Be online often.
Students should read the course syllabus thoroughly and check their ASUN e-mail frequently.
Students should also visit the course assignment pages regularly so they will not
miss due dates or changes the instructor makes during the course. Most instructors'
scheduled due dates for assignments are not set in stone, so it is important that
students check the announcements page regularly. When e-mailing the instructor, the
student should consult the course syllabus for the instructor’s e-mailing preference
and allow a reasonable length of time for the instructor to respond.
Make sure all correspondence to your instructors is professional. As a preventive note, it is important for students to remember that an e-mail to an instructor is just that: communication between student and instructor.
Be familiar with computers.
Basic computer skills are important to be a successful online student. Students taking
an online course must be able to use a browser to navigate the Internet, be able to
send and receive e-mail with attachments, create and store files, be able to retrieve
files, copy and paste text, and download and install software from the Internet. Students
who are not able to perform some of these basic functions may want to take a beginning
computer course before they enroll in a course that is entirely online. It is also
important to a student’s online success that the student’s computer meets the minimum
browser requirements for MyCampus and Canvas.
To summarize...
- Become familiar with the ASUN's MyCampus as quickly as possible.
- Be self-disciplined and motivated.
- Check your course site and ASUN e-mail regularly.
- Keep in contact with your instructor and don’t hesitate to ask questions.
- Participate in online discussions.
- Be familiar with technology.
- Carefully read all correspondence between your instructor and others at the institution.
- If you don’t understand something, ask questions.