Online Summer Classes: A Modern Method of Learning

Overview

When the scourge of Hell Week suddenly turns into the excitement of Spring Break, how could this little paradise go awry? One of the more dreaded requirements in between terms would be summer class – the tight schedule, limited course options, and even the hectic rhythm of exams and lectures.

Fortunately, technology has intervened into the traditional mode of learning by making online summer classes possible. It makes education more accessible and mobile, while bringing down the price to a fraction of conventional education institutions.

How to Enter

Universities and colleges usually offer online summer courses in lieu of classroom attendance. Since the summer term commonly has fewer class schedules, taking up the subject through the Internet can give comfort and convenience to both professors and students.

For instance, class meetings are conducted online, as well as communications, modules, and other integral components of a traditional classroom. The difference is that real time connectivity can happen wherever you are in the world – all you need is a reliable Internet connection and a standard computer or laptop.

Available Courses

Given that the standard period of online summer classes lasts from 5 to 10 weeks, the courses being offered can range from general education to very specialized subject matters.

For instance, bulk of requirements in broad-spectrum subjects like Mathematics and English can be taken up during summer, if only to ease one’s load during the regular term. On the other hand, online summer classes are very conducive for a concentrated and niche discussion on, say, Leo Tolstoy’s humongous novel.

Basically, online summer classes are determined by either your interest or academic requirements. The most important consideration is that choosing this arrangement can free you up for a summer job or other activities you want to embark on during the season.

Grading and Meeting

Still, face-to-face meetings will always be part of online summer classes, especially during final exams. But the grading system employed also follows the traditional method, where professors have the final say on a student’s performance. It is only the medium that changed, from printed reports to simple e-mail attachments.

Discussion in online summer classes could take place in chat rooms, e-mail exchanges, and even in mobile phones. If you need to consult with your teacher, then a dialogue using the web cam will do the trick, aside from the methods enumerated above.

When it comes to classroom ethics, it remains the same with a few tweaks. For example, plagiarism takes on new forms because of accessible data found in the Web. The professor can give requirements to sought information from reliable sources, like university portals or peer-review journals.

Is It For Your?

Sure, online summer classes are convenient, cost-effective, and comfortable. However, the end-goal will always remain the same: to learn and to imbibe lessons for real life application.

Excited? Go ahead and ask your university’s admissions office on your summer class choices. Or you can simply log on their official site and peruse through their list of summer offerings.

References

https://distancelearn.about.com/od/onlinecourses/a/FreeClasses.htm

https://summer.uci.edu/courses/online.aspx

https://distance-education.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_find_summer_school_online_cours