http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/areauniver_1712.mp3
Online Courses For those people who are busy but want to continue their education, as KSMU's Missy Shelton reports, you still have time to register.
YOU HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 22 TO REGISTER FOR ONLINE COURSES AT DRURY UNIVERSITY AND AT SOUTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, REGISTRATION IS OPEN THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES, WHICH BEGIN AUGUST 25TH.
BUT BEFORE YOU SIGN UP, THINK ABOUT WHETHER INTERNET LEARNING IS FOR YOU'
GARY RADER IS THE DIRECTOR OF ONLINE COURSES FOR DRURY UNIVERSITY IN SPRINGFIELD.
HE SAYS WITH ONLINE COURSES, THE INSTRUCTOR PLAYS A DIFFERENT ROLE AND THAT FORCES STUDENTS TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING. AT S-M-S, STUDENTS CAN COMPLETE ENTIRE DEGREES WITHOUT EVER SETTING FOOT INSIDE A CLASSROOM.
MELISSA HART IS COORDINATOR OF ONLINE COURSES AT S-M-S.
SHE SAYS THERE ARE SEVERAL ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE. AT BOTH DRURY AND S-M-S, THE ONLINE COURSES ATTRACT MANY ADULT STUDENTS.
RADER SAYS DRURY HAS A POLICY THAT PREVENTS TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, THAT IS STUDENTS AGE 18 TO 21 FROM TAKING ONLINE COURSES DURING THE FALL AND SPRING. AT S-M-S, ONLINE COURSES ARE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR.
MELISSA HART SAYS STUDENTS OF ALL AGES HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH INTERNET-BASED LEARNING. BOTH HART AND RADER SAY IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPARE INTERNET COURSES WITH COURSES TAUGHT IN A CLASSROOM.
EACH APPROACH HAS ITS INHERENT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES.
AS FOR THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE LEARNING, HART SAYS STUDENT PARTICIPATION IS USUALLY BETTER THAN IN A CLASSROOM SETTING. BOTH S-M-S AND DRURY OFFER ORIENTATION MATERIAL ONLINE FOR THEIR INTERNET COURSES.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE UNTIL AUGUST 22 TO REGISTER FOR ONLINE COURSES AT DRURY AND REGISTRATION IS OPEN AT S-M-S THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES, WHICH BEGINS AUGUST 25TH.
I'M MISSY SHELTON FOR KSMU.