Online Studies Office
Students can reach us 24 hours a day by leaving a message, e-mailing, or faxing.
Toll-free: (800) 637-0002
Fax: (401) 341-2931
E-mail: onlinestudies@salve.edu
Learning Online
Are you ready for distance learning?
Do you have enough time to commit to a course now?
Online courses take as much time as a class taken on-campus. Some of our courses are presented in a compressed format, covering a semester's worth of work in only eight weeks. This requires a serious commitment of your time and energy.
Are you self-disciplined?
Taking courses online allows you the flexibility to study when it is convenient for you. However, it becomes your responsibility to complete the work on time. Self-paced courses do not have specific assignment due dates, so you must set your own schedule to complete the work before your course end date.
Are you comfortable with computer technology?
Our courses are delivered online. All assignments are submitted in an electronic format. Our interactive courses make extensive use of e-mail and electronic discussion boards. Library materials are available electronically. Check our computer requirements to be sure you can access our materials.
How are your reading and writing skills?
Online learning is generally text-based. Most materials and instructions are presented in written form. Assignments are usually written. Interactions with your instructor and fellow classmates take place through e-mail and written discussion boards.
Do you prefer learning on your own or in a group?
If you like to learn on your own you will be comfortable with our self-paced courses. If you learn better when working and interacting with others, you may be more comfortable in our interactive courses.
What you can expect in an online course.
We offer courses in two different formats: self-paced and interactive. What is expected of you is different for each format.
Self-paced Courses
Self-paced courses are available to students on the first Monday of every month and students have four months to complete them. Courses are organized into three to five learning units, with one assignment per unit. You determine when you turn your assignments in, though we recommend one every three weeks. You will work with the textbook and the online course materials to meet the learning objectives of the course. Your assignments are submitted and returned electronically through the course assignment tool. E-mail and chat tools are available for you to contact your instructor as well as interact with fellow students.
Interactive Courses
Interactive courses have specific start and end dates, much as an on-campus course would. The courses last from 8 to 15 weeks. You will be in the course with other students, studying the material at the pace set by the instructor. Assignments are submitted electronically through the assignment tool or attached to an e-mail to the instructor. Regular participation in the electronic discussion room is expected in these courses. You will need to log in several times during the week to read and respond to postings.
Tips for Learning Online
General
- Online learning requires a lot of reading and writing. If your reading and writing skills are weak, or if English is a second language, realize that these courses may be more demanding or require more time than a classroom-based course.
- Successful online learners have self-motivation, self-discipline, and good time management skills.
- Online courses are more convenient, not less time consuming, than on-campus courses. Set aside a regular time each day or week for your course, just as you would for an on-campus course.
- Don't be afraid to speak up immediately if you have any problems. Remember that most students are new to online learning. The Online Studies staff and your instructor can help resolve any technical and instructional issues you may encounter.
- Check back regularly for announcements and schedule updates.
- Review the My WebCourses tutorials before you start your course so that you are familiar with the software.
For Self-paced Courses (Campus Code 90)
- Set deadline dates for finishing each of the learning units, then set dates for each of the sections within the unit. Stick to those dates as if the instructor gave them.
- Start the next learning unit immediately after submitting an assignment. It can take one to two weeks to get an assignment back. Put that time to good use. Don't wait for the instructor's comments before starting your next assignment; however, don't submit the assignment until you have a chance to review it in light of the instructor's previous comments.
For Interactive Courses (Campus Code 95)
- Most interactive courses are accelerated, running only eight weeks. Time management is critical to success in these courses. If you fall behind it is almost impossible to catch up.
- Log on daily to read discussion postings. This keeps the amount of reading at manageable levels.
- Write your discussion postings in a word processing program, then copy and paste to the discussion board. This prevents losing your work if you lose your connection while posting to the discussion board.
- Learn the "Rules of Netiquette" to avoid embarrassing yourself or offending someone else online.
- Access to a course is usually given a few days before the start date. Log on to review the syllabus, post introductions and get familiar with the software so you are prepared for the first day of class.
Getting the Most Out of an Online Discussion
Log in Daily
To truly create and follow a discussion, members must make frequent comments. Logging in daily also reduces the amount of time you spend in the discussion room at any one sitting.
Reply to Comments
A discussion is supposed to be an exchange of ideas. If you only post your answer to the instructor's question, then you have completed an assignment, but not become part of the discussion. You can respond to another posting in the following ways:
- disagreeing in a polite, substantiated way
- supporting another's ideas with additional evidence
- expanding on an idea
- connecting ideas from several postings
- tying several ideas together and connecting them to an assigned reading
Keep Your Comments Brief and to the Point
You wouldn't take the floor for 5-10 minutes in a classroom discussion, so don't write a paper in a posting. Huge postings can stop a discussion dead in its tracks. Other students may be intimidated by them or may not have the time to read them, and hence your ideas are never heard. Some instructors will give a recommended size for postings, or grade you down for long postings.
Follow the Rules of "Netiquette"
Mind your manners just as you would in a classroom.
- Respond to ideas, not to people. Name-calling, rude comments and foul language are as unacceptable in an online discussion as they are in a classroom.
- ALL CAPS is considered the equivalent to shouting. Use only when absolutely necessary.
- Be careful of humor or sarcasm; it is easily misinterpreted online. If you are joking, you must say you are joking. Learn about emoticons, the combinations of keystrokes that denote specific emotions, such as :) or ;).
- Don't write anything you wouldn't want to see in the newspaper. e-mail, not a discussion board, is the way to share personal information.
Always be Mindful of Where You are Posting
When there are multiple topics in the discussion board, make sure you select the correct topic when composing your message. If you are part of a group discussion and the general discussion, you would not want a posting meant only for your group to end up on the general board for the whole class to see.
- Post in reply to a thread most of the time. Only start a new subject if what you want to say has nothing to do with any of the other topics under discussion.
- Use descriptive and specific subject lines. This way students know whether what you have to say may or may not be of interest to them. If you are asking a question on a specific research topic, only those students who are also interested in that topic would want to read your posting.
