By: Kasey Stevenson of the Long
Island High School for the Arts
Contacts:
Patricia Iannacone, Supervisor
Telephone:
(516) 608-6662
email:
piannaco@mail.nasboces.org
Dina Maggiacomo,
Telephone: 516-608-6643
e-mail:
dmaggiac@mail.nasboces.org
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are Online Courses for
Me?
How comfortable do I have to be using
computers?
Moderate experience with using a computer
is recommended. Most online courses require participation in online
discussions, which require a fair amount of typing and word
processing. There may be course specific-applications. For example, a PowerPoint
class will probably require as least basic familiarity
with PowerPoint. It may be necessary for you to find, download
and install plug-ins for your browser as well.
Do I need a lot of sophisticated equipment
and software?
You need a computer (WINDOWS 95 to XP or
MAC OS 7.5 to 10 Platforms are fine), a printer, regular and
convenient Internet Access, Email software that supports file
attachments, a word processing package, and a Web browser (Netscape
version 4 to 7 or Internet Explorer version 4 to 6)
What Internet skills do I need to have?
Email skills such as sending and receiving
messages, attaching files to an email, and knowing how to open
attached files are basic things you will need to know. You should be comfortable navigating, book marking and
searching the Web.
Do I have to be online at a given time to
participate?
NO. While the option of real time chat is
sometimes made available at certain intervals, all of the class can
occur at any time of day or day of the week. All of our courses DO set
deadlines for assignment & discussion submissions, just like a
traditional course, usually on a bi-weekly basis. For example, the
work can be completed on Tuesday at 5pm or Sunday morning at 3am, as
long as it meets the deadline for the week. Each course will
have a Road Map that outlines all of the assignments as well as their
projected time requirement.
What qualities as a learner will I need to
be successful ?
Being self-directed and able to work well
on your own, having the discipline to work
at the course regularly so that you don't fall behind, and being
motivated to complete the work are the keys to successful online learning.
What support is available to me if I need
technical or other assistance while taking
a course?
Email and phone access is available for assistance:
Patricia Iannacone at
piannaco@mail.nasboces.org
Telephone:
(516) 608-6643
Course materials including assignments, syllabi and other resources
are available online 24/7.
Is Online Professional Development Worthwhile?
How do we know the course content is
valuable?
An online class is designed the same way
as traditional course, first by identifying a need
and then determining relevant content and appropriate learning
procedures. Courses use
standards
of
performance for participants (rubrics) and usually require
participants to produce a project, participate in threaded
discussions and provide postings of weekly research responses.
How much credit is the course worth?
Classes are given an "equivalency" rating
based upon the comparison of the course with a traditional course
(generally 15, 20 or 30 hour values). An online learner will often
spend 10-40% more time on the work in on online course vs. seat time
in a traditional course. However, seat time has rarely counted
"homework", commute time and other traditional "time expenses." Online
courses are based upon traditional courses and are then adapted to the
online learning environment.
How do I know a particular staff member
actually took the course?
As is the case with a traditional course,
there is no guarantee that the teacher who participated in the course
is the same person as the one who applied for credit. A person is
identified by a login name, a personal email address, a completed
project and the professional, content-related dialog contributed.
How much time does the course take?
See "How much credit is the course
worth" above.
What qualities as a learner will I need to
be successful ?
Being self-directed and able to work well
on your own, having the discipline to work at the course regularly so
that you don't fall behind, and being motivated to complete the work
are the keys to successful online learning.
Will I ever actually meet anyone
face-to-face?
That depends on the
online program you participate in. Some courses are entirely
online and others will be offered as blended courses which would
include 1 or 2 face-to-face meetings.
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