Types of Courses
In many ways, online learning is merely a set of tools for teachers and students to use for a wide range of communication and interaction. Together, these tools provide a flexible means of delivering courses of any kind. There is no one right kind of online course, and describing the range of online courses can be at least as complex as describing the kinds of courses presented in face-to-face environments.
This topic explores the two primary characteristics of an online course: its content and the environment for which the course is designed and in which it is subsequently used.
Content: Online course content is available for core courses, credit recovery, Advanced Placement®, International Baccalaureate®, and a wide range of electives. Online project-based schools are also on the rise. This section describes various issues and characteristics to look for when selecting such content. …more info
Environment: Independent of the type of content delivered, the learning environment plays a large role in how the courses are managed and taught. Courses can be led by an instructor, who may be a parent in some cases. They can also be self-directed and individualized or based on a cohort model in which students move together as a group. Hybrid or blended courses combine face-to-face and online approaches. Calendar options can provide year-round flexibility. In this section, we help you make sense of all of these variations of online learning. …more info