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Distance Education?

Nicole27
edited July 2014 in General
I am planning to take a distance education class but I have no idea how it works.
I mean, can I do it on my own pace at home? and then, how is the course graded? for the one done on campus (DX00), there are discussion and participation marks.
Anybody can clarify how distant edu classes usually work please? and is it worth taking or in class is better?

Thanks.

Comments

  • ryan
    All of the distance ed course outlines are on the SFU CODE site here http://code.sfu.ca/undergrad/course-outlines.html

    The outline will give you an idea of how the course will be graded. Typically there are assignments that are submitted electronically. As well many classes have discussions that take place on an online message board and require you to post your thoughts on some subject by a certain deadline and then respond to other students. As well most of the classes have exams. These exams are usually on campus (unless you live outside of the lower mainland in which case you will do them by mail), though sometimes they are take home exams. Most distance education courses end up being run and marked almost entirely by a TM (tutor marker). Because of this I wouldn't worry about what profs name is listed as teaching the course if you decide to enroll in one.

    Besides meeting the deadlines the whole course can be done at your own pace. I took a number of distance ed courses during my degree. To be honest I didn't really like them that much. I found I slacked off most of the time and just finished the work quickly as it was due. I took easy online courses though so I could do this and still get good marks. I also usually found that I did not get as much from the course as I would have had I taken it in class. That said though distance ed classes made crafting a nice schedule with days off a lot easier.

    Which online class were you thinking of taking?
  • Nicole27
    Thanks a lot for the precisions!
    I think I saw somewhere there was a time where you have to be online. I guess it's for certain classes or I got confused.
    Anyway, I was thinking of taking Educ465 since it is mostly reading. but on second thought maybe in class would be better. Still undecided.
  • ryan
    I took 465 online. It was a very easy class. They know it is easy too, and they set the grade ranges very high to try and account for it (for example you needed 97% for an A+ when I took it.)

    the class had a couple of short (can't remember the exact length but like less than 1500 words) essays and all of the exams were take home and were five paragraph response questions.

    As well there were quizzes online that were timed but you could do them whenever you wanted before a certain deadline. They were also pretty easy, and open book.

    I have heard EDUC 465 in class is actually a lot more work. it is something like a 4 hour seminar and it sounds like the assignments are more involved. I don't think I spent more than about an hour a week on the course doing it online. For the online class you just read a few books (we had anne of green gables, star girl, and where the wild things are) and do reading from a rather dry text book (they actually have a textbook about childrens literature.) If you are not an education major I would actually recommend taking this one online. It fills up very fast though, as it has a reputation as an easy 4 credits.
  • Nicole27
    97%! Wow!
    Yeah I saw the difference in the course outlines. It seems more challenging in class and I am not an education major. Also I need some flexibility in my time schedule. So maybe I'll do the distance edu afterall..hoping it won't be full by my appointment date.
    Thanks for the advice :)

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