Online Courses

Communication in an online makeup course environment may be synchronous or asynchronous. With synchronous online makeup course communication, all participants are connected at the same time (e.g. in a makeup course chat room or using instant-messaging). This online course’s environment promotes a feeling of coming together and simulates being part of a more traditional concept of a class. It also means that everyone has to be at a computer at the same time. Many online programs have at least one or two mandatory synchronous activities during a makeup course. This requires you to coordinate with the makeup course’s instructor and classmates and plan your schedule to be available at a prescribed time. The most common type of makeup course communication in online learning is asynchronous. Asynchronous communication means that makeup course’s participants contribute to the class at times that is convenient to them - though usually within a specified timeframe, such as one week. This is also referred to as delayed-time messaging (as opposed to real-time messaging). For example, email is a typical asynchronous activity. You can log into your email, download the messages, log off, read and reflect upon the messages, construct responses, and finally log in and upload your replies. A similar process takes place with course listservs or newsgroups. When accessing courses discussion boards, you usually cannot download the information. Some online makeup course’s students, therefore, elect to read the information and respond right then. However, if you are the type of person who prefers to think about it, you can copy the information to your computer (using the copy and paste commands) then log off. Next you can compose a response on your word processor, log back on to the bulletin board and copy and paste your response into a posted message. Most online course students are very comfortable with asynchronous communication because it provides a great deal of flexibility and gives them time to reflect and think through their answers before posting. Synchronous delivery has a significant role to play in the developing world of virtual and online makeup course education. Though most current online course education programs are delivered asynchronously (e.g. discussion board, email, Web pages), synchronous delivery is that aspect which creates a true sense of virtual community. While asynchronous delivery provides instruction that is free of time, place, and scheduling constraints, the synchronous approach adds immediacy, live interaction and personal contact. Both systems peacefully co-exist in a group of makeup course online learning strategies that focus on online access to learning through common cyberspace technologies. In the near future, these common technologies will become as prevalent as the family television and CD player.