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Academic Schedules in Online Classes
Differences In Academic Schedules
As with on-campus classes, online classes are typically completed in two varieties of academic schedules: term-based, which carry a time limit ranging from four to twelve-weeks, and; self-paced, which have courses with lenient time limits and provide students with a greater amount of flexibility. While both offers benefits to students, it is important to recognize the difference between these schedules and to determine which best fits your own needs.
Self-Paced Programs
There are many differences between distance learning students and those who enroll in traditional, brick-and-mortar programs at state universities and colleges.
The distance learner is typically older, has already gained professional work experience or even established a career, and often has family obligations at home. For these students, self-paced online and correspondence programs are a perfect fit, because these options allow the student to schedule their educational responsibilities secondary to the fulfillment of their professional and/or personal responsibilities.
Self-paced programs are designed to offer students the opportunity to pursue higher education without taking time off from work, missing important family events, or being tied to a cohort arrangement in which they have to work on class projects with other students at a time convenient for all members in the group.
One-Month Terms
Generally, students in one-month terms complete one class per month and often submit numerous assignments simultaneously, in order to complete the entirety of material in the short duration of the class. When the class ends, students are usually scheduled to begin their next class almost immediately, with little break in between classes.
This format is designed to allow students to concentrate fully on the subject of each class and to more completely absorb the material. However, some students fail in this format because it can be viewed as quite rigorous, and allows students little time to progressively learn the material, but instead can force some to complete assignments without first fully understanding the subject.
Quarter-Terms
Institutions on a quarter-term typically offer four-quarters of study, each of equal length, and with a break in between each academic quarter. Because a quarter of study is slightly shorter than a semester, classes are typically worth more credit hours. This allows students to take fewer classes per quarter than they would in a semester-term, while retaining full-time status.
Semester-Terms
Semesters are generally 4-5 months in length. The Fall Semester usually begins in August or September and ends in December, with a subsequent Spring Semester that begins in January and typically ends in May or June. The semester-schedule clearly gives students more time to absorb and understand the material than in alternative schedules. However, many students in a semester-schedule express confusion and dismay with summer courses, in which four or five months worth of material might be covered and required in as short as 2-5 weeks.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Classes
Online classes are often held in one of the aforementioned schedules: one-month, quarter, or semester. However, online classes have another scheduling option that is virtually impossible to replicate in the classroom environment: synchronous or asynchronous.
Synchronous classes require students to attend classes on specified days and at particular times. For online students, synchronous classes generally means logging into your class on regularly scheduled days and times to participate in live discussion boards and even video lectures.
Asynchronous classes simply require students to complete assignments and submit them by the published due dates. This allows online students with other professional and/or personal responsibilities to build their homework schedule around those other priorities, while still working to further their education.
