About Online Learning

Learning online works for many people, but it is often a new experience and takes some getting used to. This page will help you make good decisions and find resources about online learning.

What does it take to be an online student?

To succeed as an online student, you have to be reasonably independent, motivated, and able to manage your time well. You will not attend lectures in a classroom, so you assume more responsibility to read, communicate online, write papers, submit assignments according to deadlines, and balance your course work with your personal and professional life. You will have a much more active role in managing your online learning experience than you would in a classroom.

For a little more help deciding whether or not to become an online student, investigate these quick surveys:

How do online classes work?

Online classes take place in a secure software platform called RamCT. When you use your eID to login to RamCT (http://ramct.colostate.edu/), you will see a page with your courses listed – just click on any course and you’re in it. You will also see a pop-up window that checks your browser for settings that work with RamCT. You may find that you need to change some settings so that your browser works properly. Learn more about RamCT requirements and logging in »

Most online classes operate on a weekly schedule rather than a daily one. There are not usually assignments due on a daily basis, but a deadline each week to submit your work.

Discussions are critically important! Since you don’t see your instructor and fellow students, you should use the discussion board often. Contributing your thoughts and experiences makes the course much more interesting and valuable for both you and your classmates - most courses require you to interact frequently. In online courses, there’s no way to sit in back of the room and avoid speaking up – you must be present and active.

What do the courses look like?

Every course is different, but you often see a welcome page which gives you directions on how the course works and where to start. Your instructor will also have a syllabus available to assist you with beginning your course. You should click on the course links in the left-hand column, read all the course information, check the assignments and due dates, and look for links to external resources, video recordings and all other class materials. Here is a RamCT student tutorial – try it and you will get a much better idea what an online course looks like.

Helpful Resources for Online Learners

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