Orientation to Online Learning at BYU-Idaho: Transcript

Welcome to Online Learning at BYU-Idaho. We are excited that you have enrolled in an online course. This video will help you know what to expect as you proceed with your course.

If this is the first course that you have taken online, it is normal to feel a bit nervous or apprehensive. Don’t worry. What may seem like a daunting task will soon become second nature to you, and there will be many people to help you along the way, including:

One of the first things that you need to be aware of is that online courses are not independent study. In other words, you cannot take online courses at your own pace. It would be very unwise, for example, for you to wait until week four to catch up on all of the work in weeks one through three.

While courses cannot be completed at your own pace, online courses do have a tremendous about of schedule flexibility which you won’t find in regular face–to–face classes. For example, you can easily juggle your course work around a work or class schedule. The important thing to remember is that you will have regular due dates each week and you will need to set aside time in your schedule to complete the multiple weekly tasks and assignments. In most cases, these assignments cannot be made up if you miss the due date.

As in on–campus courses, you should expect to spend three to four hours per credit hour per week working on your online course. For example, a three credit course requires approximately nine to twelve hours of work per week. You should plan a period of time into your daily schedule to work on your course.

These online courses are designed using the BYU-Idaho Learning Model. This means that an important part of each lesson involves teaching one another using discussion boards and other interactive tools. Most lessons involve interaction with the instructor and other students in large or small groups. On occasion, you may need to meet with others in your class in real time using online meeting tools. You must take part in these interactive activities in order to receive a passing grade.

Your course has been created by a team of specialists made up of university faculty and instructional designers. Although your instructor may not have been involved in the course design, he or she is a professional in the field of your course and is a certified BYU-Idaho instructor. As such, he or she will facilitate the course, working closely with you and your peers.

Some students think that online courses will be easier than their on-campus counterparts. You should be aware that the expectations for your academic performance and outcomes are the same for online classes as they are for on-campus classes. This means that whatever you would need to do to earn an A in the on-campus course, you will be expected to do the same to earn an A in the online course.

We are excited to have you enrolled in an online course. We think that you will find the significant learning, combined with the unique flexibility of an online course, to be a great experience here at BYU-Idaho. Welcome!