Attending classes, keeping up with your coursework, completing and submitting assignments on time can all be challenging even in campus settings. So, how do online students learn, and how do they schedule their studies?

Online degrees
Over the past two decades, the increasing availability of good Internet connections and advanced communication technologies have made distance learning more accessible and attractive even in the technology and medical fields. A wide range of universities, including the top 10 accredited online universities, have broadened the number of courses to include even the most advanced subjects.

How are the course materials delivered?
Most online degrees from accredited universities offering online courses make use of a Learning Management System. Through this, a student portal is created with each student having access to their own section, secured by a password. When students log in, they have access to all the digital course materials, other reference materials and study aids, recorded lectures, student assignments etc. They also have access to forums, discussion boards, messengers, video conferencing etc.

How do students attend classes online?
Online courses typically have a combination of live lectures and asynchronous learning and assignments. With live classrooms, all students have to log in to their student portal at the same time. They listen to the lecture, can ask the instructor questions, and interact with each other.

Mostly, lectures are also recorded and made available asynchronously. This may help students who may not be able to attend synchronous classroom sessions because of work and other commitments. Besides these scheduled classes, some more lectures may be recorded and made available to help students understand complex topics in their courses.

How do students interact with professors and other students?
The student portal provides access to email, discussion boards, chat, conference calls and other means of communication. Professor profiles are provided on the website with ways to contact them. Students can send emails or chat with the instructors when they have doubts on some topics, or other issues to clarify.

Students can also exchange emails IDs with each other. They can use the discussion forums or conferencing tools to schedule study sessions where they learn together and exchange ideas.

How are assignments, tests, and exams conducted?
While some courses may require live assignment completion, most online courses are flexible. Assignments and tests are made available at the portal, and students may complete them and submit them in their free time. However, there may be weekly or monthly deadlines set for this work to be completed and submitted for assessment.

Semester exams may require students to travel to a local exam center. Some courses may conduct proctored online exams where students are closely monitored through webcams as they complete the exam.

Are there real-world interactions?
Some courses like engineering, nursing etc., may require students to attend classroom and lab sessions on campus or arranged at local centers. These lab and classroom sessions are not frequent and may happen only a few times over the period of the semester.

Look for good online degrees by accredited universities, and enroll for the degree course of your choice. You can now do online degree courses in any discipline, and at any level from Associate to Bachelor, to Master and even Doctoral studies. If you choose one of the best online universities accredited by recognized accreditation authorities, these degrees will be considered on par with regular on-campus degrees by employers.