Glossary Glossary

Click here to see the glossary for the course.

Online courses offer students greater flexibility and improved accessibility, providing a range of benefits to learners by helping them cultivate transferable skills such as self-discipline, self-motivation and communication. The majority of higher education courses today incorporate at least some online elements – the difference lies in how critical this online aspect is to the learning experience.

Click on the different segments of the graphic to discover the different ways in which higher education can be delivered.

Continue on to discover the different ways in which higher education can be delivered.

Online learning can be delivered via synchronous or asynchronous activities:

  • Synchronous – learning takes place in real time and the teacher sets the dates and times for sessions, which may include live webinars, video conferencing, instant messaging and online classrooms
  • Asynchronous – learning occurs at any time and in any place; a course schedule is followed but students work at their own pace. Asynchronous sessions may include pre-recorded lectures or webinars, alongside engagement with discussion boards or chat rooms to communicate with peers and tutors.

Communication and collaboration (which may be synchronous or asynchronous) are likely to take place via email, discussion boards/forums, wikis, blogs and vlogs. Tools such as Blackboard Collaborate and Microsoft Teams, alongside other chat-based collaboration platforms, are being increasingly integrated into institutional VLEs/learning management systems (LMSs) to allow students to discuss topics and share documents within smaller groups. Many online learners will also collaborate via generally available software such as Google Docs and Dropbox.

Now let's look at some common perceptions often found among students new to online learning.

Select the tick or the cross according to whether you think the statement is true or false. Read the feedback to see if you were correct, then proceed to the next statement.

Consider each statement and determine whether you think it is true or false. Read the feedback to see if you were correct, then proceed to the next statement.

Online courses are simply face-to-face courses in electronic form.

False. Online courses are designed and delivered in different ways, being shaped according to the course content. They present learners with various engaging ways to learn. True. Online courses are designed and delivered in different ways, being shaped according to the course content. They present learners with various engaging ways to learn.

Online courses require as much study time as, if not more than, face-to-face courses.

True. Online courses may include less scheduled (synchronous) time than traditional face-to-face courses; nonetheless, they are rigorous and will require you to allocate time to your coursework. False. Although online courses may include less scheduled (synchronous) time than traditional face-to-face courses, they are rigorous and will require you to devote consistent time to your coursework.

Online learners work in isolation.

False. Although learners are responsible for setting their own study schedules, online courses often provide opportunities for socialising and collaborating with others. It is important to build a sense of community with the others on your course – this enables you to learn from others' experiences and avoid feeling isolated. True. Although learners are responsible for setting their own study schedules, online courses combine self-study with extensive interactivity and collaboration with others. It is important to build a sense of community with the others on your course – this enables you to learn from others' experiences and avoid feeling isolated.

Online learning can look very different from one online course to another. Reflect on how your course is being delivered:

  • Is it wholly online or will it include some face-to-face sessions?
  • How much of the learning is scheduled?
  • How much of the learning material are you expected to engage with in your own time?

By thinking about these questions early on, you will develop a better sense of what to expect. Whether you are already doing some learning online or preparing to do so, it is never too early to start planning for how you will adjust your study practices to this new way of working.

Reflective questions are featured across this module – you can access a downloadable template allowing you to write up your responses to these questions on the "Module summary and action plan" screen.

 Students say Students say

I had no [prior experience of] online learning as part of my course. As learning went online I was sceptical of its ability to replace face-to-face teaching, but was then pleasantly surprised by its delivery.

I am learning new things every day, improving my ability and confidence as I go.

Jon, 21

I was afraid that doing my degree as a distance learning course online would mean I lost out on opportunities to make new friends and connections. Luckily, there has been a lot of emphasis on developing relationships with the others on the course. I'm already making plans to meet up with a group of other people from my course in person next month.

Liang, 18

I thought doing the course online would require less commitment than a face-to-face degree programme, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm probably putting in more study hours for my online course than I was for my undergraduate degree, where I actually attended in person.

Hannah, 25

I went from an undergrad course that was largely face-to-face to a distance-learning programme. Since my master's programme is largely research-based, most of my interactions have been with my supervisor. Recently, my institution has introduced online 'coffee breaks' where master's students with similar research areas are brought together for a casual, virtual chat. This has been really helpful and I feel like I'm really starting to build a rapport with people.

Oleg, 22