In Line with Online

Online learning at Saint Paul College can open up a wealth of new learning opportunities.

In the last few years, online learning has become increasingly popular. And with good reason — online courses allow students to fit education into their busy schedules and provide new levels of flexibility and convenience.

Saint Paul College has been offering online courses for several years now, and recently received accreditation from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system for online learning. The College also will soon offer an AA degree online, and has recently expanded its offerings to include credit and noncredit courses in a wide variety of areas. How wide is the range?

Students can select from courses in the following areas:

• Business and business technology
• Cosmetology
• Human resources
• Child development
• Culinary arts
• Liberal Arts courses in psychology, math, history, political science, social science, speech communications, biology, and more.

One exciting new option is the Human Resources Online Accelerated Certificate, which is designed for individuals who are currently working in the human resources field, or who have management backgrounds in HR issues. The accelerated program is completely available through distance learning and it is transferable to the College's Human Resources AAS degree.

"Many of our students work or have children with day care needs; online courses allow them to fit education into their busy schedules," says Shelley Bibeau, associate dean, Instructional Technology & Professional Development, and the coordinator of online delivery at Saint Paul College.

Bibeau adds that while some students say they can participate online more comfortably than in the classroom, others prefer a mix of online and face–to–face learning. "Some students take courses both online and in person," she notes. "Either way, we offer a lot of flexibility, and we try to make online learning a positive experience for our students."

Saint Paul College English Instructor Dominic Saucedo, who teaches both online and face–to–face courses, echoes Bibeau's comments. ?I think students are sometimes scared off by the unfortunate term, "distance learning," he says. "While some of my [online] students might be in another state or another country, the community is immediate and up close. Whether it's through asynchronous discussions or writing workshops, there is a sense that there is someone there on the other end, listening, responding, and engaging. I've sat in traditional classes where students were face forward and unaware of who was next to them in class. Online learning, when done well, is the opposite of that experience."

Making it work

If there's a challenge to online learning, it's that the courses require a certain degree of motivation and the discipline to work independently. Students also should be comfortable with following written instructions and at least somewhat familiar with computers. You'll need access to an up–to–date computer and an Internet connection (with a minimum of a 56K modem), along with some basic computer skills. If you face any problems, Saint Paul College offers help available in the form of online video and face–to–face orientations. The College also has high levels of technical support, with drop–in open lab centers from Monday to Saturday, often until 10 p.m., and an e-mail help desk that can answer most questions.

In addition to the flexibility that they offer, online courses at Saint Paul College can be a tremendous value. "Our online courses are not very costly," says Bibeau. "Students pay the regular tuition and a nominal fee for online. What's more, registration is simple and can be done online as well."

Learn more about Online Learning at Saint Paul College.