It's growing in popularity the world over. More and more people are finding it difficult to make time in attending classes regularly. A steady stream of students wanting to earn a college degree is attracted to the distance education alternative. But how exactly does an online degree program work? Here's a quick overview.

The term begins with delivery of course materials to duly registered students for the term. In its barest forms, learning packages would include learning modules (books), compilation of resources, video and audio discs of relevant content, a course guide and a course calendar.

In institutions with highly developed programs like those offered at The Hadley School for the Blind, course materials and coursework for courses offered at eHadley, the online school, are all done electronically.

Online students have a virtual campus/classroom. A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is very much similar to a discussion or message board but with added features. There are areas for specific courses and places for depositing assignments and retrieving electronic handouts throughout the term.

Throughout the term, students interact with other students and their tutors via email and chats. Most university portals would include an email and chat facility for this purpose. It's an option, in addition to using other web-based email programs or POP3 accounts. Off-site communications though is at the learner's prerogative as live discussion feeds can be subscribed to and are delivered to your off-site inbox.

Online Automated Student Information System (OASIS) is another unique feature of online courses that you don't find anywhere else. OASIS provides students with virtual access to the University Registrar's files as it pertains to them. Password-protected access lets students view their university records and even allows them to file forms and correspond with the University Registrars office.

University professors handling the courses during the term are referred to as tutors. They facilitate discussions and handle questions. They also rate student assignments and issue a student's final grades. But unlike in a traditional university set up, tutors are not necessary the same people who wrote the plan and instructional materials for the courses they handle. Normally, the course plan and materials are collaborative efforts of an entire department and team leads are not always the course tutors.

In most cases, even final exams are standardized and included in the preparation of course materials. But make no mistake about it. The tutors are experts in the fields they handle and are part of the team who developed your course plans and instructional materials. Most would have written some of the resources you are provided with.

eLibrary Services is an interesting feature of online courses. Some very advanced virtual universities have copies of their library files in digital formats and students are given access to certain sections, depending on the courses they're enrolled in.

As a supplement, educational institutions offering online college degrees partner with various schools and libraries in areas where they have students from. The learning centers, as these are called, act like pilot offices that cater to the needs of online students in a specific area. From administrative tasks to student support services, learning center coordinators assist students in virtually every way.



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