As you consider applying to join an upcoming CBTE Minor cohort, you may have questions about whether or not online learning is right for you. We would encourage you to engage in prayerful deliberation as you consider what learning online may mean for you. The slides below, though, provide some of the central questions an MLC CBE faculty mentor might ask you as part of the initial exploration of whether or not this program is the right fit for you.
Do you have reliable access to a computer and stable internet connection ?
An online program requires you to engage with the content of the program through a computer and the Internet. While you do not need high-speed internet or a top-of-the-line laptop or computer, you do need to have reliable access to both to engage with the course content and activities in the online learning environment.
A cellphone or tablet might work to consume information or join a virtual conference meeting, but a laptop or computer is the preferred method for crafting your assignments and engaging with quizzes and tests.
Can you dedicate several hours per course each week (anytime during the day or night) to participate in the learning process?
An online class requires regular interaction on your part. While you can schedule most of your classwork time around your life and work expectations, you do need to make sure that you are engaging with content each week.
A good rule of thumb is that each credit of class is equal to about 40 hours of work per term, so a three-credit class is about 120 hours of coursework. Some classes are designed so that those hours of classwork are completed across a term. Others are more flexibly paced so that you can dedicate more time to a course in a week and advance through the content, activities, and assessments at an accelerated pace.
Are you a self-motivated and self-disciplined person?
Learners in our CBE program are not alone. They are in a cohort of learners and share many of the same classes together. They have their faculty instructors and their faculty mentors to support them on their learning journey. Learners also have the ability to meet with their faculty throughout their studies using individual, small group, and class video conferences.
As an online program, though, there is a lot of independent learning. Learners should be prepared to manage their time and stay on task in an online learning environment.
Are you comfortable learning new technologies?
Rest assured that we will not adopt or include new technologies in a course without providing guidance and support. Still, innovations in academic technology seem to be appearing at an exponential pace. As we adopt and include new technologies into our coursework, guidance will be provided in the cohort orientation and shared within the course where they are used. It is important for us to include those innovations in our coursework to prepare those who will be serving in the public ministry.
