What
is online learning?
Online distance learning means taking classes over the Internet.
Courses (both for Credit and non-credit) are offered online, using the
Web and e-mail. Students register for courses, Professors teach the
material, classroom discussion takes place and assignments and term
papers are completed and turned in - all just as in a regular
classroom. Many of the assignments and discussions take place
through email and are often posted to a web discussion board.
All our courses are "asynchronous," which means that you can
log on any time to participate. Courses do have a start date and an
end date, with assignments scheduled by the instructor and required to
be completed on time.
What are the benefits of online courses?
Certain benefits are obvious. Some people who live far away
from the seminary will now be able to take our courses.
Likewise, many of our students have difficulty fitting their
educational efforts into busy professional schedules, juggling family
obligations and other commitments. Online learning allows us to
bring the educational opportunities to these folks in a creative way.
Other benefits are
less evident. Online education allows you to work independently and at
your own pace. It is an excellent mode of education for students
who shy away from anxiety producing social situations and for those
who prefer to think out an answer to the professor’s question.
There is a different kind of involvement and “personal contact”
with other students and the professor. Many online students
report a special kind of thought-provoking interaction that is
different and in some ways better, than a traditional classroom.
Is
the quality of an online course as high as a traditional classroom
course?
The professors and the syllabi of online courses are the same high
quality as in our face-to-face Seminary program. Our distance
program must meet the same strict Association of Theological
Schools’ measures of accreditation as the rest of our Seminary
courses.
Can
I complete my Degree Online?
Recent changes in our accreditation
policies mean that Hartford Seminary MA students can now have more
than 2 distance education courses
count toward their degree requirements.
We are committed to offering at least one online course each semester.
Are
online courses right for me?
Online education is a great option for people who are
self-motivated learners. Online students also need to be able to
follow written instructions and communicate in writing. You need to
feel comfortable with the technology of e-mail, voice mail, the Web,
fax, and VCR—and you need to have regular access to a computer with
sufficient memory and an Internet connection (see more technological
details below). Online learning provides a lot of written interaction
with students and instructors, but no (or very little) face-to-face
interaction. Many students enjoy the focused communication that the
online format facilitates, but online learning is probably not right
for you if you prefer face-to-face communication.
Our partner, The CT
Distance Learning Consortium, has created an excellent question and
answer section about “whether distance learning is right for you.”
We recommend prospective students take a look at this page at http://www.ctdlc.org/Student/assessment.html
How
much time will my online course take?
On average, you should expect to spend 3 hours a class session on
the course web site reviewing text-based lectures, posting assignments
electronically and reading the postings of your fellow students. You
should plan to spend an additional 6-9 hours a session reading
assigned materials and completing written assignments.
What
is the coursework like?
Most online courses follow a typical course format, with readings,
reflection papers, feedback from the professor and dialogue with your
fellow students. You receive a similar amount of class/instructor
contact time as students in our face-to-face courses. Online classes
have limited enrollment, allowing you to get to know your professor
and fellow students personally.
You can access your coursework anytime. Once your course begins, you
should log on every few days (depending on what your professor
requests) to access new email notes or discussion postings.
How
will I get my textbooks?
Your instructor will share this information with you as part of the
Course Syllabus. You are able to purchase your books online from the
Seminary Bookstore.
Will
I have access to the Seminary Library?
As a registered student of Hartford Seminary, you will be given a
student ID number which will allow you to access all the online
library resources we have. Visit the library site at www.library.hartsem.edu
to see what is available and to take full advantage of the resources
of the library.
Additionally many of
the readings, discussion themes and research topics will have lists of
web-based online resources to supplement the course and library
resources.
Is there someone who
can answer my questions if I have technical difficulties?
You won’t be
alone in cyberspace! You will be able to contact the distance
education director or his assistant with any questions who might have.
We can answer your questions, provide advice and counsel, and walk you
through the entire process of online learning. The distance
education office employees are available by phone, fax, or email.
We are also creating “how to” guides that address basic issues
such as downloading and installing Adobe reader or opening word files
from the web to assist online students.
Likewise, your course
professor may be able to help with basic technological questions.
Additionally, our
partner, the CT Distance Learning Consortium (CTDLC), has a Technical
Support staff. They can answer your questions by email support@ctdlc.org or over the phone 860-832-3887. The CTDLC staff monitors the calls and emails 7 days a week.
In addition, there is a Frequently
Asked Questions section under Technical
Support that provides answers to common questions and problems.
NOTE:
not all of the CTDLC answers apply to students taking courses through
Hartford Seminary. The CTDLC supports a host of different kinds
of schools and online programs. If you have a question about the
program and course requirements please contact Hartford Seminary
registrar or the distance learning director.
Can
I experiment with an online course before taking a course at Hartford
Seminary?
Yes, we highly recommend the novice or expert visit one of two
model tutorial courses and play around with the technology and the
idea of learning online.
Our
partner, the CT Distance Learning Consortium, offers an online
tutorial and numerous other supportive pages of instruction for the
online learner. We encourage everyone to visit the Student
Resource section of this site at http://www.ctdlc.org/Student/index.html
We
use "Blackboard" software to provide our online courses. Blackboard
has an orientation to help you get comfortable with their format, and
once you register for class, we will direct you to the online
orientation site.
The CTDLC also has a
Blackboard FAQ section that can answer most of your questions: http://www.ctdlc.org/Help/Blackboard/bb_faq.html
We strongly
recommend that all students in our online classes complete this
orientation before their classes begin. This will help you complete
your online courses with greater ease and confidence.
What
kind of equipment do I need?
Students should have a PC or Macintosh computer with reliable access
to the Internet, and use Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher) or Netscape
Navigator 4.0 (or higher) as their browser. Our partner, the CT
Distance Learning Consortium, offers a page that will test your system
to see if it meets the basic requirements for online education at http://www.ctdlc.org/Help/requirements.html
You may also need to
upgrade your browser or get additional “plug-ins” (software to do
special things like read .pdf files or listen to a recording over the
web). The CTDLC has created a page of links to many of these
tools at http://www.ctdlc.org/Help/download.html
Is there a registration deadline?
Yes, the registration deadline is the first day of class. We recommend,
however, you enroll and pay for the course at least two business days before the start of
your course so you can became familiar with the technology and course format.
Matriculated students should follow Seminary policy and meet with
their advisor and go through the normal registration procedure.
What
kinds of courses do you offer?
We offer a variety of kinds of courses. The Masters level 3
credit course is exactly the same as any of our face-to-face courses
at the Seminary. This course can be taken for credit or audited
for no credit. The cost of online MA courses is the same as our
face-to-face courses. The cost of non-credit courses will vary
but will be approximately $40./course.
To see the full listing of online courses being offered visit our
distance learning information page.
