Is online learning right for me?
Online courses give you the flexibility to complete your coursework at home in your own time. You won’t need to think about getting to class on time or ensuring you meet specific deadlines and due dates for vocational course assignments. And it’s so easy – all you need is a computer and internet connection and you’ll be on your way. Set up at your house, your mate’s place or even the cafe down the road.
Remember that completing an online course requires the same amount of work as traditional on-campus study. You will also need to be in charge of your own time, setting your own deadlines and maintaining your pace of study.
Some students may decide that online learning is not suitable for them. For example, you may have slow internet connection or you might not want to read materials from a screen. No problem, you can still study at home via Open Colleges' (formerly Cengage Education) correspondence courses and receive all of your materials in the mail. You can also send in your assignments to be marked via post.
Online courses computer requirements
To start with, you’ll need the equipment to begin your study. To complete an Open Colleges online course, you will need to have:
- Microsoft Office 2003 or equivalent, and
- Microsoft Windows 98, or
- Mac OS X, and
- CD-ROM drive.
Students will also need access to a printer and the following applications:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader and
- Macromedia Flash player.
Certain courses and areas of the site may have additional requirements to complete the course. You’ll find the specific computer requirements associated with your course under the individual course page.