Traditional (on-campus) courses

Online courses

Instructors deliver lectures in person, in front of a group of students, at a specific time. Although a slide show presentation can be viewed again if the instructor makes it available, the lecture itself—as an event—can’t be re-created.

Instructors post information in the form of Web pages (on the course platform), attached documents, slide show presentations, or other media. Often students can view or listen to course lectures at their convenience. Unless instructors close completed course units, the students can review these materials at any point during the semester.

In most class sessions, only a few students speak while other students listen. Students might be expected to facilitate discussions during the semester. Each discussion is a one-time event; the exact situation and content can’t be re-created later.

Typically, students are required to post responses for every online discussion and read their peers’ comments. Students might be expected to facilitate discussions during the semester. Even though the discussion might end on a particular date, students can typically review posts throughout the semester.

Writing assignments often follow a process approach: Students might be required to complete prewriting, revision, and editing activities during class or at home.

Writing assignments often follow a process approach: Students might be required to complete prewriting, revision, and editing activities online or offline.

Students typically exchange drafts and comment on peers’ essays according to set criteria. Although a few comments might be written, students usually discuss comments face-to-face.

Students e-mail or post essay drafts for other students to review. The discussion among peers often takes the form of typed comments on a paper or posts to a discussion board.

Although some instructors might assign online exercises for practice, quizzes and tests are typically completed on paper in class. Questions might be in multiple-choice, short-answer, or essay format. The time limit for quizzes and tests is usually rigid.

Quizzes and tests are typically completed online using quiz tools that are part of the course platform; questions might be in multiple-choice, short-answer, or essay format. The time limit might be rigid or flexible. Self-assessments that are designed with the quiz tool might not be graded or might be assigned points on a credit/no-credit basis.

Conferences are typically face-to-face and take place in class, in the instructor’s office on campus, or at another campus location.

Instructors might conduct conferences with their students by e-mail, by phone, or in a chat room. If students live nearby, instructors might ask students to come to the campus for a face-to-face meeting.