Studying Online
As long as you have a computer and a high-speed internet connection, you are ready for class. Courses are divided into sessions that each last approximately one week. A clear schedule is given throughout the course to help you stay on track. Sessions typically include:
- a set of objectives
- text or reading assignments
- interaction and posting requirements
- written assignments to be turned-in
- a "lecture" and content enhancement material
- a quiz or other form of assessment
You will log in to receive the requirements and content items, complete your work off-line at your convenience, then go back online to interact and submit the results.
All the courses are asynchronous, meaning that you can accomplish the weekly requirements at your convenience. To facilitate an online learning community, you are required to interact online with fellow classmates, but most courses have no set class or meeting times. This flexibility helps you handle schedule conflicts, as well as allows time for athletics, work, or other school activities.
Cedarville online courses are in most ways very similar to their face-to-face equivalents and in general are neither harder nor easier. They require the same amount of effort. Online course management systems such as Blackboard® provide the technology that makes it possible to give frequent quizzes that supply immediate feedback to you. In most of the Academy courses, you will take quizzes during the week and then a summative assessment of some type at the end of the section block (normally a week).
For courses that have a lab component (e.g. Principles of Earth Science) you receive a lab kit or virtual lab package and individually perform the lab and then submit the results.
