What do I need to know about Online Learning?

NOVA Online at Northern Virginia Community College provides students with the opportunity to take the same courses offered on campus in an online learning format. Most NOVA Online courses may be completed at home, while stationed abroad, or on the road, if traveling.

Students who are unable to commit to a specific classroom schedule because of work, travel, or other extenuating circumstances may find online learning convenient for them. Online learning courses have course material such as textbooks or online resources, assignments, exams, and interaction with faculty and/or other students. Students have the flexibility of selecting between 8, 12, and 15 week sessions. Some courses are even offered in 5 or 10 week sessions.

Some courses will have in-person meetings, labs or live virtual meetings throughout the course. All NOVA Online Courses require proctored exams or assignments. If you are out of the area, you will need to arrange to have your exams proctored. Communication with the instructor and classmates is usually electronic via email or online discussion forums. Some courses use web conferencing tools for virtual office hours or virtual class meetings.

Although online learning and on-campus courses cover the same content, the format is different. With online learning, you see the entire course from the beginning. The majority of NOVA Online courses have firm assignment due dates each week, so be sure to log in and review your course syllabus as soon as you have access to your course. Instructors open courses on the course start date, or sometimes a few days in advance. Some course may be accelerated with the instructor’s permission.

Technology provides content and interaction. NOVA Online courses use Canvas as the course management system to communicate and facilitate class discussions. Students are required to use their VCCS student email account to communicate with the instructor.

Online learning courses usually require at least as much time as you would spend taking a campus-based course. You should plan to study at least 2-3 hours a week for each credit. In other words, for each three-credit course, you would study 6-9 hours per week. When you compare this time with what you spend in class and studying outside of class, it is about the same.

Here is a chart that illustrates the general amount of time per week you should expect to study per credit hour based on the course length. For example, if you enroll in an 7-week, 3-credit class, you can expect to spend 12-18 hours per week studying for this class. In general, the shorter the class length (number of weeks), the more hours of study time you can expect to spend per week per credit.

Weekly Study Time for Online Learning

Course Length 1 Credit 2 Credits 3 Credits 4 Credits 5 Credits
6-week 5-8
hours/week		 10-16
hours/week		 16-24
hours/week		 21-32
hours/week		 26-40
hours/week
7-week 4-6
hours/week		 8-12
hours/week		 12-18
hours/week		 16-24
hours/week		 20-30
hours/week
10-week 4-5
hours/week		 7-10
hours/week		 10-15
hours/week		 13-20
hours/week		 17-25
hours/week
12-week 3-4
hours/week		 6-8
hours/week		 8-12
hours/week		 11-16
hours/week		 14-20
hours/week
15-week 2-3
hours/week		 4-6
hours/week		 6-9
hours/week		 8-12
hours/week		 10-15
hours/week

You, the student, must take an active approach to your learning. The instructor has structured the course for you and will give you feedback, but you are responsible for learning the material. Not only will you read the material and complete assignments, but you will also interpret important issues and ask questions when you need clarification. You are also responsible for keeping motivated and engaged with the course content. "You get out what you put in."

Faculty members serve as mentors, guides, or facilitators for your learning. They will encourage further thought in particular areas, initiate discussion topics, grade assignments, provide feedback on assignments, and answer any questions you have concerning the course content.

You must take the initiative to learn the course content. Planning a specific study schedule and sticking to it is imperative. Keeping track of enrollment time and completing assignments within that time frame is a major stumbling block for some online learning students.

Many students, already committed to work, family, and other activities, think that online learning is the answer to their lack of time. Conversely, if you have difficulty scheduling your time to accomplish all you need to do, adding online learning, which does not require a specific time and place, can be overwhelming.

If you enjoy or need face-to-face contact with your instructor and other students, online learning may not satisfy that need. There is electronic contact with faculty and other students in most courses, but face-to-face contact is rare.

Besides completing this orientation module, there are several ways that you can find out whether online learning is for you.

  • You can preview some of the courses for information about textbooks, assignments, and grading. Choose semester, the discipline, and the course.
  • You can work with a NOVA Online Counselor to discuss your academic plan.
  • And lastly, evaluate exactly how much time you have and how motivated you are to learn online.
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