Time for Learning
An Idea for Your Classroom
Learning online is not for everyone. Learners in online classrooms need to be self-motivated and disciplined. The best learners will be assertive in searching for answers, ask questions to clarify concepts, and proactive. If you have participants who are new to online learning, you can help them to understand the demands and characteristics of learning online by asking them to take the Readiness Indicator for Learning Online. One of the items that it will encourage them to think about is the time commitment.
The University of Edinburgh suggests learners set aside 7–10 hours a week per course for completing course work. The Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis, recommends that its Business of Medicine MBA students plan to spend 8–12 hours per week on course preparation. Ten hours per week is often cited by a variety of university websites as an estimate for a 3 credit course, such as on this page from Johns Hopkins University.
Of course, any estimate is just that—an estimate. Much will depend on the student's proficiency with reading comprehension, writing aptitude, and technology skills. As an online learning instructor, it is important that you:
- State your course objectives clearly
- Identify your expectations for work in the course
- Refer learners to institutional technology and writing resources as needed, and
- Clarify the time commitments that you expect from learners
Having this conversation with students early will help them to form study plans, and in some cases, to drop the class if they learn they are not a good fit for learning online.
We'll close this section with a recap of time commitments for learners and faculty.