Last Updated Sep 2013
Online education has given many faculty members and students the opportunity to learn and work at any time. The student gets a chance to complete assignments any time. This is also very convenient for busy faculty members who live far from the institution. The biggest advantage of online therapy education is the ability to learn in your own time.
Therapy students, after you've considered taking a course to receive an online therapy degree, commit yourself to learning. You should be ready to be responsible for your academic success. Don't expect someone to run behind your back asking you to complete your projects and assignments before the deadline. Be diligent and spare enough time to complete the course.
Your instructors may be busy teaching elsewhere and may not reply to your concerns immediately, learn to be patient. Better yet, ask help from your peers and at the same time, share your knowledge too. They can be an essential resource while you complete the course.
Don't take something difficult as your first course. It is also suggested to
enroll yourself in only one course. Give yourself some time to get comfortable with the course materials. Once you've adjusted, you can consider taking more than one course but don't let this affect other obligations in your life. Don't be too hasty, you might miss out on an important information or assignment. Avoid making a mistake on not completing something you have to do. Don't give yourself reasons to get discouraged with online therapy education.
If you are thinking about teaching an online therapy course, you will also face the same students have. Since everything is done virtually and online, make sure to keep communicating with your students. If a student is seeking for your assistance, do whatever you can to guide them.
Computer issues and problems nagivating through the site often discourage first time online students. These are some reasons why they drop the course or stop taking more online course. As a faculty member, you are responsible to build up their confidence and encourage them to ask for help whenever they need it. Remember, faculties facilitate and not "feed" the material.
Online seminars are being used as a teaching tool and is a great opportunity to communicate with each other in "real time". Despite the technical issues you may face, be patient and plan it well to avoid problems.
For both students and faculty, online therapy education can be a very helpful experience as long as they understand the problems and obstacles that they would have to go through. They must learn how to deal with them with patience and constant communication to avoid frustration and, eventually, quitting.
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