 
Online Courses
What Does it Take to Take a
Course?
Elders’ Institute online courses are typically six weeks long.
Course participants should plan to work on the course approximately
four to six hours each week to complete the course readings,
assignments and exercises; respond to other course participants’
postings and communicate with the course instructor on the course
website.
A prior knowledge of the Internet and online courses is helpful, but
never required. Qualified, technical support is available throughout
every course. All course participants receive an online course handbook
with technical and practical information.
Course participants are encouraged to work on a particular unit at
their own pace during the week but are asked to follow the general
timeline of the course and move on to the next course unit at the
beginning of each week. This ensures fruitful dialogue about course
content and assignments. Students participate by posting assignments,
responding to discussions and asking questions. Regular posting is the
only way to be present in an online course.
Requirement for Online Learning at
Elders' Institute
You must be able to
say YES to the following questions about computers and computer
skills:
- I have regular access to a computer with at least 64 MB RAM and
20 MB storage.
- I have my own email account and Internet access.
- I am comfortable communicating through email in English. (The
Elders’ Institute will be offering courses in other languages
in the future.)
- I can send and receive email attachments.
- I can use search engines to find information on the Internet.
- I can use a word-processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word) and
can copy and paste text between applications.
- If my computer gives me problems during a course, I know where I
can go to use an alternate computer with Internet access.
You must also be
able to say YES to these questions about time:
- I am prepared to spend approximately 4-6 hours per week on the
course.
- I will not be away from computer access for more than three days
between the beginning and end of the course.
- People I live with know that I will be a participant in an online
course and require 4-6 hours per week to work on the course.
Course Guide for Online Learners
Before starting an Elders Institute course, you must have a Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account. Instructions for setting up your account and getting started, along with other helpful information about online learning, may be found in the Elders' Institute's Course Guide for Online Learners.
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