Some San Diego State University students never have to leave thecomfort of their home or office to take certain courses.
SDSU is now offering six online classes to students through theCollege of Extended Studies. Professors are making the coursesflexible and cheaper to students. With only a few clicks, studentsare now able to register for online courses throughout the year.
For $198 per class, students also receive the materials requiredfor the course, including the textbook.
The online classes are cheaper than a regular summer or wintersession class.
Mike Dessero, a mechanical engineer senior, said $198 is a gooddeal for a class that doesn’t require too much time.
“I would recommend the class because it’s easy and convenient,”Dessero said. “Not going to boring lectures is a plus for taking anonline course.”
Jack Logan, a SDSU professor who teaches two online music courses,said he tried to find a good way for students to access onlineclasses with more flexibility then they currently have.
“There is more flexibility with the time schedule and the spaceavailability,” Logan said. “Students can access the class fromanywhere in the world.”
There are 345 students currently enrolled in the six class offeredby SDSU. The World Music 345 class has the most students enrolledwith 288.
Logan said since the online class began, approximately 1,200students have taken one of the six classes.
Logan said he believes he was the first professor at SDSU to offercomplete online classes. He developed a Web page where students areable to access class materials easily and download a variety of musicpieces.
Students are able to take the midterms whenever they want, and asmany times as they need. Each of the online courses is worth threeunits and many satisfy upper division and the American Institutionsrequirements.
Martha Vargas-Rico, a SDSU clinical social work graduate, took anonline music class this summer. She said she liked the class becauseshe was able to take it at her own pace without leaving home.
“I have recommended the class to others because it is flexible toyour needs,” Vargas-Rico said.
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson launched the online courses in1997 to serve as a gateway to distance learning courses and programsfrom California institutions, according to the San DiegoUnion-Tribune.
Logan said other schools may offer more online courses but manyare just lectures and/or class materials online, and students stillhave to attend classes.
Currently 21 California colleges and universities have some onlineclass, including community colleges.
The six classes offered by SDSU are Introduction to Art 157,Introduction to Music 151, World Music 345, Jazz History andAppreciation 351, and Political Science 102 and 320.
A future online course is a recreational course scheduled for thewinter and spring session.
For more information log on to http://www.ces.sdsu.edu/.
