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Online Learning

Go to classroom format · Go to online format

Professionals who wish to enhance their skills in construction management, but who cannot commute twice a week to the Seattle campus, can take advantage of this program's online learning format. The construction management advisory board has adapted the curricula to an online learning format, which takes 15 months to complete. This award-winning program has the following benefits:

• Students start in a group and have a peer group to share experiences as they proceed through the program.
• Many of the same instructors teach in the classroom and online learning format.
• Students use the internet and voice mail to communicate with other students and instructors.
• Both the classroom and online learning formats cover the same practical content areas.

By the end of the program, participants develop familiarity and skill with the technologies that will help them excel in the workplace of the future. The chart below compares the classroom and online learning formats.

Choose Classroom or Online Learning The online learning format is very similar to the classroom format, but there are some important differences. Some students do better in one format than in the other; your motivation and learning style are key factors. Review the following comparison, as well as the Qualities for Success through Online Learning and Frequently Asked Questions below.
	Classroom	Online Learning
Competencies Gained	Technical skills necessary to define and solve practical construction problems Managerial skills necessary to make and implement sound and timely decisions in a prudent and pofessional manner	Technical skills necessary to define and solve practical construction problems Managerial skills necessary to make and implement sound and timely decisions in a prudent and pofessional manner
Faculty	Gallagher, Gerber, Gerde, Holm, Martinsen, Matter, Sutherland, Westmoreland	Gallagher, Hogen, Sage
Time Required to Learn Content and Skills	8 months; students take one course in the first term and two each in succeeding terms	15 months; courses are completed sequentially; the 15 months include a three-month break during the summer, 2009.
Tuition	$3,520	$3,281
Media Used to Deliver Curriculum	Classroom instruction, blueprints and textbooks	Specially designed online course guides, blueprints and textbooks, Web-based materials, e-mail, regular online discussions, virtual office hours, and online quizzes
Time Spent in Classroom	3 hours twice a week for 30 weeks	None
Technology Required	None	Computer, Internet access, fax, and e-mail account
Interaction with Faculty	Interaction in the classroom	No face-to-face, but frequent e-mail, voice mail, fax, online discussions and telephone conferences
Networking Opportunities	Twice a week for 30 weeks	Online discussions during the entire program
Team Projects	Group meetings during and outside of class time	Teamwork conducted and managed using online resources as well as fax and e-mail

Preview Program Online

Prospective students can view the introduction to some of the Construction Management course guides by clicking on "View the Course Introduction" within the individual course descriptions.

Qualities for Success through Online Learning

You should consider your learning style, strengths and preferences before enrolling in the online learning format. This format is especially appropriate if you are self-motivated, goal-oriented and work well independently. Some points to consider:

Are you self-motivated and disciplined?
An online learning course saves commuting time, but requires at least as much time as attending classes and completing assignments for campus courses. If you are skilled at managing your time to minimize distractions and achieve goals, then you will be successful in this format.

Are you comfortable following written instructions?
Most online learning courses rely on the use and exchange of written materials rather than in-person explanations. In an online learning course, for example, you obtain information and instructions via the electronic study guide and print textbook. You exchange information with your instructors and classmates via teleconferences or electronic discussions on the Internet, or via voice mail and e-mail. You will benefit from online learning courses if you are comfortable with learning through reading and communicating in writing.

Would you enjoy participating in a "virtual" learning community?
You may be studying in your living room, but you are not alone when you take an online learning course. With the help of a variety of technologies, you'll be part of a large and diverse "virtual" community; you'll exchange ideas and information with your instructors and other students, and take part in online discussion and collaborative interaction to complete individual and team assignments. If you like to take responsibility for your own learning, you will get the most out of the online learning environment.

Frequently Asked Questions about Online Learning

Q: Construction management involves hands-on learning. How do people learn about estimating and preparing bids through online learning?

A: The key is careful preparation, and use of a variety of different technologies. Learning occurs as you work your way through specially designed exercises that you submit electronically, receiving frequent, regular feedback from your instructor via e-mail. You'll also use the Internet to assemble information and prepare individual bids for your construction projects. Your instructor will compile and share the individual bids to simulate the competitive process. In this way, you'll practice assembling and analyzing the information you need to complete a construction estimate, and will be ready to participate in a mock "bid day" exercise online at the end of the course.

Q: Are the visual materials mostly just photos or drawings in a textbook? Sometimes those just aren't clear enough to explain what you need. If the instructor isn't right there to clarify, it's difficult to understand.

A: This program includes visuals of many different types. Some are included in the textbook, others are available via construction blueprints and some will be available to you directly on the Internet, where the quality can be much higher than we could reproduce on paper. For example, in the safety course, you'll be able to visit the Web site to examine more than 100 photographs related to safety do's and don'ts.

Q: I thought one of the primary benefits of the program was having construction industry professionals as instructors, and meeting other professionals in the field. How can I do that via online learning?

A: The program encourages virtual interactions. Whether you're discussing a specific topic with several classmates in an electronic forum, exchanging e-mail with your instructor, or working on a project, you'll be in touch with each other often in many different ways. Both students and instructors frequently comment that the online learning environment feels more personal than they had thought it would, precisely because it is very one-on-one.

Q: Do I need to be a computer whiz before I can even get started?

A: No. You're going to need easy access to a PC with an Internet connection, familiarity with the computer for e-mail and for logging on to the Internet. As for the rest, we'll teach you what you need to know to handle this program, and we'll be there to help if you need it. For a description of the minimum computer system configuration you'll need, see Technology Requirements for Online Learning.