Most of the courses at the University of Helsinki’s Open University are organised as web-based studies, so you can participate from anywhere. Online studying is flexible and independent.
Studying online is flexible and independent. You can study wherever you are and according to your own schedule. However, this flexibility and independence also means that web-based studies require planning and time management skills.
Web-based courses vary on the strictness of their schedule and timetable. Some of them are completely open for the student to complete at their convenience. However, most online courses use a pre-determined schedule. For example:
The practicalities and schedules for your course are posted on the course page and in the online learning environment.
In online courses, as in all studies, general good behavior and rules are followed.
Nearly all Open University courses use an online learning environment. Depending on how the course is structured, the online learning environment can be used to view online lectures, complete and submit assignments, participate in online discussions, complete online examinations and inform students about matters relating to their studies.
In most cases, the environment is called Moodle. The online learning environments for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) vary by course.
Further information and instructions:
Online courses usually involve online lectures and/or recordings of online lectures. The schedules and links to the online lectures or recordings are in the online learning environment of your course.
Online lectures are held on Zoom.
Interaction between the teacher and other students of the online course is an important and rewarding aspect of web-based studies. It can be fun to meet other students who come from many different backgrounds and life situations.
Online discussions may also be a required component of your course. In such cases, the online discussions will be asynchronous. Students can participate in the discussion whenever convenient within the set timeframe.
Such online discussions usually take place in writing on the course discussion forum.
Online discussions in support of learning are often utilised in online learning environments. Following netiquette, or internet etiquette, is important for online discussions to be fit-for-purpose and promote both your learning and studying as well as that of your fellow students.
In online learning environments, people consciously vary their style of writing depending on the purpose:
In informal discussion forums, the discussion is comparable to conversation, which makes spelling less important.
In texts associated with learning assignments and course completion, the written language and spelling must be of good quality. Any exceptions to this general rule are indicated in the instructions related to the assignment.
All online discussion and email communication must comply with the rules of good communication.
Discussions focus on the matter at hand, avoiding any kind of offensive or personal remarks. At times, particular discussion topics or styles of communication may arouse strong feelings. You should not write messages or comments in a very emotional state, as you will usually regret such posts later on.
Written text can be interpreted in ways that differ from the writer’s intention, which is why it is particularly important to pay attention to your mode of expression. Matter-of-fact, clear, concise and well-structured text is the easiest to interpret as intended. Unnecessary meandering and deviations from the matter at hand should be avoided. Write in lower case, since CAPITAL LETTERS are usually interpreted as yelling. Bold-faced text can be used for emphasis, while smileys can make it easier to interpret your message.
All discussion in learning environments is part of studying. Its purpose is to promote learning and boost a positive learning experience throughout individual student groups. Messages that are inappropriate, offensive or otherwise violate netiquette can be deleted from discussion forums.
Read more about online etiquette (Student’s digital skills course)
In addition to individual work and assignments, an online course may feature shared assignments such as groupwork. The group can agree their work methods among themselves. The work can use sound and video connections (e.g., Teams).
Online courses typically include one or more written assignment, such as an essay, a summary or a learning journal. In the assignments, students use and analyse the lectures, reading and any other course material.
On some online courses, participants evaluate each other’s assignments, providing peer feedback and learning from each other’s work.
Read more: Written assignments
An online examination is a digital examination conducted in an online learning environment at a specific time or within a specific timeframe. Students use their own computers in an online examination.
Read more about online examinations: Examinations
Web-based studies require a good internet connection. The best way of using online learning environments and participating in online lectures is through a high-speed landline connection.
The recommended browser is Chrome.
As a rule, you will not need to install specific software to participate in web-based studies. If the course requires a particular piece of software (e.g., SPSS), this will be indicated on the course page.
Online lectures are held on Zoom. Zoom can be used via a browser or the Zoom app. See also: Online lectures (above).
Web-based studies involve a great deal of writing, so you will need a word processor in your studies.
Firewalls and other security software installed on computers at workplaces and other organisations may prevent online courses or videos from loading.
The Open University is not responsible for any problems resulting from the students’ internet connections or computers, for example during an online lecture or examination.
The Open University’s web-based studies are also available from outside Finland. However, please note the following: