What I value most in online teaching is its inevitable emphasis on the learning process and the needs of the learners. The students are great: they are bright, hardworking, and resourceful. And there is the opportunity to work with Pitt Online’s course designers and instructional technologists, whose ideas and insights have made my courses much better.

When I taught my first graduate online class, I was skeptical about utilizing the discussion board, as I always believed that interaction in a physical classroom was far more instructive. I happily discovered that students felt that it opened a space to share ideas and to experience a large range of topics. Since most LIS graduate students are employed and cannot easily attend on-campus classes, the online program provides students with a flexible and stimulating environment that opens up new ideas and challenges in their field.

Working online has transformed the way I organize and present material to students, making it easier to bring together a nice mix of learning resources through different media. Topic-based discussion forums are a great way to encourage students to engage with professional issues that they will encounter in the field at a much deeper level than we can do in the on-campus classroom.

This program has opened new doors for me in teaching. At first, I was skeptical of online classes, but now I consider them equal or even superior. Online classes offer activities that wouldn’t be possible in the classroom, and bring together students who otherwise wouldn’t interact. They promote independent learning, which is an important skill for students to master for the job market. I encourage students to take online classes because they are a rewarding academic experience.

Students come with a wealth of knowledge and highly relevant personal experiences that enhance the class experience. I enjoy interacting with my students online, reviewing interesting research articles together, and learning from them in our lively discussions. Students are highly motivated and take advantage of opportunities to pursue interests in gerontology. I highly recommend this program for students and working professionals who want to become leaders in the field of aging.

I teach Human Performance: Nutrition & Aging and reach individuals interested in being more realistic and evidence-based in their contacts with older adults. Many of the students are employed in adult-centered programs and facilities, and our interaction means we can personalize the academics to the learner.  Online fits the here and now!

Online classes have provided me the opportunity to develop a variety of teaching strategies that have incorporated different software and social media to enhance the educational process. Teaching students from many different locations has enriched the experience for both myself and my students. They’re interacting and learning about nursing in all parts of the country, and we can build upon this knowledge to promote the nursing profession.

I oversee the Graduate Orientation Module course which is required for all newly admitted graduate students – about 150 students enroll in the course every academic year. Because the module is well designed, very few students face challenges in completing the module. Any question can be resolved quickly and professionally by the Pitt Online staff!

I love learning with my students enrolled through online courses! We learn together as we react to current literature and published evidence, as well as apply our lived experience to clinical and managerial problems in health care. I enjoy challenging the student’s thinking through discussion boards and class assignments.  It is much more fun to be the ‘coach on the side’ than the ‘sage on the stage’!

It has been a great and unique experience teaching online. With the progress of modern technology, I am still constantly amazed that we can now provide opportunities outside of a typical classroom setting to students anywhere in the country. I enjoy teaching online because of its timely communication, immediate feedback on students’ progress, great tools to facilitate teaching, and the unique interaction between instructor and students.

I found it fascinating to meet students from across the country who I felt connected to, either through having lived in their part of the country or belonging to a church denominational group. In just seeing their picture, I could feel their human spirit and learning excitement come through. It has enriched my teaching experience in many ways.

I love the process of planning online courses and trying new instructional moves: weaving in a virtual conference last year, and having students tinker with paper circuitry this year. I was interested to see that some students engaged more deeply in the course content than they would have in similar face-to-face courses, applying their new learning to current teaching situations and making sense of readings through reflective commentary.

I have been teaching online courses since 2010–this has been quite an experience since I had to switch to an online classroom mindset. I have been able to learn new teaching strategies and to keep the pace with advances in information and communication technologies. Students can engage in online deliberations throughout weeks and modules and not to be limited to classroom time. It has also given me the opportunity to provide students with more meaningful feedback on written assignments.

I’ve taught in a traditional classroom for 30 years and had some trepidation about teaching online. But we designed a course with many opportunities for direct interaction. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the students and how the online environment facilitated their interaction with me and with each other. It was a very enjoyable and rewarding experience for all!

Teaching online led me to rethink my entire approach to teaching. Our courses resulted in a surprising degree of community because students interact with one another more than in a face-to-face course. I am looking forward to developing more programs online so that we can continue to provide flexible options for public service-minded individuals seeking to develop better analytical skills and substantive knowledge.

In our online courses,  we communicate with each other regularly and get to know each other quite well. Because the program is for busy professionals with experience,  students are able to apply theory to practice as they work. As a professor, it is inspiring to see such creative innovations unfold during the semester.

The Health Care Compliance Online program provided me with the knowledge to support my recommendations for ‘doing what is right’ within my facility and the confidence to stand firm on these decisions. It has been very beneficial and was exactly what I was hoping to find.

The accelerated format and condensed time frame allowed me to work through material at a manageable pace. With a busy schedule, the online format allowed me to work on the program when I wanted to. If it was at 6 a.m. or 11 p.m., I could access the material whenever I wanted.

I like the flexibility of the Gerontology Certificate program for the convenience of taking classes around my work schedule. I find it very exciting to engage in conversations with so many people of diverse backgrounds and different geographical locations. I look forward to earning the certificate in Gerontology which will benefit me working as a Physical Therapist Assistant in the long-term care setting.

The discussion boards are interactive, and the amount of exchange is far greater than an in-person class. The instructors are very engaged and provide additional resources related to controversial discussions. Whether you intend to use the information in dealing with elderly parents or just for informational purposes, the Gerontology program is completely worthwhile. I would strongly recommend it.

After being out of the workforce for years, classes gave me updated knowledge that used evidence-based research to examine aging. As a former nurse I wanted to work with professors who conducted behavioral and community health research. I felt comfortable merging my practical skills with my newly learned science-based knowledge. I’m also a board member of a non-profit that provides community services to low economic elderly residents, so I like the ability to critically read literature, as well as learning how to find hidden resources.

The Gerontology Certificate program has proven to be a great accent to my busy lifestyle. I work full-time and have pockets of time available to complete assignments when convenient to my schedule. The professors are passionate and available for feedback around the clock. With this certificate, which will accompany the Master of Social Work that I am attaining through Pitt, I plan to counsel caregiver’s working with their elderly family members. The content is current, relevant, and challenging for today’s student.

I found the course work in the certificate program to be extremely relevant. It was through this certificate program that I found a full time job in a research lab that studies how the mind and brain change with age and the factors that promote successful aging. I can honestly say this certificate has changed my life and helped me find a career that I absolutely love!

I began with a personal passion for working with older adults who did not have a strong professional basis, and now I enter the professional world feeling capable and confident due to the knowledge I gained in my classes. My experience enhanced my ability to interact with older adults and their families. The courses provided me with academic knowledge and with real-world skills that I put into practice daily in my social work position at Senior LIFE Ebensburg. The Gerontology program is an excellent foundation for taking the personal and transitioning it seamlessly into the professional.

Faculty always provide feedback that is constructive and clear. You can tell that they’re quite knowledgeable in their subject area, and that’s not the same experience I’ve had with other schools. Pitt’s program is giving me more insight into facilities and systems, which will hopefully prepare me for an executive role one day.

I would absolutely recommend this program to others, especially to those who are working full-time and need the flexibility of an online program. For me as a Nurse executive, the Capstone project – in lieu of a research project – directly impacts clinicians I work with on a daily basis, as well as patient outcomes and patient care. I am excited about that possibility!

One of the assets of the DNP program is the tremendous array of professionals in the Nursing world that I’m meeting. I am really enjoying the discussion boards; and I’m not only learning from the faculty and from the curriculum, but I’m learning from my fellow nurses. This is of tremendous value for students when they are preparing for an advanced role.

The classes are designed to promote an online community. There’s a lot of collaboration and camaraderie among the students, even though we don’t actually share physical borders. The courses are designed in modules so that you’re part of the class but you can learn at your own pace, and they’re designed to fit in with the busy lifestyle of someone who is working full-time or raising a family.

I usually had a group that I would start discussions with, and I looked at it as a valuable tool to tell others of things I’ve encountered that have worked or not worked, and visa versa. I felt I had a genuine connection about day-to-day experiences in my student teaching. I learned so much from those two classmates without ever meeting them in person.

This has been a great experience. The instructors are particularly knowledgeable and helpful in delivery and support of the class information and they are readily available for questions and feedback. The staff has been friendly, encouraging and expedient in their responses whenever I had any questions, concerns or needs.

The MPPM program is perfect for someone with a busy lifestyle whose schedule does not fit the standard classroom arrangement. This program allows you to work full-time and still have family time, while you obtain your master’s degree. Professors are engaged weekly and there is a lot of interaction with students via discussion board. Coursework is challenging and very relevant to today’s business, non-profit or government sector work.

With being a dad, being a husband, having a professional career – going the online route was the way to go. It gives you the freedom to get the work done around all those things that already exist. The online program has a community feel to it, and that was not something that I was expecting. I would strongly encourage a friend to a consider the MPPM program. Pitt is doing it the right way!