Online Instruction
For 100% online students, UI Online is the only means to deliver course materials and interact with the instructor. Standard classroom books and printed materials are typically used in combination with online lectures, assignments, and supplementary course materials. Online lectures may be entirely text-based or consist of some combination of text, graphics, sound and video.
As an online student, you are permitted to sit in the hybrid class meeting, space permitting. This option is open for all 100% online students. Please make arrangements with the instructor in advance.
Instructor Availability
It is possible to reach all instructors by email or UI Online at any time. Online instructors may also provide a local telephone number where they can be contacted. Online instructors and students may arrange a meeting medium, day, and time convenient for both.
Location of Classroom Instruction
Online instruction is held within UI Online.
Methods of Instruction & Units of Credit
Method of Instruction
UI also utilizes untraditional technologies to deliver its instruction, including but limited to, digital textbooks, a learning management system, interactive whiteboards, simulation software, web-cameras, and interactive applications requiring students to use laptops, tablets, or smartphones. UI utilizes traditional teaching methods, such as direct instruction, inquiry-based learning and the Socratic method. However, UI also utilizes the untraditional flipped classroom model, a new instructional method that is gaining popularity.
Units of Credit
UI uses the Carnegie unit to measure semester credit hours awarded to students for course work. A semester credit hour is measured by the number of hours of academic engagement and preparation (homework). A semester credit hour is defined as 15 hours of academic engagement and 30 hours of preparation—totaling 45 hours of student work for an academic semester credit hour. Student work includes direct or indirect faculty instruction. Academic engagement may include, but is not limited to, submitting an academic assignment, listening to class lectures or webinars (synchronous or asynchronous), taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that is assigned by the institution; contributing to an academic online discussion; initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course and laboratory work, externship or internship. Preparation is typically homework, such as reading and study time and completing assignments and projects.