How the Online Classes Work

Logging In

Our online courses each have their own dedicated online workspace which students log into the day the course begins. The online courses are managed through Adobe in Action's online learning management system (Canvas). The instructor and students do not all have to be logged in to the course website at the same time which gives participants greater flexibility over the 6 weeks an online course usually lasts.

Content Access

Students have access to the online course workspace 24/7 for the entire 6 weeks of the course. Content is presented one week at a time via PDF files, streaming MP3 audio files and MP4 video files. The video files cover all topics related to hands-on demonstrations and give the online courses a very practical touch.

Communication

Students have the opportunity to communicate with each other and the course instructor using an integrated discussion forum. This forum really makes up the heart of the course. It is where all communication between the students and the instructor takes place. This 6-week communication channel is what separates our courses from a normal self-study online course. Questions addressed specifically to the course instructor are usually answered within 12 hours. All of the messages posted to the course discussion forum can also be automatically forwarded to a student's e-mail address. Students can interact with the course via e-mail if they do not feel the need to log into the course each time a new message appears. This is especially helpful for students who are away from the computer during the day.

Realtime Interaction

In addition to the integrated discussion group, we sometimes schedule one realtime video conference session per course. This is the only part of the course where it is necessary for everyone to be online and logged in at the same time. Participation is optional.

System Requirements

We recommend a modern browser (latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome or Safari) as well as an internet connection with fair speed. The faster the speed of your connection the more enjoyable the videos will be but any modern connection should work fine. The course website can also be accessed on all modern mobile devices.

Adobe in Action's Assignment and Grading Policy

Participate in the Discussions section of the course as often as possible – especially the "Questions of the Week". Course participation will make up 20% of your final grade.

Complete as many of the small tasks listed on the Weekly Content Overview pages as possible, but don’t feel that you have to complete all of them every week. We like to see hands-on work getting done more regularly than reading assignments. You can do the reading at a later date.

There are 4 graded assignments in each course which will be clearly announced in advance. The assignments will be given to you in Module 2, Module 3, Module 5 and Module 6 of the course and will make up 80% of your final grade (20% each). These assignments are mandatory and will be graded so be sure you complete and submit them on time.