What Do Online Courses Look Like?

Key Takeaways:

People should ask, “How do online college classes work?” given their rise in popularity over the last decade.
Online college courses cover the same material as traditional campus classes, but you access everything through the Internet rather than a physical classroom.
You can take online college classes through two- and four-year public and private colleges and universities or accredited institutions that offer courses for transfer credit.

How do online college classes work?

As the director of curriculum for Portage Learning, an accredited institution that offers asynchronous courses, Dr. Jerrod Poe gets that question often.

“When we design our classes, we bring a lot of different perspectives that give a very well-rounded approach,” he states.

Prospective students want to know about the assignments and exams.

Parents of high schoolers considering dual enrollment wonder about credit transferability.

University administrators, such as deans, look for insight into the academic rigor. The reasons each group asks about the topic vary, but they all share an interest in understanding the format – and the value – behind it.

How Do Online College Classes Work?

Online college classes cover the same material as traditional campus courses, but you access everything through the Internet rather than a physical classroom.

They generally follow one of two delivery structures:

Asynchronous: You review lectures and complete assignments on your own schedule. Students don’t need to log in at a specific time, allowing them to finish a class faster or take longer than the semester system typically allows.
Synchronous: Courses that feature real-time interaction between professors and learners. You must attend on scheduled days and follow weekly deadlines.

Portage Learning offers the self-directed model. Learners may register for its classes any time and study from anywhere, bringing education to those who might otherwise not be able to access it.

“A lot of our students have busy lives, and they have a lot of heavy responsibilities,” Dr. Poe explains. “They can’t always get to a class at a certain time. A lot of programs, especially those with less funding, they can only offer a course once a year. With our format, you never have to wait, so we’re able to fill those gaps.”

He notes that the COVID-19 pandemic left some people with a limited view of online learning. Many providers offer courses that rely on basic formats, such as narrated PowerPoint presentations, but Portage Learning creates an engaging experience.

A 2025 survey of the colleges and universities that accept its classes for credit found 94 percent of respondents believed Portage Learning students performed as well or better than their peers enrolled at their institution.

“We care about how we’re educating people,” Dr. Poe says. “We put a lot of work and detail into making it as meaningful, if not more, than what they would encounter inside the classroom.”

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What Do Online Courses Look Like?

Portage Learning’s online college courses look like a class you’d take at a traditional two- or four-year school.

For each course, Dr. Poe explains, the institution builds a custom set that fits the subject. In BIOL121, for example, students learn the fundamentals of nutrition in a fully equipped kitchen. Film directors capture each lecture, giving the class a polished look and feel from start to finish.

“We bring people in,” he states. “You see the warmth, personality, and professionalism of the professor as they do the lecture.”

The realistic setting complements the course content. According to Dr. Poe, a group made up of subject matter experts, instructional design professionals, and more, creates each one with the goal of giving learners the knowledge they need to succeed once their credits transfer.

“It is very much a team approach, and that’s what’s unique about what we do,” he says. “A lot of times, on college campuses, professors design the course, and what you learn is through their lens.”

The institution breaks each course into six to 10 learning modules. Each focuses on a key concept and explores the subject through:

Video lectures: Pre-recorded and may be reviewed as many times as you need.
Active learning components: Materials such as digital flashcards to self-evaluate your understanding.
Assessments: Problem sets or written exercises submitted and graded by your professor.

Once you finish the module and feel prepared, you sit for the exam.

Portage Learning delivers its classes through Canvas, a learning management system.

The institution assigns you a professor within one day of registration, and you can message them via your student dashboard to ask questions. They provide regular feedback and grade tests within 72 hours, offering a personalized learning experience that keeps you on track.

“If you’re an A student with us, we expect you to be an A student at your next school,” Dr. Poe expresses.

How Do Online Exams Work?

It depends on the institution’s policy.

For example, to maintain academic integrity, Portage Learning requires you to use Respondus LockDown Browser along with Respondus Monitor. These tools:

Prevent test takers from opening new tabs, accessing external applications, or using shortcuts such as copying and screen capturing.
Record video of you working through the questions.

Since students can sit for the exam whenever and wherever they choose, you must also show a valid form of ID and conduct a 360-degree room scan before the test begins. Professors review the recordings afterward.

Other institutions may incorporate:

Time windows, where an exam opens only for a specific period, such as an entire weekend of 24 to 72 hours.
Live proctoring, where a person watches you take the test via webcam in real time.
Time limits, which you must finish within an hour.

Online exams use the same question types as on-campus ones, such as:

Multiple choice
True/false
Short answer
Essay prompts

Can You Take a Lab Class Online?

Yes. You can take college courses with labs, such as anatomy and physiology and microbiology, online.

A variety of tools make it possible, including at-home science kits and virtual software.

Portage Learning teaches lab skills through video demonstrations. Students watch experiments conducted by professionals, and they maintain a notebook with their observations.

Students don’t gain tactile skills, but Dr. Poe believes that’s OK.

“If you need those hands-on capabilities, you’re going to have so many more labs in your future that you’ll have time to build out,” he explains.

“With our labs, we emphasize the content and contextualize it so that you know why you’re doing what you’re doing. When you understand each step, that learning becomes magnified, and it translates later into the hands-on labs.”

The institution offers the following classes with labs:

Where Can You Take Online College Courses?

In case we didn’t make it clear enough – you can register for online college courses through Portage Learning.

Alternatively, you may take them through traditional universities. Many now offer extensive remote options.

When deciding what works best for you and your goals, keep the following in mind:

Accreditation: Many online learning platforms promote their courses as ACE recommended.

However, it doesn’t equate to institutional accreditation, the evaluation colleges and universities want classes completed elsewhere to carry when evaluating transfer credits.

Portage Learning courses count toward a degree at more than 2,800 institutions nationwide because of its partnerships with Geneva College and Bushnell University, institutionally accredited schools.
Cost: At $230 per credit, tuition at Portage Learning remains significantly less than the average per-credit rate a public, four-year university charges in-state residents. It also includes all needed materials, meaning you never pay for:
- Textbooks
- Lab kits
- Transcript fees
- Gas for travel to and from campus

Learning style: How do you prefer to approach coursework? Do you want to follow a set schedule with weekly deadlines?

Or do you need more flexibility? Portage Learning’s format works well for those balancing school with work, family, and other commitments.

Support services: Just because you enroll in a class online doesn’t mean you need to be alone.

Some of the ways Portage Learning keeps learners connected include:
- One-on-one success coaching: The institution’s Student Success team assists with time management, grade calculations, and more so you can stay on track.
- Motivational resources: Portage Learning’s WAVES community gives access to educational blogs, insightful podcast conversations, and inspirational stories so you stay encouraged in your studies.