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Liberty University
Anita Satterlee, Ed.D.
Associate Dean, Online Business Programs
Liberty University
Liberty University Online’s Anita Satterlee first encountered online education while working as a professor for Liberty’s brick-and-mortar business program. She received an offer to teach online when the school first pioneered online learning in the early 1990s and leapt at the opportunity. She saw online education as a way to form a connection between the physical school and students from around the globe. Since then, Satterlee has embraced online education and moved up to become the associate dean for Liberty’s online business programs department. She currently teaches business communications, management, and organizational behavior, both online and in the classroom.
What are some of the biggest differences and similarities between online versus traditional programs?
There are many similarities between learning traditionally and online. Whichever way the class is taken, a student will leave the class with the same knowledge, and will have the same learning outcomes. When taking a class online, the abbreviated length of the class means that there is a lot of class work that must be done each week. Although there are deadlines each week, the student sets their own pace for when he or she will work on the assignments.
What about the online learning medium do you think makes it a solid educational choice?
I currently teach in both the traditional classroom and online. In the traditional classroom, the expectation is that students will make their schedules around class times and be present for each class. As online classes are asynchronous in nature, students can schedule when they will do their work, according to their personal schedules.
Often, online colleges are marketed to be the easier, more convenient solution. Does the added convenience actually make things easier or could it make things more difficult for the wrong student?
Online classes are the only way that many students can attend college, so the convenience is that they can hold jobs wherever they are in the world and pursue a degree. The convenience could be a difficult concept for those who do not have good time management skills, as students must ensure they have time for work, families, church, and academics.
What course management systems—such as Blackboard or eCollege—have you used?
I have used Blackboard, but any course management system is only as robust and effective as the faculty member who is teaching the class. As the Liberty courses are asynchronous in nature, Blackboard allows communication that is always available and allows students to interact with other students throughout the course.
As an online instructor, how much interaction do you have with students?
In the online class, I interact with students through announcements, emails, phone calls, assignment feedback, and discussion board interactions. Group interaction is facilitated through both asynchronous methods on Blackboard.
What is your experience like teaching a course?
Day-to-day responsibilities in the online classroom involve communicating with students. This is done through one-on-one communication, communication with the class as a whole, and communication with any groups. In addition, faculty do look for supplemental materials to present to students to enrich their online learning experience.
Do you believe that the quality of education that students receive through online learning is of the same quality as that in a classroom setting?
Yes. Regardless of which format the students take classes, traditional or online, students will receive the same quality of education.
From your experience, does it make a difference to employers whether or not a degree was earned at a brick-and-mortar school or online college?
I believe that employers do not consider whether college graduates have taken classes through online or traditional methods. Organizations are looking for employees with the knowledge and skills to do a job, and Liberty University provides both through the online degree programs.
What are some of your favorite projects or assignments in your online course?
I enjoy the group projects. Students from across the world are drawn together to work toward a common goal. The group projects allow students to make connections with other students and the bond that is formed can last beyond the end of the class.
