My mind drifts off to imagine a hot, sunny day in June with hundreds of students milling around in black gowns and mortarboards. My group is wearing the baby blue hoods, the designation of the Master of Science in Education. One by one they parade across the stage, shielded for a few moments by the roof of a bandshell, each accepting a handshake and diploma.

For me that day, it was a virtual graduation as I was unable to attend, yet it was somehow fitting of the program that I had just completed. I was among the second class of students to graduate from California State University's master of education program - a program delivered totally over the Internet.

The students in my classes were situated all over the world. Most were Americans at home and abroad; there were a few Canadians, Europeans, and other nationalities. For many, graduation day would have been the first day they set foot on campus - the first time they had looked into the faces of their fellow classmates.

Getting an education has changed, yet the fundamentals remain the same.

When I began the program almost two years ago, I was a little apprehensive. How does Internet learning work? How can I establish a rapport with my professor and fellow students when I'm so far away? How does one do the homework, assignments, and write exams?

As the program unfolded, I embraced this form of learning. In fact, the experience was so rewarding that I may never set foot inside a classroom again. For a person with my lifestyle, learning online provided the freedom of time and place, and the opportunity to gain insight into a field from an international perspective. There were some hassles, such as credit card fee payments declined when converted into US dollars and other administrative glitches coupled with telephone calls to California, but on the whole, it was an enlightening and enjoyable experience.

I found my fellow students to be a fascinating group. As one would expect in a master of education program, most were teachers, but from all fields from primary school to industry, even a few PhDs. Yet, we all had one thing in common, we recognized the role the Internet can play in education and we wanted to learn all we could about it.

Class discussions were detailed and challenging as we debated policies, procedures, research and opinions. Few class discussions were held in "real time" as it would have been impossible to get all the students to the class at the same time considering work schedules and time differences. Instead, the discussions were held throughout the week with students posting their thoughts on the subjects to a discussion board. This asynchronous discussion allows for more indepth exchanges as students consider their contributions and write them carefully. As well, every student is required to post - they must participate in the online conversation - there is no sitting in the back row of an online class hoping to avoid the eyes of the instructor.

It did not take long to get to know my fellow students on a more personal level - about their work and families, their ambitions and frustrations. It has been found that online students are more likely to share personal information than in a regular classroom, perhaps because an online student does not physically see his fellow classmates. (Some classes use cameras, but they are few at the moment.) On the other hand, it is easier to misinterpret meaning in an online class as everything is communicated through the written word.

That being said, online learning is not for everyone. It requires discipline on the part of the student to log into class and complete the assignments. The school work must become a priority - a difficult thing to do when studying at home where the schooling competes with other demands and activities. Online learning is not for those who wish a rich social component to their learning. For example, young people leaving home for the first time for new adventures at university may not be too interested in taking classes over the Internet from their family home.

But for a working mother with two teenagers whose life revolves around their school activities, sports schedules, and other family obligations, online learning provided the freedom of a classroom that was open 24 hours a day where I was able to come and go as I pleased. In this knowledge economy where continuous learning has become a major component of so many careers, online education provides opportunities that were not possible just a few years ago.

Maureen Wideman is Trent University's World Wide Web Communications Developer.