The advantage of independent study is that you can work at your own pace. In this class, you would plan to complete about one lesson in a week or two, and finish the course in under three months. You will have to pace yourself, and you will have to motivate yourself to finish the course. Both instructors hope that you will find the material interesting enough to motivate you to learn more about it, finish the course in a timely manner and even consider further study of biodegradation. This course requires some usual reading, but more use of the Internet.
Assignments frequently require computer use.
The Internet is sometimes slow, technical problems beyond your control may prevent you from accessing any particular site at any particular time, and you may become frustrated. The Web is most accessible at certain times of the day, and you'll have to try different times based on your geographic location and see what works best for you. If you have the time, complete one, two, three or more, parts of an assignment at once. Access speed may be worse the next time. Print out each lesson for study when you are away from the computer.