By Kaylee Johnson
Campus News
Initially, online classes seem like convenient easy A’s, but they can be deceiving. First and foremost, online classes are not meant for all learners. Students who have a history of poor time management skills should probably stick to traditional classes. But for alternative learners, and students with busy schedules, online classes are revolutionary and flexible. Online classes almost always appear remedial on the surface, but as the semester starts to become challenging, many students forget about their online class. I will admit that I often have to remind myself to check my online class, because I am not reminded of it every day. But it is important to stay on top of all of your classes, even the ones that seem easy or less demanding. Never underestimate a course during the beginning of the semester, because they could become challenging at any time.
For any class, it is important to be aware of due dates. This is probably the most significant issue a lot of students face with online classes. They do not have physical professors to remind them that their papers are due, so they forget and end up failing or throwing together a last minute mess. Set alerts on your phone and make alerts in your planner, so you know about upcoming assignments. Also, if your traditional classes require you to sign up for any presentations, speeches, or debates, time those around all of your other assignments, so you don’t feel bombarded by the workload. Designate a day or two per week to do all of your online homework. And please, do the assigned reading. A lot of online courses require you to post blogs and comment on your peer’s postings, but I always can tell who did the reading and who did not. The nice thing about the flexibility of online classes is that you can complete the coursework from your couch, office, phone, or library at any time. Therefore, if you are a traveler, you can sometimes go ahead with your assignments so you do not have to think about all of the work that you will have to complete while aboard an airplane.
Many students feel as if online classes don’t offer additional support to strugglers and students with learning disabilities, but that’s a myth. Most professors will invite you to their office hours if you shoot them an email explaining the circumstances. If not, they will probably send you clearer directions or links to helpful websites. Most online professors rely heavily on specific textbooks, so it is important to actually spend time reading them. All of your tests, blogs, and essays will probably be based on your assigned readings, so if you actually read them and take notes you will find the assignments much easier than if you skimmed or checked SparkNotes.
Community colleges are interesting in that students of all different ages from vastly different environments gather together to learn. Some older learners may struggle with the technological aspect of online classes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from peers, professors, or your college IT department. And if you see somebody struggling with technology, help them. Most community college online classes use a program called “Angel,” and it is very difficult to navigate at first. Most of all, don’t choose an online class in a subject area where you know you will need a lot of support. For instance, if you barely passed algebra in high school do not take calculus online. You will lose yourself in the material instantly, and you probably don’t remember how to use that super expensive calculator that you bought in high school. Choose online courses that seem attainable, based on your grades, schedule, and attention level.
Overall, online classes can provide flexible, enriching academic experiences for students who can handle them. They require heavy doses of independence, since you are responsible for all of the coursework and reading, but they open up your schedule and allow you to complete your work from any location with an Internet connection. If you feel that you put your all into every course, physical or online, and balance your time on assignments, you will be sure to succeed as a student.
Kaylee Johnson attends Adirondack Community College and the College of Saint Rose.
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