Many students sign up for online classes under the premise that they can complete courses at their own pace, they can remain anonymous because they aren’t required to participate, and that online classes are easier than taking classes on campus.
These things are rarely true in an online learning environment.
Although online classes allow for you to dictate your own schedule, it’s not usually in the way people expect. Most online courses still follow the regular semester calendar. Your assignments still have due dates and there are assigned times to take tests and participate in group discussions. Some classes even have attendance policies where students are required to log a number of hours online as part of their grade. The biggest benefit of online classes is that the time of day you log on to complete your course work is up to you, if you have a full time job and can only log on in the evening you’re capable of doing that but, you are still required to follow a course schedule which allows the class to move cohesively at the same pace through the course material.
Another common misconception among students is the belief that in an online learning environment they won’t be required to interact with other students and professors. Truth is, the majority of online classes offer discussion forums with both the instructors as well as other students. In some cases these interactive components are necessary and participation in them is used to calculate a student’s grade. Students can gain a lot from online discussion as well. Large lectures often don’t allow for intense discussion simply because of class sizes. An online forum, on the other hand, permits students to contribute when they are available and also gives introverted students the ability to participate in a non-threatening environment.
The biggest myth about online classes is that they are easier to complete than traditional on campus courses. This one is probably the most important thing to remember. Online classes can be extremely demanding. In order to complete them successfully students have to be determined, disciplined and self motivated. It’s easy to procrastinate when you don’t have a class to attend and the daily demands of working, a social life or parenting seem more important. It’s critical that online students be prepared for a heavy workload filled with reading and are capable of managing their time efficiently.
No matter which learning style you prefer online or on campus, the life of a student is hectic at times. Choose an environment that best suits your learning style and pick classes you enjoy or that interest you until you get into a productive routine. The transition can be hard but, it’s definitely worth it!
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