Summer has arrived, and so has summer session! I myself needed a break from the classroom atmosphere but still wanted to get some units completed while I was on break. The solution? Online classes! This is my first time taking online classes, and there are a few things I wish I knew beforehand. If you’re considering online classes, here’s a few things to consider.
The instructor is there to give grades, not teach
Now, this is only partly true. The instructor gives the material that needs to be learned, but it is on the student to go through the material. There is no lecture, no powerpoint, no notes. There is, however, a syllabus with page numbers to be read on certain days. If you choose to not do the readings, you’re going to get a grade that reflects that.
Keep on top of your deadlines
If I thought I was bad at time management before, online classes certainly haven't helped. Unlike with in-person classes, there’s no reminder from the professor at the end of class to turn in an assignment the next day. Online deadlines are posted, but it’s up to you to meet them. I could easily leave my work to be done “later," then all of a sudden it's the due date and I’m glued to my computer writing a paper through tears. As flawed as the Canvas website can be, bless it for having a to-do list on the home page.
Keep your router close
After being away from home for almost nine months, I had forgotten how bad our internet service is. The wifi will turn off and back on within seconds, but in those few seconds, my browser crashes and my work is lost. Should I find a place with a stronger internet connection, I’ll do my work there instead.
It’s so easy to get distracted
Taking classes online...on a laptop...with internet access...is a recipe for disaster. More than once, I’ll be in the middle of an assignment, and click over to YouTube like it’s nothing, and then an hour has gone by and I haven’t gotten anything done. Moral of the story, if you want to take online classes, use a lockdown browser unless you have discipline of steel.
So there you have it! To everyone currently taking online classes, godspeed! If you're still on the fence after reading this list, best make up your mind before the summer passes you by.
