by Elizabeth Matthews
Have you been considering completing your college degree online? Many colleges and universities offer courses, or even full programs completely online. This can be a very attractive option for adult students who often juggle family, work and personal commitments while attending school.
The advantages of pursuing your degree online are many. You won’t have to go through the hassles of arranging or paying for babysitters, leaving work early, or missing an important family event or vacation. Gone are the worries of missing an exam or important class because you, or a family member is sick. You can also forget the struggles of commuting to class, parking fees, traffic jams and gas. Online learning offers enormous flexibility so you can earn your degree on your own time and still live your life and meet your family and work obligations.
So far, online classes sound great—however there are a few things to consider before jumping into your first class. First of all, since your classes are online, you won’t have the same opportunities to see your classmates or professor in person. You also won’t have the structure of having to go class on a weekly basis. It is also important to have some working knowledge of computers.
I’m been teaching adult students online for over 10 years. During this time, I’ve designed online courses, advised adult students and worked with them to develop plans for achieving success. Most adult students love taking courses online and find that it really helps them maintain progress towards their degrees and educational goals. Below, I’ve outlined a few strategies that will help you meet with success and enjoy your experience!
Avoid Overloading Yourself. An online class requires just as much work, if not more, than a face-to-face class. It can be tempting at first to try to take several courses so that you can accelerate your progress towards your degree. After all, there are no class schedule “conflicts” and you don’t have to worry about making the time for commuting or attending class. This strategy sounds good, but it can backfire and causes unintended consequences. Remember, there are finite hours in the day and you are already likely, quite busy. Ease into online classes—start with one and then as you gain comfort with the format, you can add more in the next term.
Time Management. As mentioned in the point above, online classes do require a great deal of work. Most online classes require readings, discussion postings, projects and papers. Sometimes there is even group work. As you can imagine, it is incredibly important to be as disciplined as possible. This is even more the case than with a face-to-face class, because you won’t have the requirement of showing up for a class—instead, you need to pace yourself. The most successful online students will use a calendar to track important due dates of assignments. An effective calendar can give you a bird’s eye view of the semester and what possible conflicts might come up (e.g. an important work project coincides with a midterm paper).
Work in Small Increments. Avoid at all costs the “I’ll do it all on Saturday” trap. Students who tend to earn the highest grades and enjoy their classes the most, tend to work in small amounts, consistently across several days each week. It is a good idea, if at all possible to schedule time 5 out of 7 days of the week, where you will check into your online course(s) and read, post discussions or complete assignments. You will find that it is much easier to stay on track and that you will feel much more connected to your classroom experience.
Communicate with your Professor. In an online class, you won’t “see” your professor face to face, but s/he is there—interacting with students on the discussion boards, grading assignments and checking course questions. Although it won’t be possible to chat with your teacher right after class, most online professors hold office hours on a weekly basis either by phone or Skype, so take advantage of these opportunities to get to know your teacher and be sure that if you feel overwhelmed that you reach out so that you can get some advice to help you get back on track. Remember that professors, who teach adult college students, are well aware of the challenges and really do want their students to succeed.
Read Thoroughly. All classes have required reading, but in an online class, you often do not have the benefit of a full course lecture that feeds you the highlights of the reading assignment. Your professor might produce short podcasts or videos of the most important elements of the unit, but you won’t have a two-hour discussion outlining the entire lesson. Most of your discussions, assignments and projects will be based on the readings. This is why it is so important to read the assigned readings in their entirety and to take notes as you read. A good strategy is to take a peek at the discussion assignments before starting the reading so that you know what aspects to focus on. Then you can complete your assignments on time (eliminating the pressure of the deadline) and then return to finish the assigned reading.
Academic Writing is Key. The use of text message abbreviations and emoticons has not been readily embraced in academia. Accordingly, when communicating in your course, or with your professor by email, be sure to avoid abbreviations. Use a professional tone in all communications. Remember that many professors require academic style writing on the discussion boards, so make it a point to know the requirements at the start of the term. If your professor requires citations and references for posted work, then be sure that you use the proper format. You can find many free helpful guides on academic writing and referencing online. Most universities have a writing center (online schools usually have virtual writing tutors), so take advantage of these resources.
Connect with Others. Many adult students dismiss the importance of building a social network during their college experience. It’s even easier to do this in an online setting where you don’t “see” your classmates physically. However failing to make social connections with others is a grave mistake. Studies have shown that students who forge friendships during their college years are happier with their learning experience.
Have an Emergency Technology Back-Up Plan. It’s bound to happen. Here you are doing great with your time management and loving your class and…. your computer crashes or your Internet is down. It’s easy to panic in these situations, but if you have a back-up plan, you will alleviate stress and get your work done. Before the term starts, consider what you will do if the aforementioned were to happen. Is there an Internet café nearby where you can work? Or can you borrow a computer from a neighbor in an emergency? Create an emergency plan for yourself and update this as circumstances change. Finally, when emergency strikes (whether technology related or otherwise), the first thing you should do is either call or email your professor and inform him/her of the situation. Chances are, if you are proactive, your professor will be more than happy to give you an extension or other consideration.
Online classes are a great way to earn your degree and still take care of all of your other obligations. Keep these strategies in mind during your online courses and you will succeed!
Elizabeth Matthews, Ph.D, is an Assistant Professor at City College in New York City. She has developed online classes and several alternative pathway to credit options for adult students. She currently teaches online classes in psychology, education and sociology.
