Advantages of Taking Online Classes
Most students feel the main benefit of taking an online class is being able to have a flexible schedule. Students do not have to come on campus, look for a parking space, or be at class at a specific time. Students who have work and family obligations can still obtain their education. These are among the main advantages students give for taking online classes.
Disadvantages of Taking Online Classes
Students who need to interact in a classroom miss the interaction with other students and the instructor. Students who have difficulty with procrastination and meeting deadlines find it harder to succeed in online classes. Students who lack good organizational skills and self-discipline find online classes more difficult. These are among the main disadvantages students associate with online classes.
How are Dr. Moore’s Online Classes Different from Regular Classes?
ü Students must do more work in online classes. Aside from Logging in to the course web site (Blackboard) several times each week, students must read and do course work on their own (with some guided review). While the instructor is happy to assist you if you have questions, students must ask these questions as soon as possible.
ü Students must ask questions about course work very early on, and ask the instructor questions in a timely manner. The best way to ask questions is to send the instructor a question through the Messages area of Blackboard or the General Information area of the Discussion Board. If you want more personal contact come to office hours that don’t require an appointment or call during office hours that don’t require an appointment. If you are looking for the same interaction that you might get in a regular class, then this might not be the class for you.
ü Students must have good reading and comprehension skills to read the textbook and any other course resources to understand the course topics. If you feel you need to work on your reading and comprehension skills, then you might want to wait to take the class after obtaining these skills. This applies to online and regular classes.
ü Students must start all assignments (Discussion Board Assignment Posts, Exams, Papers, and Quizzes) as soon as possible before the due date. Students are expected to read all review materials for exams and quizzes before beginning the exams and quizzes. Students who procrastinate will not be successful in online classes. Online classes require students to have good organizational skills. All due dates are posted when the class becomes available, it is up to the student to keep up with these dates.
ü Students must submit assignments (Discussion Board Assignment Posts, Exams, Papers, and Quizzes) on time to avoid any technical issues with Blackboard submissions. Unlike regular classes, where there are few technical issues, students may have a variety of technical issues that occur in online classes. These issues do not change the due dates for any assignments simply because it is an online class.
ü
Contact the
ü
The library has reference librarians and
brochures that can help you prepare your semester project. The
ü Ask for technical help (Contact the 24/7 Help Desk, 877-241-1756) immediately, when needed. The time to ask for technical help is when you have problems logging on to Blackboard, submitting your work in Blackboard, problems with your computer and problems with your internet connection or internet browser.
What type of interaction with other students is there in online classes?
Interaction with other students will occur through the Discussion Board of Blackboard. There are some Discussion Board Assignment Posts that are graded and require all students to respond to at least 2 other students. Other Discussion Board areas are for general questions for the instructor or general questions and interactions with other students. These other areas are not graded. If you want to interact with students and the instructor in a classroom, then this is not the class for you.
How will I get feedback on assignments in an online class?
Feedback will occur online, either through the assignment itself or through a Message from the instructor in the Messages area of Blackboard. If this is too impersonal for you, then this might not be the class for you.
How will the instructor contact me in an online class?
There will be several ways you
might be contacted. Students will be sent regular email reminders of upcoming
work for the week (no response is required of the student). Announcements will
be available each week with reminders of upcoming work (no response is required
of the student). A message will be sent to students through the Messages area
of Blackboard when exams and papers are graded. Students will also get these
messages when they do not get full points on Discussion Board Assignment Posts.
Messages and emails may also be sent to students periodically to update them on
their grades or other components of the course. If you send the instructor a
message through the Messages area of Blackboard, most responses will be within
24 hours. If you phone or email the instructor (and it is not during office
hours with no appointments, expect it to take 3-6 days for a response. If this
is not the kind of contact you want, then consider taking a different class.