As this semester crawls to an end, another one is just on the horizon after a well-deserved winter break. You may be looking forward to your new courses or dreading them. This article is to ease your mind if an online course has been added to your agenda, and to give you some tips to stay ahead.
When to choose an online course:
Online courses are ideal for people with packed schedules. With an online course, you can choose when to do the work on your own time, although there are deadlines for submitting.
Time Management:
Time management is probably the most important tool for an online course. It’s true that you can watch the video lessons on your own time, but usually, there is corresponding work to be done with specific submission times.
You need to make sure you periodically check Moodle’s calendar for any work that needs submitting. Mark it down in advance so you won’t completely forget about it like I did many times with my first online course. Usually, the instructor will update everything on a certain day of the week, so on that day it’s a good idea to write everything down in a planner or on your phone.
The video lessons are usually short, averaging on 10 minutes. However, the professor will likely post sets of videos for each chapter, and they can add up to a lot of time. Make sure you clear some time for watching the videos because they are the main source of information for the course.
Studying:
It can be overwhelming when trying to study for an online course. There will be videos, a textbook, the online lab based on the textbook, and even more if your professor chooses to include more. It’s important to pay attention to what your professor tells you to focus on. Otherwise, it can feel like way too much information just floating around.
Here's the method I use in my own online courses for studying:
First, I watch the video lectures for the chapter. While I’m watching, I take notes on a Quizlet, which is an electronic set of notecards. I also copy down the questions my teacher provides onto my notecards and answer them. If your professor doesn’t provide questions, they can be found at the end of the chapter in your textbook. My professor also provides practice quizzes after each video, so I take those as well and make any additional notes I might have missed. After that, I simply study the flashcards until they’re memorized, and repeat the steps for each chapter.
Tests:
The tests for an online course must be scheduled online. Some instructors do have an online testing service you can use for a fee, where you take the tests at home while on webcam. Otherwise, you take them on campus in the computer testing lab.
On the week of the test, I like to rewatch the video lessons. It gives your brain audio and visual reminders of the material which makes it much more likely for you to remember during the test.
Extra Help:
If you find that the material just isn’t connecting with you, you can look up the subject on YouTube. Most of my online classes have been sciences, so it was relatively easy to find lessons on YouTube regarding my subject matter.
As always though, if something isn’t working out, make sure to talk to your professor and let them know. They are there to help you after all!
