OnlineProfessor

Internet issues strike online students all the time. The local cable company decides to rewire your block during finals week. A water main break shuts down half of your town’s basic services.

When you have assignments due and the internet service at home is dead, what do you do? Always – and I mean always — have backup.

Internet backup tip list:

• Keep an updated list of local internet sources. Keep a printed list of at least ten places where you can go if your home internet dies. This list should have detailed hours of operation and any fees/restrictions noted.
• Go Wireless at the Public Library. Did you know that a large number of public libraries now have wireless internet access? Even if the library is closed, the signal often reaches the parking lot or front steps. If you have a laptop, accessing the library’s system is quite simple.
• Go to private libraries. If you have a local community college, you’ll find that they often allow any student access to the library, although you won’t be able to check out books. You might come last in line to that particular school’s students when it comes to computer access, but later at night, the library usually clears out.
• Tap into your friend/family network. Before every term begins, pick three family members and/or friends, and ask them if they would be your backup internet source. Friends and family work out well on your backup list because they are a bit more flexible when it comes to late night hours, etc.
• Make arrangements at work. If you have a good, cool manager, then ask them if you can work on school work during lunch and/or after hours in case your home internet service goes down. This option only works if you have a positive working relationship with your boss. If not, don’t bother.

Of course, immediately notify your advisor and your instructors when you are experiencing such challenges. While they will not often be flexible for such issues, they will appreciate that you let them know, and most of them might surprise you with lesser point penalties or some briefly extended deadlines.

There are no guarantees, but a student who communicates professionally and proactively often gets opportunities that careless students do not.

With all the tools available to students today, one would think that their work would be top-rate and error free. However, any tool can cause more trouble than it’s worth if it’s not used wisely. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Making Friends with Our Technology:

• Grammar and Spell-check functions do not catch every mistake. No computer platform can replace a careful human review. So don’t over-rely on these tools.
• Copy-paste is easy but it can be messy. Some students input everything into Microsoft Word or some other, equivalent platform so they can use the system’s spell-check and grammar-check functions. That’s great thinking. But when they copy-paste into the online course platform and hit “save/submit,” sometimes odd symbols and characters show up, making their entry look cluttered and unprofessional. A workaround: once you’re finished working in MS Word, Save As a .txt file. Close out. Re-open the .txt version of the document; then copy-paste from there. (There might be an easier, alternate way, and if you have one, please share it in a comment.)
• Create a clear document naming system. Many students have so many versions of their work that they submit the incorrect one for grading. It’s a silly error that can be avoided if you name your documents properly. Use terms like DRAFT1, DRAFT2, REVISED, and FINAL to distinguish your project files. Only use “FINAL” title for the one document that’s ready to be submitted.
• Double-check the MLA and AP auto-formatting. MLA, AP and whatever other style of documentation are way too complex to fully rely on an auto-formatting system. Sometimes, the tools are more complicated than manually documenting your sources. So experiment and see what works for you. Remember, if you don’t know the basic tenets of the citation style, it will be very hard to properly use a software platform to do it for you.

If you have other suggestions, comments or questions, feel free to share them with us by submitting a comment.

Most, if not all, online classes are built on the cornerstone of the discussion component, often called the Message Board, Discussion Board, or Threaded Discussion Area. Too often, students underestimate the importance of this area, and they lose valuable points before they can catch up.

Tips to Mastering the Discussion Area from Day One:

• Comment and Contribute. Too often, students simply post quick and thoughtless responses like “Nice job,” or “I agree.” That’s hardly enough to gain any credit. You want to comment and contribute something that builds upon the discussion or adds new, supplemental insights.
• Don’t be a minimalist. If you want to be an average student, then go for the minimum number of entries per week. But if you want to be an exemplary student, post the required number and then a couple more. Avoid dominating the discussion but do create a comfortable, consistent presence.
• Go for quality and quantity. Always remember to post at least the required number of entries but also be sure that they are all quality entries. Incorporate the textbook or lecture readings. Do some quick internet research to support your points. Bring in good examples to advance your ideas.
• Add professional polish. Promote your good ideas in a neat and grammatically correct way. If your entries look like text messages sent to your buddy list, you might want to fix it up a bit. Ask yourself: “Would I send this type of message to a business client or potential employer?” If the answer is “no,” then you should revise your entry.
• Go beyond yourself. Discuss your peers’ and instructor’s ideas as much as you discuss your own ideas. Avoid making your weekly contributions all about you and your interests.

At the start of every term, some students can get overwhelmed about how to start their online classes on the right foot. Other than the most obvious tips – complete all the assignments as directed and on time – there are five simple tasks that can get your term started right.

Five Term-Start Tasks:

• Print or save the syllabus. Keep a handy copy of the syllabus for review in a folder or on a hard drive. You want a quick and easy way to access you course map without having to log into your classes.
• Develop a contact sheet. Keep a list of important contact numbers for instructors, your advisor, the library, etc.
• Keep a list of your instructor’s policies. Usually this is listed in the syllabus, but in case it is not, it can be listed in a separate announcement, an e-mail or some other document.
• Double check your textbooks. Make sure you have the right textbook and the right edition. And if you are a late enroller, then double-check with the bookstore that they have your book order processed.
• Create a calendar of all your important due dates. Keep a master calendar for all your classes where you make note of when all major projects are due. This will help you plan ahead to get them completed on time. Some deadlines can change, so make sure you keep updating the calendar of a project changes.

At the end of almost every term, at least one student argues that they deserve an “A,” even when his/her scores did not meet that standard. Quite often, they just missed it with an “A-” or a “B+.”

One of the biggest pet peeves for an instructor is to hear a student say, “But I’m a straight-A student. I always get A’s.”

However, just because you’ve gotten A’s before does not mean you’re simply entitled to get an A every time. Each term is a new proving ground. An instructor is not influenced by your past grades.

Should “C” students be locked into “C” grades?
Consider this scenario: If you once received a “C” in a recent course, do you then expect to receive a “C” in another course even if you scored higher? That would be absurd. You want the chance to show that you can do better.

It is equally unfair to grant you an “A” just because you achieved that high score in the past.

It is great that some students are ambitious and strive for a stellar grade point average. However, it goes against the spirit of learning to expect a grade for anything other than your performance in a particular class.

Yes, almost every professor has a phone contact where you can reach them if you have a question, but when should you call and when should you stick to e-mail?

Good reasons to call:

• Time-sensitive issue. When there is a deadline or it’s the end of the term, and time is of the essence, then you should call. But be professional. If you’re calling just because you did not manage your time well and need an extension, it doesn’t often reflect well on you. Don’t expect a professor to bend over backwards for a mistake you made.
• Misunderstanding. If you feel there has been a misunderstanding over e-mail, it’s nice to clarify it with a phone call or a voicemail message.
• When you need extra help. If you’re stuck and just need some help or guidance, feel free to call an instructor. That’s why they’re there. They can either answer your question over the phone or respond via e-mail, if they need to check on something.

Phone etiquette:

• Call during reasonable hours. Online professors often work out of a home office; so calling them at midnight is not a great idea. Be conscious of time zone differences.
• Be detailed with your messages. Remember to leave your full name, class number and section, and a brief summary of why you’re calling.
• Be professional in tone. Even if you’re really frustrated or confused, never take it out on the instructor. Talk through issues reasonably, and you should be able to work through just about anything. Start shouting and calling names, and you won’t get anywhere.

E-mail is really your best bet for most communication because you get full, detailed responses in writing. You can refer back to them and keep a record of them as well. Plus, keep in mind that online professors tend to check e-mail more frequently than the average teacher. It’s the core of their work environment. So your response rate should be fairly speedy.

So many online students hand in their semester or term final projects and then disappear to go on vacation or simply relax. Too often, this means that they fall out of touch with any e-mail updates or instructor communications that might come through.

The issue with “checking out” too early is that if a problem or issue arises, and it’s too tough for an instructor to reach you, it could cause some major headaches down the road.

Typical end-of-term issues:

• Your files did not upload properly. These things happen, and most reasonable instructors will give you a short window to resubmit work. But if you don’t respond in time, you could get a zero. It is assumed that students will continue to check e-mail and phone messages, and if you don’t, you do so at your own risk.
• You submitted your document in the incorrect area of the course. It is a student’s responsibility to put material in the proper place, but if you don’t, and you get a second chance to do so, you need to grab it. If you miss the window because you got lazy, then an instructor might already move on and not really look back.
• Illness. If you get really sick, you should absolutely make sure someone informs the school. They can really work to give you some options and file the proper paperwork. If you don’t inform anyone, your options for making up work will be severely limited.

Keep in mind that instructors usually teach multiple courses with many students in each section. It is easy for one student to slip through the cracks, and if you do not do your part to check messages and follow up, no one else will do it for you. But if you do your best to stay in touch and be professional, then most instructors will go that extra mile for you.

Find Study Time During Your Work Commute

Many online students also hold down full-time jobs. That’s why they need the flexibility of online classes in the first place. But full-time work and full-time school can lead to some study time challenges. Here’s where students need to get creative, and the commute to work can translate into valuable study time.

Train/Bus Commuter Study Tips:

• Catch up on assigned readings. Take your textbook and complete all your reading during your commute. Even if your commute is only 20 minutes, that’s 40 minutes a day and more than three hours per week.
• Take notes on your assignments. Outline what you’re going to post for your next assignment. You can craft your words in advance and then just type them in when you get to your computer.
• Print-and-Go. If your class has lectures or other content online, copy-paste them into a different document and read these during your commute as well. Some schools even have a “print” option on some pages.

Driver Study Tips:

• Make your own study disk or MP3. Today’s technology allows you to record virtually anything and take it with you. Record key terms or facts that you need to study for a test, and play them in your car as you drive.
• Boost vocabulary with books on CD. Most libraries have an extensive audio book library. Check one out a week and listen to them during your drive. While not directly related to school, it can boost vocabulary, comprehension and even give you topic ideas for school projects.
• Carpool. Use this buddy system to share expenses and to also buy yourself some study time. If you take turns driving, that means at least half the week, you gain some study time.
• If possible, take public transportation. You might love your car, but if public transportation is an option, consider it just to increase your study time.

Tips for the End-of-Semester Rush

Whether your term lasts for 16, 10, or 5 weeks, the end of the term is a busy crush of last-minute assignments. And if you’re taking more than one course, every one of them probably has a project due –or an exam—during that last week of class.

End-of-Semester Survival Tips:

• Clear your calendar in advance. At the start of the term, mark the final week of classes on your calendar, and don’t plan anything that week. If you have a wedding, family reunion or vacation planned for that last week, communicate with your instructors immediately, and reconsider taking a full course load.
• Start projects early. Procrastinators take heed. Most students who take a tumble in grades usually fell down during that last week of the class. I’ve seen student grades go from B’s to D’s right in that last week – all because they waited unti the last minute and made some avoidable mistakes.
• Schedule childcare. Now is the time to call in some favors. Drop the children off at their grandparents’ house or in daycare. You’ll need a clear head to finish out the term strong.
• Cook meals in advance or get takeout. Daily chores can eat into our study time. The more things you can square away in advance, the more time you’ll have during finals week to prepare your school projects.
• Go to the library. If you live in a full house, you might want to spend as much time at the library as possible. Too often, studying at home leads to distractions; so it’s sometimes better to just remove yourself from home to squeeze in some focused study time.
• Celebrate birthdays early. If your child is celebrating a birthday the week of finals, celebrate it the weekend before. Most people won’t complain about early presents.

Keep in mind that if you haven’t done any work the entire semester, a last-minute crunch isn’t going to save you. But if you’ve been fairly involved with your courses all term, these tips will help keep you a little calmer and productive. Good luck!

Make Studying a Family Activity

Many students who attend school online have been away from college for a few years, and so they have full-time jobs and families to distract them. Adult students with young children can actually incorporate their studies into family life.

Here are just a few tips to squeezing in your studies into family life:

• Instead of bedtime stories, read your assigned textbook materials to your kids. Don’t laugh. Small children often simply like the sound of your voice. They don’t care what you read. Older children also tend to find “grown-up” reading interesting, and parents are amazed when children are eager to help them study. It’s a win-win situation.
• Pass the textbook around while preparing or eating dinner (or when doing laundry). Use this time to each take turns reading a passage from the assigned textbook readings. Even small children can try, and the different voices you hear can actually help you retain the information better. A word that you had to help your ten-year-old read and define might be the trigger that helps you remember a certain fact on a test.
• Make index cards with questions and have your children test you. Children tend to be cooperative by nature, and they like helping their parents do things – unless it’s chores around the house, of course. If you have older children in school, have them make out their own study cards, and take turns asking each other a question.
• Make study bets with your children. If you have a child slacking in school, make a bet about your grades. Each of you can choose your hardest class/subject, and the one who gets the better grade in that class at the end of the term gets some kind of treat. It’s a win-win for you as a parent because even if you lose, your child is motivated to do better in a poor subject.

Adults returning to school should make their educational journey a family affair. Over the years, students who have the support and encouragement of family members tend to do better as a whole. So find and share those tips and tricks to make the most of your educational experience without missing out on family time either.