OnlineProfessor

Many students take courses online because their daily schedules do not accommodate attending traditional college classes. However, that doesn’t mean online classes are easier or take less time.

Here is a good gauge about whether you have enough time to invest in school online.

Too busy for school?

• Do the math. The average introductory college course is around 3 credits. That means you put in 3 class hours per week. If you take a full course load, that’s about 12 to 15 hours of class time per week. If you have a full-time job and a family, will you have enough time?
• Don’t forget homework. In addition to the time you invest in “attending” class online each week, you will have homework, exams, and projects. A good bet to estimate time needed for each class is to multiple your credit hours by three. So far, for a full course load, you have an average of about 40 hours of homework – give or take a couple hours per week.
• The end-of-term crunch. The last week of every term is a nightmare for students because of final exams and final projects due for all classes. You will likely need to take time off or have some serious help from family to get through that week. Or, you need to work far in advance and pace yourself well.
• Procrastination won’t cut it. People who manage their time poorly often end up doing quite poorly in their classes. Last-minute efforts might get you by a lot of the time, but not all the time. And on the grading scale, the slide down is a lot easier than the upward climb.

Solutions
What if your answers to the checklist above came out with daunting answers? Don’t give up on your educational goals just yet. Here are some possible tips and solutions:

• Avoid taking a full course load. It’s tempting to stack your courses as high as they can go so you can finish faster. But if you end up failing half of them every term, then you’re actually spending more money and going just as slowly as you would if you took it slower. Take two classes per term and give them your all.
• Become a time management expert. Never used a planner or a calendar? Well, now’s a good time to start. There are many free resources, like Google Calendar, that can help you get organized. Write tasks down and make a habit of sticking with you schedule.
• Put children on a schedule. If you’re a parent, getting your kids on a schedule will help you stick with your own schedule. Try not to live your life around the kids’ timeline. When everyone has boundaries, everyone wins.
• Get help. Admit that you need help and get help on a regular basis. Instead of going out every weekend and spending money on restaurants and movies, put that money aside for a part-time baby sitter or housecleaner. Then invest that time in your studies. Move closer to family to get help with daily chores. You’ll owe them big once you graduate, but it’ll be worth it.

Remember, your online instructors aren’t supposed to make allowances for you just because you’re “busy” and have a “full-time job.” The fact that you don’t have to commute to a classroom several times a week is the convenience of online education. The work itself is the same. The degree is the same. And so you must put in the work and the effort like any other school.

It won’t always be easy, but believe me, it’s worth it.

A few times a year, an online student in one of my classes posts an unprofessional, rude post on the message board and excuses it with the phrase, “I’m just being honest.” When I remind the student of proper online etiquette (netiquette) rules, I will sometimes get a complaint about how I am stifling their personal viewpoints or encouraging cookie-cutter, boring responses from students. Don’t I want differing perspectives?

Well, of course! However, the issue with rude or unprofessional message board entries is not with the student’s opinion itself, it’s with the tone and attitude conveyed. Students should feel free to disagree and to entertain unusual/divergent opinions with their classmates, but there is a way to share those opinions in a professional manner that is not condescending or obnoxious to your peers.

Be honest by all means, but don’t be mean and rude to your classmates.

Tips on Putting Your Best Foot Forward in the Student Forums:

• Avoid calling a project or a student’s ideas a “waste of time.” This is one of the most obnoxious phrases a student could use in the forums, and it makes you look really narrow-minded, haughty, and pompous.
• Don’t play the victim. If you’re instructor or classmate mentions you’re your entry might have been a little rude, avoid acting as if the world is against you. Take a moment of self reflection and see if perhaps your phrasing might have been taken the wrong way. If you’re still confused, ask them to clarify so you can better understand what might have been misunderstood.
• If someone else is rude to you, ignore them. You can also alert the instructor, who will likely speak to the offending student privately. Engaging in an online battle is counterproductive and will just make you look bad as well, even if you’re right.
• Sarcasm doesn’t always work well on the message boards. Just remember, something in print often comes off harsher than a verbal exchange. So sarcasm can really look rude or mean. If you’re going to use it, know that you’re taking a risk.
• It’s not about having thin or thick skin. Avoid telling someone to build thicker skin. Communicators in professional environments have a responsibility to consider their audience and to do their best to convey ideas in a manner that’s professional and polite. Telling people to just take whatever you throw their way is not a best practice in the professional world.