The Correct Expectations to Have for Taking an Online Class

By Danielle Wirsansky on January 29, 2017

Whether you have taken an online course or not, you know from the get-go that it’s going to be different from an in-person class. There are blatant differences and there are subtle differences, but they exist nonetheless.

Just as how you learn, study, and do homework is different, your expectations for the class need to be different too. Read on to learn about the correct expectations to have while taking an online class!

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Communication with the Professor

One of the biggest differences is that you are not going to be attending an in-person class (as I am sure you are aware). You will most likely never come face to face with your professor. So what happens if you have questions or do not understand an important concept? How do you communicate with them to get what you need and communicate effectively?

It is all about how you send your emails. You should not be scared to ask your professor questions but you should make sure you are doing so in an appropriate manner. This online form of communication is all you have — if you commit a faux pas there really is not the option to meet up in person to smooth it over or elucidate your intent. You need to be hyper aware of the way you write your emails to be as respectful and clear as you can.

Always put the class course number in the subject so that they can connect you to a class and read your email understanding which course you are referring to. Teachers teach more than one course, usually, so you want to be upfront about which one you are talking about so that you are both on the same page. Make your subject detailed so they go in with a clearer understanding of what your email will be about.

Be respectful to your teacher, so address them correctly. Refer to them by the correct prefix, whether that be doctor or professor. Use respectful language and try your best not to leave any typos in your email as that can be very off-putting. Sign your name always — otherwise, how do they know who they are responding to? Your email address might not be very enlightening. A good tip is to never send an email to a professor on your phone because it is much easier to make mistakes.

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Deadlines

You must stay on top of your deadlines! You will not be meeting in class every week where the professor will remind you of the weekly deadlines. They have given you a syllabus and it is up to you to turn your own work in. You have to keep yourself accountable.

The teacher has given you all the deadlines far in advance with the turn-in portals open. These portals will not be lenient on you. If you miss the deadline by even a few minutes, it is too late. The portal is closed and you will be unable to turn your work in, even if you did it. Your professor is probably also going to be unwilling to accept your late work as that would not be fair to all the other students who managed to stick to their deadlines.

Set yourself reminders and alarms so that you do not forget to turn in your assignments or take quizzes. Do not lose points needlessly! This is what the reminder app on your phone is for. If you add a task to it and give it a time to remind you by, a reminder will pop on your screen every time you lock your phone. Sounds annoying, right? It might be but it will also assure that you will never miss a deadline. The constant reminding will force you to get your work done simply so that you can stop getting reminders about it.

There is usually a weekly schedule too of when all your readings, assignments, quizzes and more are due. Get into the rhythm of the class and do not let yourself forget about your work!

Exams

Many online courses require you to sign up for an exam at the testing center of your university. This means that you have to sign up in advance. You cannot forget about signing up for the exam and you cannot forget to go and take your exam at the appointed time.

It can be hard to remember since it is not a part of your regular schedule but exams are worth a significant portion of your grade so you do not want to miss out on earning points on something so silly as forgetting to go take your exam. The teacher will definitely not allow you to make it up simply because you forgot so make sure that you stay on top of it.

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