In this post, I’m going to briefly discuss some common myths about taking online courses, as well the myths that I initially believed before actually taking an online course.
There are a lot of myths out in the world about pretty much anything: jobs, budgeting, and fast food, to name a few. Likewise, there are myths about college courses, both traditional and online. Today, I will be discussing some of what I think are the more common myths of online courses, and address them according to my experiences.
Myth #1: “I can do this whenever.”
In an unstructured class, sure. But I’ve realized, this is college, man. You will have deadlines, and for multiple assignments, not just one at the end of the semester. Most often, you’ll have coursework due weekly, in an attempt to keep everyone enrolled in the course at about the same pace. If you thought you could put it off until the end, tough luck.
Myth #2: “It won’t take as much time.”
Haha, yeah right. I nearly screwed myself over at the start of the course because I didn’t give myself enough time to complete the coursework. I managed to get back on track after finding my rhythm though. My best tip is to pretend that your online course is a regular course and build “class time” into your day to ensure you get it done. Humans are known to be creatures of habit after all, so if you regularly do your coursework like any other class, you’ll have an easier time managing online classes. Personally, I aim for at least 3 hours during the week.
Myth #3: “It’s not as hard as a traditional course.”
This kind of ties into Myth #2. Online courses can take just as much, maybe even more than traditional courses. With tasks such as discussion boards, students are expected to make quality posts. I find I really have to think about what I put out there, and be careful that I phrase my comment appropriately, as this is an educational setting, not a casual meeting. There are also other issues to manage, such as potentially needing to adjust your note-taking style from a traditional to an online course. Or perhaps you haven’t found the right place that you can focus without being distracted. (If that’s the case, I highly recommend you figure out what kind of location you need to do your online coursework ASAP because it helps. It really does.) Just remember, if you do find it a little tough to keep up with assignments, talk with, or email your professor. It’s their job to help you, and as long as you’re on good terms, they’ll probably try to make something work.
Hopefully, you found this post helpful, and can take some of my recommendations and apply them to your current, or future academic career. Thanks for reading! 🙂