Online Survival Memo

The biggest challenges found in this course were:

1.       Getting used to the online format of the class

2.       Managing my time effectively each week to complete assignments

3.       Length of time it takes to communicate

Nick:  Having never taken a course entirely online, I had no idea what to expect going into this semester. At first I was overwhelmed after reading the syllabus and seeing all the assignments due, thinking there was no way I was going to be able to get everything done. That combined with never meeting anyone from the class or the professor, I started to feel out of my depth. Secondly, in the beginning the class moved extremely fast and I wasn’t prepared for how many assignments would be due so quickly. Every week was a new topic that required new research and sources and I wasn’t even familiar with the library or campus yet! Also, in traditional college courses you can see your colleagues or the professor at least a few times each week face to face so you can get instant feedback from questions. However, in this course it is typically all through email or blackboard, so the feedback takes a lot longer. This is something I was not used to.

Claire: The syllabus was very thorough though the assignment directions or areas for submission were not always clear.  Looking in advance at the directions is important but also double checking where and how the assignments are to be submitted is beneficial.  The start of the course is heavy with a lot of reading and discussion boards, a student can get into a rhythm with the work but this takes a little time.  There are a lot of content areas/buttons in the Blackboard course shell so start navigating through the site to gain an understanding of where things are found.  The small group I worked with in the class helped me to feel grounded in the coursework.  I leaned on my group members for input, guidance and answers.  Even though we were not meeting in class face to face together we did communicate over email frequently and there was a feeling of connection in the small group discussion boards.

LaKrisha:  It can be difficult recalling information for your Final Learning Journal.  Make sure you regularly complete your Critical Incident Posts.   It’s important to go back and look at your thoughts during certain times in the semester.  It helps you to understand your struggles and desires.  In addition, they will provide you with a foundation for your paper.

Utilize the WebEx meetings as frequently as possible.  Because the class is online you can easily become disconnected.  I found the WebEx meetings to be extremely helpful.  I was able to get to know the instructor face-to-face, I could articulate my questions easier regarding information I was not understanding and I always came away with answers to questions I’d not thought of before the call. 

 

Our advice for combating and overcoming these issues is:

1.       Attend the Adult Education graduate school seminar in August

2.       Decide before the semester starts of when you will study and when you will get assignments done.

3.       Get phone numbers of your classmates and use the teleconference to talk to the professor.

Nick:  After I attended the graduate school seminar I felt much better about starting both my graduate program and the semester. I could network with both new students and veteran students in my program and put faces to names so I didn’t feel alone. It was immensely helpful and I cannot recommend it enough.

Second, budget your time, this cannot be overstated enough. With the assignments being due by Wednesday of each week and the comments due by Sunday, you cannot fall behind or you will always be playing catch up. Plan with yourself and your loved ones so they know when you will be studying and writing papers. Don’t just assume you will have time each day or try to squeeze it or else you could be up all night trying to get assignments done and your work will suffer. Remember, no one will be standing over you telling to get something done so you must have self-discipline or else you will wind up on deadline day staring at a blank page.

If I could do one thing different, I would better utilize the online library portal to take full advantage of what they can offer. It may be because I am brand new to Ball State, but I had no idea until very late in the semester how robust the online portal of the library is. I would have used some time in the summer to get better acquainted with it so I was better prepared. Now that I am I feel much more confident about my ability to research and write papers.

Claire: I agree with Nick’s suggestions wholeheartedly.  Any communication and connections that can be made beyond e-mail is useful.  Even though I didn’t often reach out using other modes of communication it was nice to know that I could.  Using time wisely is the key to success in any course but an online course especially.  While there are set deadlines each week, part of your meeting these is responding to classmates or implementing their input into a group assignment.  If everyone has their work done on time or ahead for the first deadline it is much easier to meet the due dates later in the week and semester.  Letting group mates know it is a busy week and you will be running a day or so later than usual with your submission is helpful.  If you know when you will be posting the questions for your group mates it is nice to let them know this.  Checking your Ball State email on a regular basis and reviewing feedback in the gradebook in a timely manner helps maintain a link to the course and the instructor as well.

LaKrisha:  Always refer to the syllabus for instructions on completing assignments.  The syllabus contains a wealth of information.  However, it is very lengthy so you may get overwhelmed with its contents.  Utilize the search function in Word/Adobe when looking for the assignment you are working on.  Larger projects have guidance regarding what is required.  Choose an adult educator from the list provided on the syllabus.  I found it to be very difficult to find substantial information on the adult educator I initially selected that was not on the list.  The list provides you with adult educators that have already been approved to use in your project.  The individuals are also well known in AE; therefore, you will find substantial research information.   Start your research on the individual early to ensure you find a variety of information.  Lastly, be sure to answer each question listed in the syllabus for this project.  This will ensure you accumulate the points available.