Expectations vs Reality

Online Expectations

One of the best ways of preparing yourself for an online course is to accurately set your expectations for the course.  Although it will be crucial that you learn your individual instructor's expectations (no two instructors are the same), there are some general expectations that apply to all online courses.

  • Online learning requires active participation.  You will be asked to communicate with your instructor as well as other students via discussion forums, emails, group projects, and possibly electronic meetings.
  • Online learning requires a great deal of reading.  At STC, our instructors work to include a variety of learning tools: videos, games, tutorials, and more. Students are strongly encouraged to read the textbook, syllabus, lesson plans, and all other information listed in Blackboard. 
  • A general rule of thumb is if you are taking a 3 credit hour course, multiply that by 3 to find out the minimum amount of time you should invest in that course each week  (for this example, 9 hours would be the minimum rule of thumb).
  • It is your responsibility to contact your instructor if you need help or an explanation.  If an assignment is confusing or you don't know where to post your homework, for example, it is also your responsibility to do so in a timely fashion. 
  • If you are taking an exam in your learning managment system and lose your connection for any reason, you are responsible for contacting your instructor ASAP.  How might you contact your instructor if your Internet connection is down?  By printing all of your syllabi/lesson plans from day 1 and then calling your instructor on the number listed on the syllabus.  If your instructor doesn't answer his/her phone, leave a voicemail.  As soon as your Internet connection is active again, you should also email your instructor to make them aware of your problem.  
  • You will be expected to utilize proper "netiquette" in your online course(s).  Your instructor will include information in each of your courses on what is deemed appropriate in the online world of education.