The scoop on online classes
By Dilynn Roettker, Staff Writer
June 26, 2008 | 4 p.m.
Figuring out a workable schedule for each quarter is avoided by some and enjoyed by others. Online classes have been around for a while, yet many students are not aware of the variety available throughout the year.
But students need to remember there is work involved with online classes, and there are some classes out there that are more work than they are worth. Some students vaguely hear about online classess through friends who have taken them, but do not necessarily give much thought to the idea of taking one themselves.
Three students shared their experiences with online classes: Abbie Ingersoll, Morgan Hidy and Sophia Karageorge. For Ingersoll, who took Math 101, and Hidy, who took Health 202, their first experiences with online classes came as a surprise -- the first day they went to class.
“I did not know that the class was online," Ingersoll said. "The first day [of class], the professor told us that the classwork and homework would be conducted online and that we only needed to come to class for the tests and the final exam."
Ingersoll said she enjoyed the math class she took, and she thought the class was straightforward and the tests were flexible. “The grading was fair and balanced on the tests, and on the online homework it was nice because you had three strikes for each question before getting it wrong," Ingersoll said. "It was nice that way because if you missed it once you could try other ways and learn it from that.”
She enjoyed doing the work on her own time and recommends trying an online class out to students who would like to work more on their own schedule.
But Ingersoll warns that online classes "can get frustrating when you need help and are kind of stuck figuring it out on your own.” For this problem, she liked the fact that there was always a TA available with office hours if anyone needed help.
Sophia Karageorge took History 101 through the Zanesville campus during spring quarter 2008. She liked the set-up of the class because it was organized, simple and laid out so it was easy to understand, she said The professor was very prompt, helpful and understanding when she had repeated computer problems over several weeks.
The class' testing schedule proved incredibly convenient for Karageorge. “You could schedule to take it [a test] whenever you had free time.," she said. "Just go in and type what you know on the computer, and then he would provide 'recommended answers' so that you could get immediate feedback to see what your grade would be like.”
Karageorge has already convinced several of her friends to try online classes and is enthusiastically researching classes for upcoming quarters. “I’m already looking into taking classes for summer quarter and for next fall so I can do more independent learning,” she said.
Karageorge, however, does not suggest online classes to all students. “You have to be extremely organized and motivated because there’s no one reminding you that this [an assignment] is due," she said. "You have to be on top of it and get it done on your own, otherwise you’re not going to be successful in the class.”
Freshman Morgan Hidy works at Alden library, where she does a decent amount of her homework when the library is slow. Taking an online class gave her the freedom to “go to class” while at work. She liked the prospect of online classes because of the freedom it gave from boring lectures and an extra class time, she said.
But she did not have as wonderful an experience as she hoped with this particular class. “Since it's all technology-based, it's really faulty, and sometimes the quizzes wont work correctly, or I can’t get applications to open,” Hidy said.
She said she felt like the class was insufficiently balanced, with endless work that didn’t show up on the tests, which were the only significant grades in the class. However, Hidy does not seem to have developed a grudge against online classes in general.
“I don’t think it was the right online class to take, but I know that I’ve heard of people having positive experiences with online classes.”
For students interested in the perks of online classes, Hidy’s advice is to stay motivated and up-to-date on assignments.
"Remember that it’s a class, too, even if you're not going to it," she said.
---
Online courses can be accessed at ohio.edu/ouonline.