Online Classes: Steps to Getting an A

In my four years of college, I would say that I was able to take about 25% of my classes online. I must say that there are pros and cons of online classes with the biggest pro being convenience and the biggest con not being able to see each other. Still, being able to take online classes helped me get done on time and prevented me from having to deal with conflicting schedules.

So how can one achieve success in an online class? Perhaps the biggest way to make an impression on the professor is by being active in class discussions. Basically, a professor will give you a topic to discuss and he/she will ask for a minimum of two or three posts. It would be a good idea to go above and beyond this minimum. Try getting into a discussion with some of your online buddies on things related to the topic. Use this as an exercise to strengthen your critical thinking skills. What this means is pick apart the topic and try to figure out how it can related to other aspects of life. Take what you have already learned and sew how it may fit in with the topic. By following these steps, this will show the professor that you're not just there to meet the minimum but are actually interested in the subject.

A second way to achieve success is to simply do the work and turn it in when it is due. An online class may be more flexible, but there are due dates. It is important that you know when an assignment is due. Also, do not start an assignment a day or two before it is due. In most cases, professors will not accept a late assignment for credit, especially towards the end of the semester. They too have deadlines to meet.

Third, it would be smart to actually take the time to read the textbook. I've overheard people in the past talking about not reading half the text because they thought they already knew the material. This is not the way to go. Most textbooks have at least a few hundred pages but in some cases close to or over a thousand. There is a very good chance that there are some things, no, many things that you probably never knew before. If the professor tells you to read something, it's probably important.

Finally, if you are having trouble in class, contact the professor. Most professors give out there office and cell phone numbers and even emails. If you want to meet with the professor, set up an appointment or drop by their office. That's what they are there for.

I hope these tips help everyone with their online classes. Even though some people think online classes are impersonal, they offer a chance of more discussion than in a regular class setting. Best of all, the students get to do all of the discussing and learn about each other's thoughts and ideas. I'd say it beats listening to a professor lecturing for three hours. Happy learning!