Posted by jstoppi on July 28th, 2008
Obtaining an online education requires one to write quite a bit more than would be required in a traditional program. This is because reading/writing is the primary or sole means of communication in the online education arena. Real-time chats, message boards, and email are the ways students, professors and teacher’s assistance (TAs) interact with each other. Little, if any, phone calls take place. The benefits of this are obvious: refining such skills in the online classroom will pay dividends in one’s future work.
Unfortunately, not all aspects of this fringe benefit are positive. I found my ability to interact directly with people, conversation skills, verbal listening skills, and verbal speaking skills declining as I was engrossed in the reading/writing in my online education. Students can parry this potential, unwanted side-effect by investing some time for continued socialization with friends and family.
It is very difficult to formulate complex academic questions in written prose. Learning how to overcome this challenge is an yet another challenge of obtaining and online education. The online student will find him/herself reading emails to professors, over and over, listening to whether or not the question is actually interpretable. The dialogue that would have occurred in the professor’s office to help the professor understand what the student is asking takes place in the online student’s mind. The student must learn how someone might incorrectly interpret their written sentences and make adjustments to save time and quickly get the answer they need.
Being a student in an online atmosphere can be overwhelming. At times you may even feel alone. Due to the distance learning format the biggest form of communication is EMAIL. It is essential to use this tool to develop a relationship with your online instructor.
As a part of your class requirements you will have the opportunity to “chat” with the class using the discussion boards and real-time seminars or chat sessions, but the best way to speak one-on-one with the course facilitator is to use email to ask questions, clarify information, share thoughts and get to know your professor.
Online schools have instructor policies that require them to check email daily, host office hours and at some schools have access to instant messaging. The accessibility to your professor may not be the experience of a face-to-face meeting but it can be an opportunity for open discussion. Review your class syllabus to see what the best way to contact your professor. If email is the preferred option, send an email to introduce yourself outside of the opening unit’s introductory opportunity. Save the instructor’s email address in your contact list, as well as include them on your safe list. You would not want to miss a correspondence from your instructor because it goes to your bulk mail box.
It is recommended that you use the email system of your school. Just as you would not want to miss an email from your professor, the opposite applies. Using your personal email account may be flagged by the school’s email administration as an unsolicited email. It may forward it to a bulk mailbox or the professor may dismiss it as spam. Many times your personal email account does not identify you but instead describes our alternate egos. Beware that email names that are “suggestive” and “unique” may not be answered. The school’s assigned email account will give you better odds of your email being directed to the professor’s inbox and responded to in a timely fashion.
Your instructor will appreciate your outreach. This will also help to set the expectations of your learning experience. Using email or instant messaging will afford you the chance to make a presence with your professor. It is also a way to keep your professor informed. As an online student you probably have a demanding schedule. That is a major reason for many who enroll at an online college or university. There are times when you may have difficulty meeting your deadlines, communicating with your instructor can help you to stay focused, make up work and find out about discussions or resources you may have missed.
Keeping the lines of communication open will only enhance your learning experience. It will not only keep you engaged in the process, it will also elicit dialogue from your professor. Just keep the emails respectful and with the understanding that what you write might not be interpreted as what you meant. So, keep your emails short and to the point. Identify yourself, the class you attend and what your specific question is. The easier it is for the instructor to understand you, the easier it is for them to provide a substantial response.
