What you can actually expect from your online Arts classes.
Fall 2020 Classes Start Next Week!
With classes for Fall term starting in just a few days, I thought it was time to write a follow-up piece to a previous article that I wrote in May called “Going Back To The Same School But In A Very Different Way”.
It wasn’t surprising when it was announced that school would be online this fall, but it still left me with plenty to worry about. I’ve been talking to other students, coworkers and family, and a very common question that keeps coming up in conversation is what do online classes even look like? Also, what do exams or assignments look like remotely?
Like all UAlberta students, I was forced to finish Winter 2020 remotely. But I also chose to take SOC (Sociology) 100 in spring term, and WGS (Women’s and Gender Studies) 220 in summer term. Here’s what I’ve learned about what to expect for online classes:
Recap: Synchronous vs Asynchronous
Courses can be delivered synchronously, meaning that class will be live and take place at a specific time. Courses can also be delivered asynchronously, meaning that you are able to watch your lectures anytime. There is also the possibility of courses being delivered both synchronously and asynchronously meaning there will be a combination of both live and anytime components.
Courses I Took That Used Synchronous Delivery
ECON 399 and WGS 220 were two courses I have taken that were synchronously delivered. For me, the most common feature of synchronous learning is being required to sign in to Zoom at a specific time for a lecture. How exactly will you learn? From what I’ve seen, the course instructor usually will share their screen for a majority of the lecture and have slides, documents, videos, etc. while commenting on them.
There is also room for discussion in the larger group. Zoom has a feature called “break out rooms” where the instructor can split students into smaller groups to have discussions. This is similar to how small groups would have had discussions in class.
For example, in WGS 220, I was in a class of 70 people and our breakout rooms were about 5 people so that everyone had an opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions.
It is worth noting that even though a course may have synchronous delivery, the lecture may be recorded and uploaded to eClass at a later time. Why go to class then? Skip and you could miss out on participation opportunities (and marks!) via class discussion, attendance, or epolls.
Other synchronous delivery methods I have seen are office hours. If you need one-on-one time with your course instructor or your TA, this is how you talk in real-time.
Courses I Took That Used Asynchronous Delivery
This style of delivery is my personal favorite. ECON 373 and PHIL 270 are courses that I have taken that were asynchronous. I find that the most common feature in asynchronous learning is pre-recorded lectures. The course instructor would either visually record themselves lecturing, have slides and add a voice-over, or just have a voice-over and upload that to eClass so that students can access it.
Please keep in mind that just because they are posted and can be watched at any time doesn’t mean that you should literally watch it at any time. Watching lectures at any time is a great power. And, with great power comes great responsibility. STICK TO THE LECTURE SCHEDULE!(If not, before you know it you’ll be hours behind.)
Another form of asynchronous delivery is participation forums (which isn’t a brand new thing). On eClass, instructors can grade participation based on your discussion and contributions in participation forums. For returning students, we’ve likely already done this on eClass even before the pandemic when classes were in-person.
Courses I Took That Used A Combo Delivery
SOC 100 and POL S 359 are courses that I took that used both delivery methods. For me both courses had pre-recorded lectures but I was still to sign into a class at a specific time for a facilitated class discussion to earn participation grades.
I predict another way that combo delivery could be used would be live lectures and participation forums so that course instructors can answer your questions as you have them. I also anticipate that for some courses half of the lectures will be live and half will be pre-recorded.
Exams & Assignments in an Online World
HOW WILL BE GRADED!?! This question has been running through my mind as well as the minds of many other students. From my experience in SOC 100, ECON 399, and ECON 373, I was given an open book exam with a tight time restriction so that I didn’t have time to search for all the answers.
I have yet to have experience this but a very real possibility is an exam proctor. This is where you would have someone signed into your camera on your device and if they were to detect eye movements, then you would be flagged and talked to by the proctor.
For PHIL 270 and POL S 359 I had a take-home exam. Relying on my books or peers wasn’t really an option because my writing was tied to a position I was taking and had to defend.
Labs, papers, and assignments, projects, etc., in most cases do not require in-person or synchronous activity, so the only real potential change is instead of preparing for in-person hand in, you will probably just submit it virtually.
Note: Course delivery methods and student expectations will be clearly stated to you on each course’s syllabus. For any specific course questions please clarify with your professor.
Keep in mind that these are just my experiences and predictions and are not guaranteed delivery methods.
Plagiarism and Cheating
The elephant in the room! This was a possibility while courses were in person and I know that it is in conversations being had now.
Let me be the first one to scream this.
IT IS NOT WORTH IT!
Students may think it is easier to cheat in the online environment because the instructor isn’t physically in the same classroom as you while you are writing the exam but that is not the case. All your cheating or plagiarism in an online environment has a digital stamp. There is no hearsay or way to justify your actions if you are caught. Back when we were in person, students could maybe have had a better chance of pleading their case. But now, in an online environment, the digital stamp says it all.
I came to university to learn and putting myself in situations where I could jeopardize that seems foolish. I hope you agree.
Tips to Succeed
Here’s what I’ve learned after completing 6 courses online.
- Look ahead! Set a calendar for both course timelines (exams, assignments, papers, etc) and learning objective timelines (e.g. cover chapter 1 by this date). By seeing this all together you can adjust your schedule to handle all the readings, prep work and assignments each week.
- Get ahead! Now that you know what’s coming at you can keep up. Better yet, get ahead and give yourself some breathing room for when certain assignments or work takes you longer than anticipated. Get ahead of the stress, anxiety, and challenges that school can bring.
- Understand the difference between being busy and being productive! Being busy is not having a lot of time metrically speaking. To be productive is to complete your set of goals or tasks that you have assigned for yourself (again metrically speaking). There can be an overlap between being busy and productive. It is essential to understand that if you are busy, to question yourself if you are being productive. Prioritize being productive (ex. Studying a chapter) versus being busy (studying for 2 hours).
- Do not get in the habit of collecting red flags! Act on red flags quickly. If you are struggling to understand the course, fail a midterm, having trouble completing assignments on time, etc., a change needs to be made. That change can be a change of study habits, getting a tutor for the course, using a campus resource, or even dropping the course. Regardless of the case, be prepared to make the change to avoid a bad grade or even worse, an F. For more information on what to do with red flags, watch this 5 Tips For Success video.
- Be Engaged! It is sooo easy to attend class while being on your phone, computer, watching TV, scrolling through social media. The list goes on. When classes were in person at least the eyes of others in the room were an accountability measure. Now, what reason do you have not to be distracted? I urge all students to think about why bother going to class if you’re not going to get anything out of it. Turn on your video, make a point of contributing to group discussions, ask questions. The more you put in to the course the more you’ll get out of it.
- Stay Motivated! If you are in bed in class half-awake, why did you go? Ask yourself larger questions like why am I taking this class and what do I want to get out of it? Armed with the answers to those questions, every time you feel a lack of motivation, use it as fuel to get through it.
- For more tips on online learning, check out “Going Back To The Same School But In A Very Different Way”.
Remember that you aren’t going through this alone and that most challenges you are facing, other students will be facing too. Also, please remember that just because you are struggling like everyone else, it doesn’t make your problems any less real. Below are some useful links that can make learning from home.
On-Campus:
Author bio: Nathaniel Haile is BA student pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics and is currently on an AWE placement working for the Faculty of Arts as the Student Recruitment, Engagement & Communications Intern.
