online class

Top Five Tips for Winternet Class Success

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Cat laying by keyboard

The fall semester is over and the holiday season is in full swing, which means it’s just about time for Winternet classes! If you’ve signed up for one of these intersession classes, you’ll be taking an online course that covers all the information covered in a 15 week in-person or online course in about 3 weeks instead. Though that may sound overwhelming, it is manageable, and you can greatly benefit from taking one! Since we’ve already discussed what Winternet is and why you should take one of these classes, today we’ll jump right in to how to succeed at Winternet courses this break!

#1: Check Early, Check Often

Your email and course site on Blackboard, that is. Normally professors will post information about the course, including necessary textbooks, introductions, and sometimes even icebreakers and class content before the technical “start” of the class. At the absolute minimum, you should read the syllabus, have your textbook, and familiarize yourself with the course site before the start of class. Finding out this information as soon as possible will put you on the path to success, especially when working with such a small window of time to begin with. If you can’t find something or it doesn’t make sense….

#2: Don’t Be Afraid to Talk to Your Professor

Remember, your professor wants you to succeed as much as you do. Reach out to them via their email or online office hours with any questions you have, and be sure to let them know of any problems you’re having with the material or logistics of the course sooner rather than later.

#3: Have A Strict Daily Schedule

A common estimation for a winter session class is that students should set aside 30-40 hours per week to do all that needs to be done if they’re taking a 3-credit course. It’s not recommended that students try to work at full-time jobs while taking Winternet classes. For optimal results, log in daily to check and make sure there are no new assignments or readings.

#4: Maintain a Distraction-Free Environment

Ideally, you will have a consistent space to use each day for Winternet work. This could be your bedroom, a home office, or the local coffee shop, but it needs to be somewhere where you can focus and not be distracted during the time you’re working. Put your phone on silent, turn the TV off, close the door and put a “Keep Out” sign up… do whatever needs to be done so that you can work efficiently! Remember, it’s just three weeks!

#5: Complete ALL Assignments (On Time)

Since Winternet classes are short and online, your professor has even less to go on, which means every forum post, test, and paper counts even more toward your grade. One missed post or late quiz can be the difference between an excellent and mediocre final score. Keep an updated planner with ALL due dates, no matter how insignificant they may seem, so that you can maximize your time on projects and hand things in when they’re due.

Now Go Check Out Your Own Course Site!

By following these tips and working hard on your Winternet course for three weeks, you’ll likely pass with flying colors! Even though it’s a lot of work, the short time frame can be a blessing, especially if you’re not particularly interested in the subject matter. Have you developed any helpful tips and tricks for Winternet or online courses in general? Comment them below!

5 Tips for Succeeding in Online Classes

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Students using computers in the Hasbrouck lab

In college, few things bring out more polarized emotions than online classes. Whether you love them or hate them, there comes a point in nearly everyone’s college career when it makes sense to take at least one, be it to catch up on necessary classes over break or to streamline a class schedule. A number of people consider them very easy; others find them impossible. In the end, the same rules apply to them as to any other college course; it’s mostly dependent on the professor, the class, and the student. However, no matter your particular situation, you can succeed!

#1: Plan Ahead

More often than not, the reason students fail an online class is the same as why they fail their regular classes: they didn’t set aside enough time for the work. With an online class, you have to find out when things are due and prepare for them in a timely manner. Find out at the beginning of the semester what days big projects will be due, and write the dates down in a planner. Then look at your own schedule and find a time each week when you can work at smaller projects that occur regularly. And there will be smaller projects! Since there is no in-class lecture, professors have to find other ways to make sure students learn the material, and this is often done through weekly quizzes or forum posts. These will probably be due on a specific day each week, and you will not want to miss them.

#2: Understand the Course Website

Personally, I’ve been through three different online learning platforms. They’ve all functioned differently. They all look different. Worst of all, none of them have ever worked properly, and I’ve lost countless essays, posts, and quizzes into the digital abyss. But guess what? Learning both the platform and your specific course’s site is half the battle. Test all tabs and links to make sure you can access them; sometimes it can be a problem with your computer, and sometimes it’s an uploading error, but the important thing is to find out if something is unavailable as soon as possible, so the situation can be corrected and your work can be submitted on time. Of course, plan to upload a bit before the due date (or hour, let’s be realistic here) so there will be time to resolve technical problems. Additionally, make sure you know where your professor keeps links for assignments and lectures so you won’t miss important information.

#3: Purchase (And Use) All Required Outside Materials

Basically, if your online class recommends a textbook, get the textbook. Professors usually use a combination of their own lessons and textbook material, and the emphasis is almost always on the information in the textbook when it comes to quizzes and forums. It pays off to use your textbook in the end. The same also applies to outside resources such as software and study guides, since it’s quite likely they will be utilized at some point during the course.

#4: Keep an Orderly Study Space

Just like for all other classes, it’s important to have a stable, quiet space to work and study in. For online classes, this is twice as important, since you are both learning the information and working on assignments in this area. You’ll be spending a lot of time in your work space, so make sure it’s as neat and comfortable for you as possible. Keep your textbook and planner here in a prominent place so they won’t get lost or forgotten.

#5: Check All Work

Online courses are often writing-heavy, since there are usually forum posts and papers that take the place of classroom discussion. Since you have the opportunity, make sure you check your writing for grammatical errors and message clarity. A quick proofread can make all the difference to your professor and earn you a much better grade. Checking also applies to uploading; make sure your essay or post shows up on the site after you’ve uploaded it. The only thing worse than uploading poor work is finding out you didn’t upload anything at all!

Like with any college class, a bit of self-reliance and proactivity does a great deal to help you get A’s. If you treat your online class with the same importance as on-campus classes, you will do just fine. And enjoy it! After all, who doesn’t like earning college credit while curled up in pajamas at home?