Student Perspective: Experiencing an Online Course

The following is a guest blog post from a former online health student who attends Neuqua Valley High School. In this post, Abbey shares her thoughts about participating in a virtual course. When Abbey is not working so hard on her academics, she enjoys playing golf and watching her favorite TV program, "That 70's Show". She is also a member of the Literary Magazine and Best Buddies clubs.

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Q & A with an Exceptional Learner

Why did you decide to enroll in an online class?

I decided to enroll in an online class because I wanted to try something new. Also, I knew the experience of an online course would help me work on important skills such as time management.

What aspects of the online learning environment did you appreciate and why?

I appreciated how much the teacher pays attention to you. Whenever I had a question, I would shoot my teacher a quick email, and within hours I would have a response.

I like that you have the opportunity to work at your own pace and minimal busy work exists. If I finish my health work early for the week, I have a free period during school I may use to complete tasks for other classes. I I am having a crazy week and don’t have an opportunity to get to my health homework until 10:00pm, I still have time to thoroughly complete the tasks. All of the directions and everything I need is present right there in front of me on my computer screen!

In what ways did you interact with your teacher and classmates? Did you ever feel like you were isolated and disconnected from the course? Why or why not?

I never felt I was isolated from my classmates or teachers. I interacted with my classmates by doing online discussions, and posting comments on those discussions. Some of our assignments were to read through the discussion and create conversations regarding what our fellow peers had written. I interacted with my teacher through the Canvas Learning Management System, email, but also, Mrs. Jordan left comments on our work just like any on-campus teacher would. That really made me feel included as a student and as though my work counted for something rather than just completion points.

What were the biggest differences between an online and brick and mortar course?

The biggest difference was not having a physical classroom environment. That being said, I found the online experience less distracting and more focused on the content being taught.

What strategies did you use to keep yourself motivated and organized during the course?

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I made sure that at whatever time or place I was working, my single focus was on the online course. I stayed organized by entering all the due dates in my phone. I received the schedule at the beginning of the year, and would get notified if I had something to do.

What advice may you offer for other students new to online learning?

Make sure to stay on top of your work and thoroughly read the information your teacher provides

Would you consider participating in another online course, whether in high school or at college, and why?

Yes. I really enjoyed the course because I felt as though it was concise and to the point. Minimal busy work existed and we didn't waste time. In some on-campus classes, there is a lot of sitting around and listening to the teacher talk. With online courses, however, you are both the teacher and the student in a sense....You choose what you want to learn, how you want to learn it, and how you want to apply it.

What was your favorite assignment in the online course and why?

My favorite assignments in the course were the opinionated debates/conversations. I loved being able to read the thoughts of my peers such as about mental health and society. It was very interesting and interactive.