Time Management
Most people report that their biggest "ah ha" when taking an online
course for the first time is grasping just how much time it will take to
complete the course requirements.
Traditional classroom times:
- In-class time. For a 3-credit hour course, you will
generally spend 45 contact hours (actually about 50 minutes = a
contact hour!) throughout the semester. In a traditional classroom
setting, this means the course will meet for 3 days a week for 50
minutes each, 2 days a week for 75 minutes each, or 1 day a week for
150 minutes (plus a break!).
- Outside of class study time. In addition, your advisor
probably told you to expect to spend 2-3
hours a week OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM for every hour you are in the
classroom studying on your own, reading, preparing
for exams, completing homework and other assignments, etc.
- Since Professor Pammi's courses are typically heavy workload
ones (in class or online), that means you should plan to spend
almost twice as much time outside of a traditional class as
other courses.
- Do the math. Obviously, then, you should expect to spend
about 5-6 hours a week in a fall or spring course (10-12 hours a
week for a summer course) working on each 3-credit hour course
for which you are registered.
Online course times:
BIG AH HA! For an online course, you should expect to spend
about the same amount of time each week as you would for a traditional
class. So, mark your calendar, make an appointment with yourself, and
expect to spend 8-10 hours EVERY WEEK working on the Intro course.
Deadlines and Calendaring
· Take
advantage of the schedule that is included on the eCampus site for each
course. You might want to print the schedule and use it to
coordinate your paper or computerized calendar system. Don't
forget that eCampus has a calendaring program available for your use.
It can be very helpful if you use it wisely!
Procrastination
is the Spice of Life! NOT!
· Okay,
here goes the speech on “don’t procrastinate!” Yes, you’re right! Miss
Pammi is the world’s worst at this! I always wait until the last minute
to do everything, and I drive myself (and most people around me) crazy!
Don’t go there! Just do it! (Any more stupid cliques?)
·
You are truly going to learn more, stress less, and enjoy
life and learning if you stick to the suggested schedule.
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