In many ways, an online class is similar to an in-person class. You’ll be expected to participate in various ways and interact with the instructor and with your classmates. You’ll have to learn new information and demonstrate this learning through in ways that your instructor feels are appropriate to the subject. These modes of assessment might include assignments, discussions, peer reviews, quizzes, projects, papers, and presentations.
While online classes may seem like less work, they’re not! Regardless of the topic, they require self-direction, academic and technical skills, and more.
You should expect to engage with your online class at least a few times a week. The time commitment of an online class is similar to that of a traditional class. You will probably find that you’ll devote somewhere between 9 and 15 hours a week to each of your online courses.
Basic computer skills are a plus to help you troubleshoot minor issues.
Being self-motivated and organized will help a lot!
Be honest with yourself about your particular learning style. Do you feel comfortable working through material independently (as you would in an asynchronous class), or would you rather be able to hear a lesson in real time (as you can in a synchronous class with regular online meetings)?
Online learning readiness self-check
When you register for a class you will be added automatically to the Canvas shell. However, many instructors will not publish their shells until the first day of class, so it may not appear on your Canvas dashboard until the semester/session starts.
Note: It can take up to 24 hours after you add a class for your account to become active in Canvas.
Please contact the Office of Special Services to talk to specialists who will help you. If you are already registered with OSS, your accommodation letter will automatically be shared with your instructor.
If you want to speak with your instructor about your accommodations, please use the LACC Employee Directory to find their email address or check the Department webpage. Send confidential messages through school email or through the Canvas messaging system.
Remember that online learning is not easy. Your online teacher will demand the same quality of work as they would receive from you in a face-to-face classroom.
A similar number of hours per week will need to be committed for an online course as there would be in a face-to-face course. (Most courses include 3 hours of in class work and at least 2 hours of homework for each hour in class for a total of 9 hours each week. An online course requires 9-15 hours of time each week to be successful).
Good organization and time management skills are very important for online learning, as you will have to work independently much of the time.
Some general tips:
- Download the Canvas Student app to your phone, tablet, or iPad
- Enable push notifications so that you’ll be alerted when the instructor adds an announcement, grades an assignment, etc.
- Use the Canvas messaging system for questions
- View the Calendar and To Do list in Canvas to stay on top of what’s due
- Set aside time every week to engage with your class, even if the class never meets in real time
Online Learning Tuorials:
Below you will find a series of interactive multimedia tutorials that address the real challenges experienced by online students, new and experienced while pursuing success in online classes. Visit the following links to access these tutorials:
Additional Online Readiness Resources:
From: Online Readiness Modules for Students via the CCC Online Education page
If you have questions about how to use Canvas, try the Canvas Student Guides, also available in Spanish, for frequently asked questions.
Video Tutorials About Specific Canvas Features: