How Can You Get to Know Your Classmates in an Online Course?
October 17, 2010 by michaelm
Filed under Online College, Online Education
Use the Discussion Boards
Most online classes are set up with discussion boards that let students and instructors communicate with one another directly. There is generally a board that is designed specifically for questions about assignments, and another board for general discussions. Online students who use the discussion boards regularly will find that they can get to know their classmates very quickly. Since all of the conversations are posted to read online, you can read and understand your classmates’ comments. In a classroom setting it can sometimes be difficult to hear everyone and know what’s being said.
Take Advantage of E-mail
Modern technology makes it much easier to communicate directly with your instructor or other classmates any time of the day or night. You can mention something that comes to your mind right when you think of it, no matter what hour it is. The e-mail will be waiting for your classmates or instructor until they are ready to read it and you will be guaranteed that you communicated your idea without having to worry about forgetting it. If you were in a traditional classroom setting you would have a limited amount of time to make your comment and get feedback.
Post a Personal Profile
One of the best ways to learn more about your classmates and help them learn more about you is to post a personal profile at the college website. Most online schools provide areas for students to list the personal information that they think is the most interesting so that everyone can learn a little bit more about one another. You can post a picture of yourself and describe a little bit about what you are interested in. You will learn a lot about your classmates simply by browsing through their profiles.
