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Although the course syllabus outlining all the assignments and expectations for her Western Technical College summer course are easily found online, her students demand attention.
While online courses offer students flexibility, taking a course or teaching a course online requires a great deal of work, said Kettelson, who teaches both online and traditional courses in accounting at Western.
She said students in online classes expect instructors to post assignments on the first day of class and to answer questions instantaneously.
“We, as faculty, try hard to communicate that we can’t be available 24-hours per day,” she said. “But I know students are happier with me the faster I reply.”
The majority of Western’s online courses are taught on a platform called Blackboard. Students log on and can access the syllabus, e-mail the teacher, participate in classroom discussions, or privately send a note or question to another student or instructor.
Kettelson encourages all students to post questions for everyone to see, but she said many e-mail her directly.
The format means she also misses the nonverbal cues students give when they don’t understand an assignment or question. Instead, she gets e-mails from confused students then clarifies the assignment.
But teachers aren’t the only ones subject to high expectations when it comes to online learning.
Students shouldn’t think that online courses are a breeze just because they don’t need to come to campus, said Debra Randall Anderson, assistant director of the school of adult learning, which offers a number of online options at Viterbo University.
“It is a challenge to do something so independently,” she said. “You have a faculty member, but they can’t type everything they would say in a normal class.”
Online students need to be self-motivated to get their work done, Kettelson said.
Some have that ability naturally, and others need an extra push from an instructor in person on a regular basis, she said. “It is pretty easy to ignore your computer, but not as easy to ignore the teacher standing in front of you.”
Michelle Weisenberger, 45, took several online courses to complete her degree at Western in May. She said they were just as hard as regular classes.
“Online isn’t for everyone, but if you are focused and disciplined on your material, then absolutely, it is,” she said.
Online classes worked well for Weisenberger, who had family commitments and a full-time job. She could log on and work whenever she had time. Plus, she saved on drive time and gasoline when she wasn’t making the 35-mile commute from her home in Ettrick, Wis.
“It fits certain students’ needs and learning styles,” Kettelson said. “As long as they have the willingness to stay motivated and ask questions, online courses will work fine.”
At a Glance
KJ Lang can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or klang@lacrossetribune.com.
