Student Comments

I have collected student comments about my online courses for some time.  I include some of them here, both to give visitors a sense of how the class has been received, and as a guide for students thinking of taking the course.  Individual assessments vary, obviously; I've included a variety of responses to give an indication of range.

Advice from former students to future students  

Be sure to keep up on the posted messages.  I would have to say that if you check it about 3 times a week and keep up on the reading you will be fine.  It's more a matter of sitting down and really doing the work.  As long as you read you will be fine.

I tell future students to ask questions.  Dr. Knox is very approachable.  That was my impression anyway.  Make sure to participate with the class and stick with your reading.  When you have a question, make sure to ask.  Dr. Knox never made me feel silly when answering my questions. I learned so much by asking.

Definitely keep up with the reading. Don't let too much time pass before you pick up the book, or you will never get caught up. And also check the message board as often as possible, it is overwhelming to log on to 40 messages or more!!

I would recommend taking an on line class to anyone, as a matter of fact I have.  Especially students that work full time like myself, I was able to take a class and not have to take time off from work to do it.  Not to mention I have learned and retained more information from this class than any other class I have taken.  I think on-line classes are definitely the wave of the future and alot of fun.   I would recommend that the student keep up with the reading and check your messages at least once a day, or else you will have an overwhelming amount.  Dr. Knox is available on line, via e-mail, or on the phone.  I never had a problem getting ahold of him at any time.  That may be a fear of some students. 

I think the best advice I'd give is don't get behind!!  Do the reading when assigned so that you can participate in the discussions easier.  Also check your message board quite freqently.  I usually checked mine 2-3 times a day.  I didn't always respond to a posting, sometimes not even posting one myself, but I kept up on others' postings and then didn't get overwhelmed.

This is an excellent and very interesting course.  It is extremely important that you check your e-mail on a regular basis (I recommend at least once a day).  In the first section of the class I read all of my material prior to starting that section.  The next section, I thought I'd try to 'read as I went'.  I found this to be much more difficult.  I spent most of my time trying to catch up on my reading, and I wasn't as in touch with the discussions as I would have liked.  My recommendation - read the material prior to or at the very beginning of each section.  Also, it was more beneficial to read the on-line lectures before the text material.

How the Workload Compares to a Live Course

I have not been back to school until now but I feel the the workload was a good amount.  Not too much, not too little.

I think it is equal.  Because we are required to participate in group discussion via the net and read all of the materials given, plus our papers.  I don't think it was too much, but equal to a live class.  I do, however, think I almost learn better in this type of set up.  You are encouraged to ask questions and that helps when learning a subject. 

I think you do more reading with an Internet course which I feel I learned more than I have in any of my other classes because I was forced to sit down and really read the material, rather than just skim over what the teacher had already talked about.  I think some of the work is pretty similar except for the reading.

I took HY102 last semester in the tradational fashion, with in class lectures and in class closed book tests.  I feel that the on line course was by far harder.

I think there was more reading than most of my other classes, but there is also alot of information to be covered.  The way that Dr. Knox presents the information made it easy to understand and fun to learn.  Not to mention that you are saving time from not sitting in class so that the work load evens itself out. 

I think that in some aspects it is more then a traditional class.  In a regular class you hear what the people say, here you must spend more time trying to read each posting every day.  This has been more time consuming then I thought it would be.

I think there is a lot more work involved in an on-line course, however the work is not hard.  Just reading, posting and replying to others' postings.

It was a little more work because we had to read the lectures instead of hearing you give them. But I sort of liked it because I'm not the best note taker.  With them like they were, I could look back at anytime and not have to worry about something I forgot to write down. 

I enjoyed very much the fact that I could basically work at my own pace, or at least at the times that are most convenient for me.  I think the work load is actually more than a regular class.  In an on campus class you can complete your studying/homework and then do nothing until the next class.  However, with an on-line course it is essential to check in every day so that you don't fall behind.  The reading also seemed to be heavier, but I'm not sure if this is because it is on-line, or just the subject.

I felt it was about the same, just spread out over more time.  15 minutes here and there for the postings, and an hour or two for the readings.

I think it is the same amount of work, even though you are not physically in a class, you still have to participate, you still have to read, and you still have to take tests, so it all even

 

History of Western Civilization
Dr. Ellis L. Knox
Boise State University
Last Revised 30 June 2000