Increasingly in our society, students feel that they are entitled to an education. If they are paying the money and showing up for class, they feel they deserve an A, whether their work showcases A work or not… While this is definitely an issue in traditional colleges, it is also becoming more of an issue for online colleges and universities as well, and it is a struggle to figure out the best way to deal with these individualized student issues, no matter the modality of course work.
Within my 11 years as an educator, I’ve experienced numerous types of students. There is no question that my favorite is the highly motivated learner – but I often encounter students who are only enrolled to receive a grade (which they think should always be an A) and students who are not prepared or ready for the college experience. I have had students who want to turn all of their work in on the last day of the course. I have had students who argue with me regarding .03 of a point. I have students who seem to continually be ill or have repeated deaths within their family. Honestly, there isn’t much that surprises me anymore.
Dealing with difficult students as an online instructor is oftentimes more challenging then dealing these same students in person in a traditional setting. When students are required to give their excuses for not turning in assignments in person, they are often less likely to lie. When they can hide behind a keyboard, as is the case in most online courses, students are more likely to give random excuses and argue with the instructor over trivial points.
When I first began teaching, it was very difficult for me to separate student complaints and issues from my personal value as a teacher. I would be personally offended by students who were lying to me about specific issues or who called into question my late policy or assignment grading. Overtime, I’ve had to learn to separate myself from these issues. Some students are just testing the water – trying to see what they can get by with in my classroom. Others, are just naturally argumentative.
Within my online classroom, I have clear expectations from the first day of the course. I let students know my late policy and expectations up front and when a student emails me to say that their paper is late because of whatever excuse they can think of at that moment, I email back restating my late policy in the politest tone possible. I try my best to be a fair but firm instructor.
Online students often juggle a variety of roles – student, parent, employee – and it is easy to see how they can become overwhelmed by their responsibilities. That said, in my opinion it benefits no one if students are continually allowed to slide by and give excuses as to why they are not meeting deadlines. Just as in a workplace, deadlines are in place for a reason and should be respected.
About the Author
Jamie Weitl is a WAHM teaching for several online universities and raising three precocious little ones. In her spare time she enjoys writing, baking, and running. For more info, see my Google Plus Profile.
