Hello everyone,
Now with distance learning everything can feel so overwhelming and confusing. One gets their syllabus and daily reminders but yet it can still often feel like if somethings are left unanswered. Being an individual who tends to overthink and overanalyze most things I find myself doubting myself even after I followed every requirement, the rubric, dates, etc. Now with distance learning I feel that there is not the same connection as being in person where one can immediately raise their hand and get clarification. Therefore, does anyone have any tips on how not worry so much about everything like the smallest details one can think of?
It sounds to me like you're speaking from the student perspective. My advice is to find out what tools are available to you for asking questions. Instructors may have a discussion forum for asynchronous Q&A, a chat room, live office hours (Zoom, email, phone, etc.), or other digital options. Knowing where to go to ask questions and which questions are best for each type of contact is a good way to orient yourself to the class. If the teacher does not lay all of that out for you, just ask them! In my case, I encourage students to ask general course questions that anyone might be able to answer in the asynchronous discussion (e.g. 'Did you have trouble opening the XYZ document?') forum. I check in once a day so the longest wait time for a reply is 24 hours. I also encourage them to use synchronous conversations with me if they want to remain anonymous or have a complex question.
Learning how to navigate an online course can be a challenge! My son's online courses are not arranged very intuitively and I'm always concerned I'm going to miss something in his classes! There are lots of 'nooks and crannies' within their Canvas pages where assignments are squirred away and not on the calendar! Personally, I am always open to feedback from my students if they find instructions confusing or were unaware of an expectation. Consider reaching out to discuss these types of concerns with the instructor!
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