2. Keep in mind that all of your professors were once students. For some professors, teaching online courses isn’t their only job. Some of them may have other full-time jobs. Some students expect professors to have sympathy towards them when their lives outside of class interfere with their course work. Find a way to get the job done. You will need to be persistent, manage your time well, and find ways to work through difficulties that arise outside of the course.

3. Wait until the last day of the week to participate in discussions. Ask questions that are clearly answered in the syllabus or other course information. Don’t read assignment directions and instructions. Plagiarize or cheat on assignments. Send emails without greeting or signature and no name and class in the subject line. Ask for extra credit assignments in the last couple of weeks when you have a failing grade. Correct other students or tell them what to do (or not to do). SOURCE: Online Learning by Leslie Bowman. ISBN: 978-1-60709-747-1

4. Professors are bombarded with excuses from students concerning late work. Professors do not like extending deadlines for certain students, while other students meet the deadlines without any excuses. STUDENT A Student A makes no excuses and submits their work on time. STUDENT B Student B frequently has excuses for missing course work deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to manage their own time. It is not the professor’s responsibility to juggle time schedules for every student.

5. Emergencies happen. The problem arises for professors when a student seems to be having far too many emergencies and constantly requests the acceptance of late work. Professors will notice this pattern and determine that the student is performing poorly with time management. Students should be prepared and have their professor’s email address and phone number available to family members in case of an emergency. Students should make it a priority in the time of an emergency to contact their professor as quickly as possible.