So now that I’ve told you what makes an online class good, what should you do if you find yourself in a bad online class?

Unclear expectations are a key attribute of a bad online class. For the most part a student should be able to find what’s expected from them by reading the syllabus. A course syllabus is required by most universities, but instructors are often given creative freedom with how they format them.

If you find that the syllabus is difficult to understand, lacking information or generally unhelpful- contact your instructor. Give them the opportunity to explain their methods. Remember to also check the platform. Maybe the assignments have more detail in their dropbox, maybe that’s where their due dates are, too. Maybe the assignment points and rubrics are under the grades section.

Check the syllabus and platform thoroughly and if you still have issues contact your instructor.

If contacting your instructor gets you nowhere for whatever reason, and this problem inhibits your success in the course, contact your adviser or the department. As a student of the university you have the right to contact the course department or even the college if you feel something is going wrong in your class and your instructor is unable or unwilling to help.

You may also contact your adviser or the department if you feel uncomfortable contacting your instructor, though it is usually best to give your instructor a chance to remedy the issue themselves before taking the issue to someone else.