You’ve probably noticed that all of my solutions have a similar first step: Contact Your Instructor. This can solve 99% of most class issues. But, what do you do when that is the issue?

The primary method of communication between online instructors and students is email. In order for this to be useful to students the instructor has to do two things:

1. Reply to emails.
2. Reply to them in a timely manner.

If you ask an instructor a question about an assignment and they never answer, or answer after the assignment is due, then there was really no point in emailing them at all. Here are some troubleshoots:

• Wait at least 24 hours and then send a follow-up email. Let them know that you sent an email before and you just wanted to make sure that they received it. Instructors receive a lot of emails, maybe your first one just got lost in the chaos!
• Contact them again specifically during their office hours. In theory, during their office hours your instructor should be sitting down in their office at their computer. They may be more likely to see an email come in at this time.
• Give them a call during their office hours. As an online student you can’t just drop by their office during this time, so go ahead and give them a call.
• If they’re not replying to your email or answering their phone, and you’ve tried a few times, go ahead and call the department number. Maybe you’ve been calling the wrong phone line, the department can transfer you. Maybe you have the email wrong, the department can clarify. Maybe someone in the department sees them down the hall and can grab them for you.
• Honestly, maybe your instructor is not making themselves as available as they should and you need to let the department know because it’s affecting the class.

Remember, give your instructor a chance. Mistakes happen! Emails get lost in the fray, phones drop calls, people run late, etc. But if you’ve tried several times to contact your instructor, via several mediums, then move up the ladder!