Northwood gives its students the opportunity to take online courses in order to provide additional learning opportunities and give students a chance to earn college credit if they earn a C or higher in the class. When taking online college courses, students must be independent and aware that they are on their own. Some students think online classes are better because they can work at their own pace, but others say they need teachers to guide them. Time management is also a problem with some students because they have after school activities or work, and they end up doing their online work late at night.
Senior Elizabeth Perez is taking General Biology, American History II and Art Appreciation online, and she struggles with biology at times.
“The classwork isn’t that hard, but me finding the time to do the labs is, and that affects my grade,” Perez said. “But honestly, I think it is effective, because as long as you pass the class, you automatically get college credit.”
There are students who feel like online classes are not for them, because they prefer the guidance of a teacher. Senior Kathy Hernandez does not take online classes because she says she is a visual learner.
“I don’t think online classes help,” Hernandez said. “Me personally, I need a teacher to help me get the concept of the material.”
Students take their online classes in the school’s cafeteria, classrooms and sometimes the library. They have the option to leave campus, but only after the two first weeks, and the student is required to have at least an 80 or higher in the class in order to do so.
Senior Brenda Ruto prefers doing her online work at home because it is a better environment for her.
“When I do my online work, I’m usually at home, because it’s more quiet,” Ruto said. “Classrooms are kind of loud.”
Ruto manages her time differently so she can feel more comfortable when taking her online course.
“Online classes are really cool, but I don’t feel they’re that effective for me, because I feel like it’s more of a time for me to catch up on other classes,” Ruto said.
Junior Jacob Hilliard also has an online course and does his work, but the courses are not as helpful to him.
“It’s kind of like you do your work and then you turn it in and you get graded on it, [but] you don’t really learn anything,” Hilliard said.
Taking an online class means having the responsibility of doing work and making sure you are caught up, because there are no teachers to help push you along.
Senior Joanna Estrada says she has to help herself in order to get the material but benefits from the class by gaining college credit. Any online college course gives you a credit if you pass the class, so it will not be an extra class to take when going to college.
“Online classes are basically having to guide your own self,” Estrada said. “If you do not understand something, you can’t really ask your teacher. You mainly have to do the research yourself and figure things out for yourself. I like it because it’s not hard as I thought it would be, and you get a college credit, so I guess it’s worth it.”
April Hammonds is the career and college adviser, and her job is to help high school students take online classes and get free college credits. She guides students to higher education and success.
“If students make a grade of a C or higher, then they’re getting that transfer credit, so if they take Intro to Sociology here, then that’s going to transfer to UNC as that class, so it’s really eliminating a lot of the general educations, and they are getting them completely free,” Hammonds said.
Hammonds describes the students taking these classes.
“The majority of the students do pass,” Hammonds said. “I mean, there are going to be a few outliers that do not pass. With an online class, there’s a lot of motivation that you have to have within yourself, like being organized and staying on task and doing what you need to get done.”
Hammonds said past students have appreciated the opportunities of online classes.
“I have talked to students who’ve graduated who took online courses, students at ECU, UNC-G, UNC, and they discuss how being in an online class really gives them what it’s like to be in a college class,” Hammonds said.
– By Athziry Peralta
