All online classes have been cut down from 16 weeks to eight weeks.
All online classes offered at GHC are now eight weeks long. Online courses have always been provided and became more prevalent during COVID-19 when we all had to resort to virtual learning. Students previously had the option of taking either eight or 16-week courses to accommodate their outside lives; however, they no longer have that choice.
The reasons for this change are unknown, and many speculations have been made. Some may think getting more students to opt for in-person classes is a ploy, but I am more surprised that this decision was not made sooner, as we live in a virtually-influenced world.
In eight-week courses, the workload can be heavy and accelerated. Success is left in the hands of the student, and there is no space for falling short or pacing yourself as one could in a traditional 16-week in-person course.
“Online courses increase accessibility for those unable to attend traditional in-person classes,” Taylor Shuman, a dental hygiene major at the Floyd campus, said.
As a strictly online student since 2020, eight-week courses have allowed me to work full-time while achieving personal and academic goals. There is also a concern that eight-week courses may make upper-level courses too difficult, but not all agree.
“I believe science-based courses such as anatomy and or chemistry could become unmanageable but not for overall general classes,” Cassie Dunagan, a dental hygiene major at the Floyd campus, said.
The workload of an eight-week class can be overwhelming, but it is attainable with proper time management.
Undoubtedly, these courses are strenuous for instructors and students alike. Instructors do a lot of work but can benefit from specific focusing techniques. “Instead of teaching several classes for a full semester, I can concentrate only on the classes I have for those eight weeks, and then I can ‘reset’ my brain for the next eight weeks. It allows me to give each class more specific attention,” Amanda McFarland, part-time instructor of kinesiology and wellness, said.
Eight-week courses have allowed me to take more classes per semester and focus on one at a time, which has assured my success. The time and effort put into these courses can make or break your academic success, and while not practicable for all, I would not trade them for anything.
