Often times with e-learning platforms, courses can either be self-paced or have strict due dates set in place for assignments, quizzes, tests, etc. Setting due dates are generally most successful in an online course because it gives the students a guideline for course completion. Ultimately, these guidelines prevent students from procrastinating until the end of the course period and allows them to learn the content to the best of their ability.
Although the course is being taken via an e-learning platform, a course schedule helps to create more of an in-class environment. Simple suggestions can be made to ‘complete the assignment by Tuesday’ or ‘complete the assignment in the next 3 days’. Know your student audience prior to setting these guidelines; some may need more strict due dates than others.
At the beginning of each course, your course syllabus should inform the students of the number of hours per week expected in coursework. This gives them a general timeline of the course and helps to manage their time a little better. Always be sure to give clear instructions on how assignments or quizzes are submitted. Good communication reduces the amount of confusion that may arise when students are attempting to complete tasks.
When completing online courses via an e-learning platform, students can often times find themselves down to the wire on time and rushing to complete the assigned tasks. If you have a course that doesn’t have any assignments, or quizzes/tests, it is still important to let your students know the weekly objectives; give them a simple guideline to keep them on track without pulling their hair out.