OnLINE SEMESTER
How does it work?
Moodle: Every Course has a specific module and professors upload recorded lectures, notes and other resources. Moodle is also used for all the quizzes, assignments and exams that are held over the duration of the semester. After an exam, Moodle gives you some instant statistics to help you gauge your performance compared to your peers.
Microsoft Teams: Again, every course has its own module and teams is ideally supposed to be used for “Doubt sessions”. You are expected to go through the recorded lectures on Moodle and come with doubts in the teams session. One session in an online class is just 30 mins. On an average you only have 2 or 3 hours of college daily in your freshman year.
Quizzes: Quiz patterns vary between subjects but they are generally in the form of MCQ Objective questions.These tests are held on moodle itself. You can be expected to solve 10 questions in 10 minutes. SM courses have a unique way of evaluation. These tests can require you to give presentations, have group discussions with your classmates, write letters and essays.
Assignments: These are your best bets for securing some easy marks and levelling up you CGPA. Some professors demand written assignments whereas some of them prefer pdf submissions. Just make sure to submit these before their respective due date on moodle and you are good to go..
Note: This is just a general overview on how these platforms are used. Every professor has their own style of teaching so it might change according to their whims and fancies.
The Experience:
(Disclaimer: The following paragraphs describe the online semester from the point of view of a student. Experiences may vary for different students.)
The online semesters are evidently different from the on campus experience. Frankly, there is a lot to complain about, but it would be unfair to look over the benefits too. Everything boils down to how you as a person will take the experience. With the right mindset and a little effort the online sem is surprisingly fun too!
Having to attend classes from home opens up a load of free space in our schedules, it is easier to scoot in personal activities and even a little self growth. You get ample time to work on your skills and co-curriculars, something a lot of us didn’t have during the JEE prep times. You always will have someone out there in college doing the same things you are interested in, all you have to do is reach out. Connecting with the right people and clubs is great to expand your network and find out how to go about your goals and interests. It is easier to get an idea of where to begin or how to continue when you have knowledge about others' experiences through the same journey. Active participation in SMPs (Summer Mentorship Programmes) of ISTE and ACM, IEEE projects and more can be squeezed into your new found time slots.
More than just academic and career growth opportunities, we can use the extra time and online presence to socialise and make friends. One major advantage of the online mode is that you do not get cooped up with only your classmates, you meet lots of people from other sections too. It wouldn’t be a lie if someone said you could potentially meet more people online (that is if you are one to be online a lot)!
Moving on to the Academics part of the online sem. Right off the bat, it isn’t all that hard (at least for first years), you get to rewatch missed lectures and also have pre recorded lectures uploaded on moodle. There is no worry if you had to miss out on one lecture, you always can get back to it. On the topic of missing lectures, although it is advisable to attend all the live sessions, there are professors who do not take daily attendance, and for semester 1 students were permitted to write end semesters without the required 70% attendance (this excludes SM111 and SM110 , where class participation is counted to your overall grade).
Based on the subject there are quizzes and graded assignments, prompt submissions and good performances contribute to a higher SGPA like it always did. Quizzes are generally not proctored, but it comes with a catch, you do not have a lot of time. Acing a quiz also requires you to be fast and accurate, as there is generally very less time and negative marking too. The pattern of quizzes is dependent on the professor and it changes between subjects. On the brighter side (apart from that most are not proctored), you do get ample time to prepare for your quizzes and all the material you will need are easily accessible on moodle.
Almost every assignment you will submit is graded, and this is one of the easiest ways to increase your grade in the subject. Students are given reasonable deadlines and unlike quizzes you have the option to look up information and make a near perfect assignment. The grade you will receive once again also depends on your professor, but it is safe to say that most are relatively lenient with the grading.
The online sem can seem breezy, but having to stay indoors for such long periods of time can take a massive hit to morale. It is harder to stay motivated and disciplined. Doing college online also means you need to be self-accountable and that you can easily go off track if you can not stay disciplined. Many students tend to procrastinate and treat classes like an option and do not attend classes regularly. Keeping track of your schedule and deadlines can get hectic, but a little bit of motivation can help. Maintaining a college friend group comes in handy not just for academic work, it helps you not feel lonely and alone during all of the chaos or confusion you could be in.
Moodle: Every Course has a specific module and professors upload recorded lectures, notes and other resources. Moodle is also used for all the quizzes, assignments and exams that are held over the duration of the semester. After an exam, Moodle gives you some instant statistics to help you gauge your performance compared to your peers.
Microsoft Teams: Again, every course has its own module and teams is ideally supposed to be used for “Doubt sessions”. You are expected to go through the recorded lectures on Moodle and come with doubts in the teams session. One session in an online class is just 30 mins. On an average you only have 2 or 3 hours of college daily in your freshman year.
Quizzes: Quiz patterns vary between subjects but they are generally in the form of MCQ Objective questions.These tests are held on moodle itself. You can be expected to solve 10 questions in 10 minutes. SM courses have a unique way of evaluation. These tests can require you to give presentations, have group discussions with your classmates, write letters and essays.
Assignments: These are your best bets for securing some easy marks and levelling up you CGPA. Some professors demand written assignments whereas some of them prefer pdf submissions. Just make sure to submit these before their respective due date on moodle and you are good to go..
Note: This is just a general overview on how these platforms are used. Every professor has their own style of teaching so it might change according to their whims and fancies.
The Experience:
(Disclaimer: The following paragraphs describe the online semester from the point of view of a student. Experiences may vary for different students.)
The online semesters are evidently different from the on campus experience. Frankly, there is a lot to complain about, but it would be unfair to look over the benefits too. Everything boils down to how you as a person will take the experience. With the right mindset and a little effort the online sem is surprisingly fun too!
Having to attend classes from home opens up a load of free space in our schedules, it is easier to scoot in personal activities and even a little self growth. You get ample time to work on your skills and co-curriculars, something a lot of us didn’t have during the JEE prep times. You always will have someone out there in college doing the same things you are interested in, all you have to do is reach out. Connecting with the right people and clubs is great to expand your network and find out how to go about your goals and interests. It is easier to get an idea of where to begin or how to continue when you have knowledge about others' experiences through the same journey. Active participation in SMPs (Summer Mentorship Programmes) of ISTE and ACM, IEEE projects and more can be squeezed into your new found time slots.
More than just academic and career growth opportunities, we can use the extra time and online presence to socialise and make friends. One major advantage of the online mode is that you do not get cooped up with only your classmates, you meet lots of people from other sections too. It wouldn’t be a lie if someone said you could potentially meet more people online (that is if you are one to be online a lot)!
Moving on to the Academics part of the online sem. Right off the bat, it isn’t all that hard (at least for first years), you get to rewatch missed lectures and also have pre recorded lectures uploaded on moodle. There is no worry if you had to miss out on one lecture, you always can get back to it. On the topic of missing lectures, although it is advisable to attend all the live sessions, there are professors who do not take daily attendance, and for semester 1 students were permitted to write end semesters without the required 70% attendance (this excludes SM111 and SM110 , where class participation is counted to your overall grade).
Based on the subject there are quizzes and graded assignments, prompt submissions and good performances contribute to a higher SGPA like it always did. Quizzes are generally not proctored, but it comes with a catch, you do not have a lot of time. Acing a quiz also requires you to be fast and accurate, as there is generally very less time and negative marking too. The pattern of quizzes is dependent on the professor and it changes between subjects. On the brighter side (apart from that most are not proctored), you do get ample time to prepare for your quizzes and all the material you will need are easily accessible on moodle.
Almost every assignment you will submit is graded, and this is one of the easiest ways to increase your grade in the subject. Students are given reasonable deadlines and unlike quizzes you have the option to look up information and make a near perfect assignment. The grade you will receive once again also depends on your professor, but it is safe to say that most are relatively lenient with the grading.
The online sem can seem breezy, but having to stay indoors for such long periods of time can take a massive hit to morale. It is harder to stay motivated and disciplined. Doing college online also means you need to be self-accountable and that you can easily go off track if you can not stay disciplined. Many students tend to procrastinate and treat classes like an option and do not attend classes regularly. Keeping track of your schedule and deadlines can get hectic, but a little bit of motivation can help. Maintaining a college friend group comes in handy not just for academic work, it helps you not feel lonely and alone during all of the chaos or confusion you could be in.