Indianapolis, Indiana – As part of its ongoing commitment to improve student success, the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education (SASE) at Ivy Tech Community College has launched a new initiative aimed at helping students better understand the various course modalities and the expectations that come with each. The initiative, which was introduced in April, seeks to bridge the gap in communication between faculty and students, ensuring that learners are fully aware of their responsibilities in both traditional and non-traditional classroom formats.
The initiative is being led by Dean Sara Shlaer, who has been at the forefront of the effort to address a growing challenge that many Ivy Tech students face: confusion over the time commitments and requirements for different course types. In particular, with the increasing prevalence of blended, virtual, and online courses, students often struggle to navigate the expectations associated with each format.
“We’ve heard from many faculty, particularly this semester, that students don’t always understand when they have to show up for classes,” Shlaer explained. “There’s a lot of confusion around how to balance in-person attendance with online tasks, especially when courses involve both in-class and asynchronous components.”
Blended courses—those that combine both in-person meetings and online components—have become especially popular. Students often expect that the online portion will require less time or commitment than it actually does. The same is true for online classes that feature asynchronous work, where assignments are completed independently without real-time interaction with instructors or peers. This misunderstanding has led to poor time management, missed assignments, and frustration on both sides of the classroom.
Students, for instance, might assume that a course requiring a few Zoom meetings throughout the term means they need to show up only for those meetings, or that an online course doesn’t require any further engagement beyond logging in once in a while. As Shlaer noted, “Students see the schedule, and they might think, ‘I only have to go to the Zoom meetings,’ or ‘I only have to come to campus,’ but they don’t realize there’s additional work outside of class.”
This lack of clarity regarding course expectations has created unnecessary challenges for students, faculty, and academic advisors alike. The core issue often lies in how students manage their time when they are unclear about the number of hours they must dedicate to a given class, outside of scheduled class meetings. Without knowing upfront how much work is required beyond the classroom, students often find themselves scrambling to keep up with coursework, leading to added stress and, in some cases, poor academic performance.
In response to this issue, Shlaer and her team have taken a proactive approach to improve communication. Working closely with academic advisors, the registrar’s office, and enrollment specialists, the initiative aims to clarify course modalities by updating course shells in Ivy Tech’s learning management system, IvyLearn. This system update is designed to clearly outline the time commitments for each class, specifying how many hours per week students can expect to spend on assignments outside of class.
“We’re asking faculty to note in the course shell how many hours students should expect to work outside of class,” Shlaer said. “For example, if a class meets three hours a week in person, but there’s also asynchronous work, we want students to know upfront how much time they’ll need to dedicate to that class.”
This new approach offers a practical solution for students who may be overwhelmed by juggling multiple classes with varying levels of time commitment. With better guidance on what is expected for each class, students will be able to make more informed decisions when selecting their courses and can plan their academic schedules more effectively. Shlaer believes that these changes will significantly impact student success, offering them a clearer understanding of what their term will entail and how to better organize their time.
“This gives students a better understanding of what the expectations are and what kind of time commitment they’ll need to make,” Shlaer added. “It helps them plan out their week and their term more effectively, which is crucial for their overall success.”
Not only will the initiative help students manage their academic responsibilities, but it will also benefit faculty. By clearly outlining expectations in the course shell, faculty will be able to better gauge the workload associated with their classes and ensure that they meet all instructional needs and contact hours. Shlaer noted that this transparency will help instructors ensure that their course objectives are met and that they are providing the appropriate level of support for students.
“It helps us think through what we want students to get out of the class and how we can meet the course objectives,” Shlaer explained.
The initiative is still in its early stages, but its potential to enhance the learning experience at Ivy Tech is already evident. Shlaer and her team are working to refine the process based on feedback from both students and faculty. To assess the impact of these changes, they plan to gather feedback through surveys that will measure whether students find the time estimates helpful in improving their time management.
“We may do a survey in some classes to ask students if they found the time estimates helpful and if it improved their time management,” Shlaer said. This feedback will be invaluable in ensuring that the initiative continues to evolve and meet the needs of the Ivy Tech community.
One of the main goals of this initiative is to ensure that both students and faculty are on the same page, with a clear understanding of what is expected. As Shlaer emphasized, “This is helpful for our faculty as well as our students. It ensures that everyone is on the same page and that students have the tools they need to succeed.”
For students, this initiative offers a critical reminder that course schedules are not the only factor to consider when choosing classes. It’s just as important to assess the time commitment associated with each course modality. “Some classes might look like a great time deal because they don’t meet as many hours, but there’s additional work on the other end that students need to be aware of,” Shlaer said.
As the initiative continues to roll out, SASE is committed to refining its approach to student communication and academic planning. By offering more transparent information about course modalities and expectations, the initiative aims to equip students with the tools they need to succeed, while also supporting faculty in delivering high-quality instruction. With better planning and more open communication, Ivy Tech students will be better prepared to balance their academic, work, and personal responsibilities, a crucial step in achieving their educational goals.
Students and faculty are encouraged to reach out to Dean Sara Shlaer at [email protected] for further information or to provide feedback about the initiative.
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution, with campuses across the state and a robust online learning program. The college is committed to providing accessible, high-quality education that aligns with workforce development needs and offers students an affordable path to both associate degrees and bachelor’s degree programs.
