Student Spotlight: Destiny Merrill
Hi! I’m Destiny Merrill. Earning my Associate of Arts degree would not have been possible without the Online Learning program at Indian Hills Community College.
I started working on my A.A. degree as an on-campus student and completed my first year at the Ottumwa campus. But my husband’s career requires us to move quite a bit – sometimes every few months. After my first year on campus, we moved to Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Minnesota, all within the next year! With little time between moves, completing a degree face-to-face, on any campus, was not an option. Thankfully, the Indian Hills Online Learning program allowed me to continue my studies even with my unpredictable lifestyle!
Hear for yourself...
One of the best things about taking online courses is the flexibility. Although there are still weekly deadlines for assignments, I can do the work anytime during the week that fits my schedule – morning, noon, or even the middle of the night.
Plus, I don’t have to worry about making it to class on time. I can listen to the audio and video content in my online courses whenever I like and have it repeat a section as many times as I want. Try getting your instructor to repeat himself five times in a face-to-face course! I can even download and print the transcripts from the lectures to take notes on or to review later.
In some ways, I think online courses are even better than on-campus courses, at least for me. I like that I have plenty of time to write my postings to the online discussion forums, because it lets me think more about what I want to say and word my posts just the way I want. That’s harder to do in a face-to-face course where you have to respond right away.
Don’t get me wrong, online courses are not easier than on-campus ones. In many ways, they are more difficult. You definitely have to be a strong reader and be able to manage your schedule. You also have to be able to ask for help when you need it and take charge of your own learning. But those things only made me an even stronger student, pushing me to formulate my own opinions about what I was learning and preparing me to go further in my studies.
Indian Hills also did a fantastic job of making sure I understood not only the course material, but also how online courses work. Studying online is not as scary as it might seem at first. The faculty are very accommodating and really care about students.
I had plenty of opportunities to get to know other students and my instructors, as well, because of the great communication tools Indian Hills has in its online courses. We could even do group work online! The audio and video content also really helps fill in the gaps. Just like in a face-to-face course, the instructor can give you a better idea of the content you’re learning and share more about important topics within the assigned material.
The Online Learning program at Indian Hills has been a wonderful fit for my demanding schedule, allowing me to reach my educational goals without sacrificing quality. I would recommend it to anyone who is comfortable with technology and has the necessary self-discipline. It’s a great way to learn!