RIO SALADO BIO 201 and 205

aawilwcb · Jan 14, 2009

I haven't taken these classes yet so I don't have any advise for you, but I am curious if you are taking them online or not. I am thinking about taking these online through rio next semester and want to know what your experience with these classes online have been. Would you recommend it?

Thanks

rpadilla26 · Jan 15, 2009

If you have a lot of self discipline then yes I would say to take them. I don't much care for online classes personally I like to have someone teach me and then for me to go home and study what I have been taught. This was the best way for me at the time. They are hard I am not going to lie but any BIO 201 or BIO 205 class is. I study almost 5 days for about 3 to 4 hours a day sometimes more. Some chapters you will fly through no problem and others you will sit and read 5 times over and still have questions. I also don't much care for the teachers. They seem lazy and when you ask questions they never really answer them they make it as short and simple as possible or they tell you where to go look for it even though you have gone over it 10 times. In all i probably wouldn't do it again but it was helpful in the situation I was in. They are not impossible though.

juliusmyn · Jan 31, 2009

Hi rpadilla26,

So how was your finals? I wonder where is your location and if your done with your class maybe you can PM about your instructor/class experience. thanks

giardiafan · Feb 1, 2009

Rio Salado is little more than a double edged sword.

The science based courses, primarily those in BIO and CHEM, are surprisingly challenging while the professors manage classes with little guidance. BIO/CHEM courses are more like self taught endeavors for credit. If you are dedicated, can afford to put in the time, and utilize non-Rio resources (such as flashcards, identification websites, etc.) you'll be OK. Instructors are at best simply mediocre. As previous posters have stated, they provide subpar responses with regard to clarifying crucial, difficult concepts, and they are rarely timely. I actually had one Rio Salado prof. who was audacious enough to introduce himself online by offering the following: "My obligation to you is to log in 3-4 times a week and answer your emails. Good luck."

That sort of communication sets a tone of indifference and a lack of caring. Rio Salado manages its courses and instructors based on a 'comply with the bare minimum of requirements.'

Exams, exercises, and essays may be just as challenging as anything you see at a large public university, but you'll get none of the support and little feedback.

Liberal arts courses are even worse. I took 2 courses through Rio Salado only because my work schedule did not allow me to register for in-person classes at my local community college. The Rio professors were completely absentee and offered online, at-home, open book, word-for-word-match-the-textbook multiple choice questions. What a joke. I always used to ask for qualitative feedback on my essays, and received comments like: "You're doing great!", "Keep up the good work.", "You have a nice writing style". Please. Patronize me more.

If you want a hard earned A in science or an easy A in liberal arts, Rio is the way to go. Either way, it's all you ...by yourself.....