When community college administrators decided to create online classes, originally meant for students who did not have the schedule to attend regular classroom sessions, they realized that they would have to create a new structure and organization for both faculty and students. Students, instead of attending class, would be required to stay updated by checking online class materials, and professors would need a new way of holding office hours. An online "classroom" was created for each class so that professors could post lesson materials, and students could post completed assignments. Many professors were required to have online office hours through chat room sessions to accommodate working students as well as on campus office hours for those students needing face-to-face interaction.
As more students begin to take online classes as a convenience rather than a necessity, students need to become more responsible for keeping track of deadlines and motivating themselves to do well. For example, while it may seem convenient for a student to take online classes, some community colleges require students to check into their online class at least five times a week. Online classes require students to organize their time to get assignments done. If students cannot keep up with attendance and the course material, the community college can adapt by offering tutoring and advising services.
Some community colleges require faculty to take a training course in teaching online courses before they can implement programs online. This is due to the organizational change required in online courses. For example, while professors are not physically teaching a class, they still must be available to answer student questions. Even when a faculty member's class is held entirely online, the instructor may still be required to hold physical office hours at the college as well as online to meet student needs as well as remain involved in the community college. Teaching online courses often takes more time and effort than teaching a face-to-face course because students are on different schedules and may require assistance at different times of the day.
One challenge community colleges face, when integrating online courses into the curriculum, is a lingering distrust in the quality of online classes. Even though instructors often spend more time working with online classes and students must check into courses regularly, the idea that students are not being lectured and must keep up with the class on their own time has led skeptics to believe that online classes are not as thorough as face-to-face lectures. Despite this, online classes in community colleges are continuing to expand, and the definition of "community" is changing as students take classes on their own time and take part in virtual communities while having the opportunity to maintain busy schedules.