Tips for Success in an Online
Course
Just as there are tips for success in the on-campus classroom, there also
exist tips for success in the online classroom.
Most people are of the opinion that online courses are easier or do not require
as much time to complete as on-campus courses. Oddly enough, the opposite is
true. If you do not have basic computer skills and
excellent studying skills, the online course can be your worst nightmare.
Here are some tips to avoid nightmares or
unpleasant online learning experiences.
Communication
Tips | Studying Tips | General
Tips
Communication
Tips
A significant difference between the online classroom and the traditional classroom
environment is that in the online classroom most communication takes place
through writing.
The focus on writing as the primary mode of
communication in the online course can have many benefits: the written
communications you share with your classmates and instructor can actually lead to
better relationships and higher quality learning.
Communicating through the written word enables you
to think through your ideas thoroughly before presenting them.
You have the
opportunity to not only revisit your ideas and modify them, but also to spend the
time to make sure your communications express exactly what you want to say.
Some writing skill is required to take advantage of these benefits.
You must feel
comfortable expressing yourself in writing. If your writing abilities are limited, you
may need to take some additional writing classes before or as part of your online
learning experience.
Discussion Boards, Chat Rooms, and Email make online
classes a truly interactive way to learn - often more interactive than participating in a
traditional class.
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Discussion Boards
Many online courses utilize a communication tool known
as a Discussion Board Discussion boards are a form of group
communication that is asynchronous - that is these tools allow you to participate
with multiple people at one time when it
is convenient for you rather than at a scheduled time.
Discussion boards are a
text-based communications system that enables students and instructors to "post",
and reply to, messages.
The discussion board groups together messages that relate to the same topic in a
"threaded discussion". For example, if an instructor posts a question, then each
student's individual reply is grouped with the original note.
Everyone's response is displayed for everyone else to see.
Perhaps you are
interested in a response written by one of your classmates.
You can post a message
that relates to what that student has written and in that way can engage in a
dialogue.
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Email
Email is a asynchronous communication tool that normally
is used to communicate with individuals rather than groups. It is almost a certainty that you will be using email to
communicate with your instructor and classmates.
Here are some things to keep in mind about email:
-
Double check to whom you're sending email. It can be embarrassing when an email
that you meant for one person ends up being read by others. It goes without saying
that you will want to avoid this mistake.
-
Using all capital letters in email is equivalent to
SHOUTING. Avoid it whenever
possible.
-
Make sure that you use a meaningful subject line so that your readers will
have a clear idea of what your message contains.
-
Messages should be short and to the point (although there are exceptions to
this rule, such as assignments that are submitted by email).
- Do not forward others' messages without asking first.
While you should always
write your email messages assuming others whom you don't know may see
them, it is considered very rude to forward someone else's message without
asking their permission.
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Chat Sessions
Some classes will take advantage of a form of
synchronous communication called chat
sessions. The advantage of chats is that they allow people in separate locations to "talk" to
one another in real time. You will be given complete instructions on what to do if your class will be
participating in a schedule chat session.
A chat session is like a classroom discussion because the instructor and students are
all participating at the same time. But unlike a
traditional classroom discussion, you will all be working in separate locations from your own computers.
As you can imagine, this can sometimes be a little confusing.
You will need to type quickly to express your thoughts. Chats can also be hard to follow.
Since each contribution displays
when its writer finishes typing, it is easy for conversations to be out of order.
Experienced instructors find ways to remedy this: for example, your instructor might
ask students to indicate when they have something to say and then call on them to
"speak" so the conversation can be more easily followed.
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Netiquette
Netiquette is a combination of Internet/Network etiquette.
Netiquette guidelines are recommended guidelines for personal conduct that apply to all
online communications. Good online manners are vital to a
productive and supportive online learning environment.
Here is a some netiquette guidelines:
Be polite and respectful
It can be tempting to let yourself go in an environment that feels
anonymous, but remember that there are real people reading
your messages.
Be tolerant of views expressed by others
Your online classroom may well be bringing you together with
people from all over the world. Keep in mind that you probably
have something to gain from exposure to views and backgrounds
different than your own.
Address the idea, not the person
When reacting to someone else's message, address the ideas,
not the person. Again, remember that there are real people on
the other end of the modem.
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Be careful when using sarcasm and
humor
Be careful when using sarcasm and humor, and don't include any
obscenities in your messages. Without face-to-face
communications, people may take your humor personally, and
you never know who may be offended by expressions that are
commonplace to you. Keep in mind that online forms of communication are absent of any emotion.
Many times the instructor cannot
determine how a particular comment should be taken.
Be sure to word your communications carefully.
Do not spam your classmates
Spamming occurs when you or your instructor or classmates receive
numerous unwanted messages. To avoid spamming your class members, do
not send email to the entire class when it is unnecessary and do not send commercial advertisements or electronically forward
"chain mail" to your classmates.
Think carefully about what you write
Think carefully about what you write about others. Always assume
that your electronic messages will be forwarded. Do
not write
anything that you do not want broadcast to the entire
class.
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Studying
Tips
Read the entire course
syllabus
The course syllabus contains all of the information
the student needs to progress through a distance learning course. This
includes information about the course description, objectives, and requirements,
course meetings, assignments and testing, media and technology used,
a course calendar or assignment schedule, and support contact information.
Keep up with your course
Online courses are time consuming and you need to keep up with the reading and discussion
boards. You should review the syllabus every week as assignments can change and you should keep a calendar of the dates
assignments are due so you can plan your study time to have assignments completed on time.
Letting work pile up can leave you with an overwhelming task. It is easy to feel that you
will never get on top of it again.
Keep in touch with your instructor
Study the syllabus to understand the instructor’s testing format, grading system and
expectations. If you do not understand an assignment or have technical problems contact your instructor right away.
Schedule regular study periods
If you don’t set aside a specific study time chances are you will fall behind quickly. Select and use the same area if
possible, away from distractions. Study short and often. Your brain takes in information faster and retains it better if you
do not try to overload it. Decide what your best time is and try to schedule your study time accordingly. You accomplish more when you are alert.
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Set a specific goal for each subject you
study
You
will accomplish more, faster if you set a specific goal for each study session.
Set
interim goals and deadlines for yourself, and stick to them
Keep a calendar showing the number of weeks in the quarter and mark
it off with the amount of work you need to do each week. Mark in the
days when you will expect to take tests, submit projects, contact the
instructor. Do not fall behind in your work! Keep reminding yourself
that you will always have more to do near the end of a course than at
the beginning.
Be realistic
When you make up your study schedule take into account your work and home schedules and plan for study times you will be able
to complete. Remember the average time per week to spend on an online course is
10-15 hours.
Start assignments as soon as they are
given
A little work on an assignment each day will allow you time to give attention to its quality.
Your workload
will be spread out, so you will avoid doing it at the last minute.
Review your notes, assignments and discussion board discussion on a regular
basis
Reviewing your work on a regular basis keeps you up to date
and helps shorten the study time required for quizzes and exams.
Make sure you have a private space where you can
study
This will help lend importance to what you are doing as well. Your own space where
you can shut the door, leave papers everywhere, and work in peace is necessary. If
you try to share study space with the dining room or bedroom, food or sleep will take
priority over studying.
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General
Tips
Time commitments
Before signing up for an online course, consider your time commitments. An online class takes as much time as an on-campus class. Many online students write that they spend more time working on their online classes than they do their on-campus classes.
Participate actively
You must participate actively in the class. Most of your instructors will not contact you. You must email your instructor and your classmates if you have questions or comments.
Whether you are working alone, or in a group, contribute your ideas, perspective and
comments on the subject you are studying, and read about those of your
classmates. Your instructor is not the only source of information in your course-you
can gain great insight from your peers and they can learn from you as well.
Logon at least four times a week
Most online instructors have due dates for assignments and tests. Many instructors will post weekly messages about due dates and assignments. If you
do not logon at least four times a week during Fall and Spring semesters and
five times a week during the Summer sessions you may fall behind.
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Do not fall behind
Do not procrastinate. It is very easy to fall behind when you don't have to physically attend a class. Once you fall behind,
it is very difficult to get back on track. Schedule time to log into the course
web site and study on a regular schedule. To promote success, reduce
procrastination, and eliminate frustration, schedule regular study time for the course, when you are most efficient and
when it is most convenient.
Ask for help
Remember that your professor cannot see you, so you must be absolutely explicit
with your comments and requests. If you are having technical
difficulties or
problems understanding something about the course, you should speak up otherwise
your instructor will not know that something is wrong. Do not be shy. Although you
will not meet with your instructor, he or she will be available to answer questions and offer additional help.
Communicate with your instructor whenever you have a question or a problem.
Prepare yourself for technical failure
If you are disconnected from the Internet you may loose your work. Type and save all writing assignments into a word processor, such as
Microsoft Word. By saving all your work in a word processor, you have the capability to copy and paste into the text box or attach the document to an email. It is also good practice to print out all your assignments and completed quizzes to
access off-line, use as study guides, and as backup.
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Take the program and yourself seriously
Elicit the support of your colleagues, family and friends before you start out on your
online adventure. This built-in support system will help you tremendously since there
will be times when you will have to sit at your computer for hours at a stretch in the
evenings and on weekends. When most people are through with work and want to
relax is most likely when you will be bearing down on your course work. It helps to
surround yourself with people who understand and respect what you are trying to
do.
Become a true advocate of online learning
Discuss the merits of the process with who ever will listen. In order to be successful
in this new educational environment, you must truly believe in its potential to provide
quality education which is equal to, if not better than the traditional face-to-face
environment. In discussing the value of online learning, you will reinforce
its merits
for yourself.
Take advantage of the anonymity of the
online environment
One of the biggest advantages of the online format is that you can pursue your
studies without the judgments typical in a traditional classroom. Unless you are using
video conferencing, no one can see you - there are no stereotypes, and you
do not
have to be affected by raised eyebrows, rolled eyeballs, other students stealing your
thunder, or people making other non verbal reactions to your contributions. You
do not have to feel intimidated or upstaged by students who can speak faster than
you because you can take all of the time you need to think your ideas through and
compose a response before posting your comments to your class.
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Be polite and respectful
Just because you are anonymous does not mean you should let yourself go.
Remember, you are dealing with real people. Being
polite and respectful is not only common sense, it is absolutely obligatory for a
productive and supportive online environment. In a positive online environment, you
will feel valued by your instructor, valued by your classmates and your own work will
have greater value as well.
Apply what you learn
Apply everything you learn as you learn it and you will remember it more readily.
Try to make connections between what you are
learning and what you do or will do in your job. Contributing advice or ideas about
the real world as it applies to the subject matter you are studying helps you to
internalize what you are learning, and gives valuable insight to your classmates who
will benefit from your experience.
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read about how to access Assistance and the Help
Desk.
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