CONSIDERATIONS FOR ONLINE LEARNING ENROLLMENT
Student Considerations
Are you considering taking some of your courses online? Good for you!
But first, make sure you have understood what it takes to be an online learning student. Online learning can sound so wonderful that some students start online courses with an unrealistic vision. In reality, online courses generally require just as much, if not more, time and energy as traditional classroom courses. Also, online learning requires specific computer skills and learning strategies in order to succeed.
To see if you're ready, see how many items you can check off on the following checklist:
1. Persistence
Persistence is perhaps the biggest key to success in online learning. Students who succeed in online learning are those who are willing to tolerate technical difficulties, seek help when needed, work daily on every class, and persist through challenges.
- When you run into a challenge, keep trying and ask for help.
- Set up a manageable study schedule for yourself and stick to it. Students who succeed are those who log in and make progress every day— even after the novelty of going to school online starts to wear off!
2. Effective time-management skills
You must be able to manage your time well. Most courses are not taught in real time and there are no set times for classes.
This flexibility is one of the great benefits of online learning. However, it can also be a drawback for a student who procrastinates, is unable to stick to a routine study schedule, or is not able to independently complete assignments without daily reminders from a teacher.
Effective time-management skills don't just happen. They have to be learned. Once you learn them, they will benefit you throughout your life. Follow this list of tips to develop your own good time-management skills:
- Review the syllabus for each of your courses and develop a long-term plan for completing your major assignments. Use the assignment calculator at the University of Minnesota to develop a plan: http://www.lib.umn.edu/help/calculator/
- Make a daily "To Do" list and have fun checking things off the list as you complete them.
It takes time to develop good habits, but over time, you'll start to enjoy the satisfaction that comes from being well-organized and accomplishing important task.
3. Effective and appropriate communication skills
Communication skills are very important in online learning because students have to be willing to seek help when they need it. Teachers are very willing to help students, but they are unable to pick up on non-verbal cues, such as a look of confusion on a student's face. Follow these tips:
Use the tools provided by the school to communicate with your teachers. Many online schools and programs provide several ways for students and parents to communicate with teachers and staff, including email, discussion groups, chat room office hours, cell phones, and even text messaging. Teachers and staff are glad to take questions from students and want to help you to succeed in your classes. At first it may feel awkward to talk to your teachers this way, but don't worry. Your teacher has chat room or cell phone office hours; so don't be shy about using those tools to communicate with your teacher.
Use appropriate style and language for school. It's also important to understand appropriate communication for a school setting. When communicating with teachers and other staff members, you should write in full, grammatically correct sentences and with a respectful tone. Many students are used to a very informal style of writing in chat rooms, blogs, text messages, and so forth.
Online teachers are professionals and must be treated with respect and courtesy. Because of the distance, it's tempting for some students to say things out of anger, frustration, or even just to be friendly that they would never say to a teacher in person. Online teachers are professionals and must be treated with respect and courtesy.
4. Basic technical skills
The ability to create new documents, use a word processing program, navigate the Internet, and download software are some of the basic technical skills needed by online learners.If you are unfamiliar with basic computer skills, you may want to find an online tutorial or consult the technical coordinator at your school for assistance.
You'll also want to review the SOCRATES Online technical guidelines (Appendix E), to make sure your computer meets program requirements.
5. Reading and writing skills
Reading and writing are the main ways you'll communicate in an online class. Although some hard copies of textbooks are available at school, you should be relatively comfortable reading extensive documents on a computer screen and typing without frustration.
Some tests and quizzes have multiple-choice questions, but many of your assignments will involve writing short or long answers.
6. Motivation and independence
To be successful in online learning, a student has to want to be successful. Online learning requires independence, internal motivation, responsibility, and a certain level of maturity.
- Have you given some thought to your own personal reasons for attending school?
- Are you determined and self-motivated to succeed in school?
There are many worthwhile reasons to work hard in school. These might include a greater level of personal satisfaction with your future career, personal pride in your accomplishments, a wider range of opportunities available to you with higher education, and substantially higher lifetime earnings.
7. A good study environment
Another critical component of academic success is a good study environment.
- Get some peace and quiet. You will need a quiet place to work without distractions like television or siblings.
- Avoid games. Consider uninstalling any computer games to avoid temptation, or keep the games on a different computer in the house.
- Turn off your cell phone. Let friends and family members know the hours that you will be "at" school.
- Beware surfing the black hole of the Internet. It is easy to wander off through the Internet for much longer than planned.
- Consider ergonomics. Adjust the height of your chair, keyboard, and screen so that you are comfortable. Forearms and thighs should be level and parallel to the floor. Wrists should not be bent while typing.
- Set up good lighting and comfortable seating. Lighting in the room should be at least as bright as the computer screen to avoid eyestrain.
Parental Considerations
Is your son or daughter prepared for online learning?
Success in an online course or program requires specific student attitudes and approaches to learning. To ensure academic success in online education, your child should have:
- Maturity to complete tasks with little supervision from the class instructor
- Motivation to complete work alone when you are not around
- Time management skills to study and complete assignments
- Technology skills required to take on an online course
Students who are most successful in online programs are those who:
- Have completed homework on a consistent basis in a traditional classroom setting
- Have encouraging supervision at home
- Have a positive attitude about school
- Are conscientious and persistent in accomplishing goals
Parents' checklist for supporting student success
- Encourage your child and give positive feedback.
- Allow your child or teen to ask you for help.
- Encourage your teen or young adult to take responsibility for contacting his or her teachers, rather than having you contact them.
- Familiarize yourself with the curriculum. Work with your child or teen to develop a manageable study schedule.
- Model good time-management strategies, such as developing a personal schedule or daily "to do" list. Help your child to use these strategies.
- Talk to your child or teen about appropriate ways to communicate with teachers and classmates.
- Make sure your child has the necessary basic typing and computer skills.
- Evaluate your child's level of self-motivation. Talk about the many advantages of getting an education and earning a degree.
- Check your child's progress by using whatever methods the school provides (like a parent portal website). Talk directly with your child about his progress and grades and check in with the teachers periodically.
- Provide an optimal study space at home with minimal distractions, good lighting, comfortable seating, working computer and good wrist support.
- Never hesitate to call or write to school staff when you have questions or concerns.
Adapted from ISEEK K-12 Online Learning website and the Minnesota Department of Education
Copyright 2012 SOCRATES Online
