How to Succeed in Online College Classes
College online courses offer greater freedom and flexibility than the traditional classroom. With freedom however, comes responsibility. To succeed in online college classes, you must be disciplined and self-motivated. You may not be expected to attend a lecture for three hours a week but you will generally need to spend at least five hours a week working online. Establishing a schedule or a to do list and following that schedule can mean the difference between success and failure in an online college class.
Instructions
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Make a schedule at the beginning of each week of your online course. Identify how much time you plan to spend on the course for each particular week based on the reading, discussion and assignment requirements. Find space between your other commitments for the week and stick to the schedule as much as possible. If you have to stop your work early one day, add the allotted time to another day in the same week. Depending on the course, you should expect to devote five to 10 hours over three to five days each week to the course.
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Do the necessary readings for each week of the course. A lack of preparation comes across just as easily in writing as it does in person.
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Express yourself clearly in any writing communication submitted to your instructor. Most online coursework consists of written assignments; your success relies heavily on your ability to express yourself in writing.
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Identify the discussion requirements for your online course, if any. To succeed in an online course, you must make an effort to participate in online discussions. Do not simply post a one-word answer. Have your discussion posts consist of an informed and reasoned perspective on the assigned topic intertwined with references to the course materials.
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Take advantage of any supplemental online learning materials, programs or support networks offered by your instructor or by your college's online learning department.
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Tips & Warnings
Log in to your college online course each day to make sure you do not miss anything.
Be wary of attempting to use sarcasm in online discussions. Sarcasm does not always transmit well in writing and can be easily misinterpreted.
Be just as respectful in the online environment as you are in a traditional classroom.
The course outline or assignment sheet for many online courses often indicates that it is the students' responsibility to ensure the instructor receives assignments in a readable format on or before their respective due dates. Seek confirmation from your instructor, before the due date, that he or she is able to open and read your assignment.
Save your work regularly on an external memory source and keep printed copies of assignments in the event of a computer failure.
References
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