Keys to Being a Successful Online Student

Managing Time and task Completion

by Emily Snyder

The most common reason why students do not do well in an online course is because they do not develop a plan for successful time management and task completion. If the following statements apply to you, you have a good chance at doing well in the online environment.

You are self-motivated and self-disciplined - You are the primary person responsible for your own success and act accordingly in your priority setting and decision-making.
You are not afraid of doing things on the computer - Your online class may require you to be comfortable using email, an Internet browser and a word processor. You may also need to put in some extra effort and time to increase your own technical skills.
You know how to get support from people around you when you need it - This may include having a parent/guardian or your friends helping you stay on-track with your course work and inviting them to visit your course site. Throughout the course, keep them informed of events, assignments and other course requirements.
You schedule regular work sessions for yourself - You plan a regular weekly schedule for accessing your course site and completing course requirements.
You want to participate as much as possible - Since you won't be face-to-face for most class interaction, it is important that you contribute to online discussion boards or emails for online involvement.
You maintain open communication with your instructor/facilitator - Contact the instructor and/or facilitator with any questions, with any difficulty accessing the course or materials, or understanding your responsibilities or assignments.
You are willing to share your own experiences and listen to others - Your insights about course topics and discussions may be the catalyst for someone else to learn something new.
You take time to think ideas through before responding - You treat the communications opportunities in your course with the seriousness that they deserve, since meaningful and quality input from all participants in the online classroom is a necessary part of the learning process and benefits everyone.