My advice on being successful in an online course. These are my own opinions and tips, I do not claim to be an expert but this is what has worked for me and I hope that they also work for you.
How to be successful in an online course
In this video, you’ll hear from an online college student who shares her tips on motivation and for creating a successful schedule and passing her classes with flying colors.
Stay motivated
First and foremost you have to be motivated and you have to stay focused because your success is 100% dependent on you. You have to dedicate the same amount of time in your online class as you would with an on campus class. Tip one is to stay motivated.
Value your books
Second, your best friend is your book! You always need you book and although your books can be very expensive there are a lot of websites where you can get books for very low prices. You can look at sites like craigslist or ebay, amazon and reseller websites. Sometimes you can even get older editions of books so you can save money, if your teacher allows older additions.
Intereact with your teachers
Third, you should interact with your teacher especially with online classes. You have to make sure you know their office hours, you have to make sure you have their email and potentially phone number just in case you need to communicate with them. She would also recommend that you communicate with your teachers at least twice a week. Always make sure to reach out to them with issues or assignment questions.
Interact with your peers
Fourth, you want to make sure to interact with your peers as well. Everyone is in the same boat and everyone is trying to get the most out of the online learning. Make sure to get everyone’s emails, phone numbers, social media’s etc. This way you can do online discussion groups and have homework groups and you’ll create a little group of people you can rely on to help you get through the online school. It’s really nice to connect with new people and to have a support group.
Have a strong work ethic
Work as hard as you would in an on-campus class. Don’t take it any less seriously just because you’re an online student. This is a big one.
Get rid of all discractions
When you’re online in your classes log out of all other tabs, emails, social media, put your phone away and make sure you’re 100% focused because you are only cheating yourself out of your own education. Make sure you log out of everything and give it your 100% focus.
Take notes on everything
Take notes on everything. The more you can take notes on the more material you’ll have but taking notes is also proven to help you remember things better because of the brains association with writing and listening at the same time. She also recommends taking notes inside of your books. You can use sticky notes to mark pages and create notes on.
Alsways check your email
Always check your school email. There are always assignment updates and due date changes. If you constantly check your email you’ll know exactly what’s happening. This is one thing almost every online college student talks about. Make sure you’re always checking your email. Don’t miss out on crucial information.
Stay balanced
Find a balance with your online classes. You don’t have to sacrifice too much in order to live the life you want to. If you stay disciplined and you schedule your time properly online college can be really great because you can have a more free lifestyle.