As the facilitator of an online course,
it is important that you clearly communicate your expectations to
your students. In your online course, you may want to include reference
links to resources and tips for your students to use to help them
be more successful online learners. Here are some tips for success
that you should share with your students:
Take full advantage of online conferencing.
Whatever you can do to avoid feeling isolated is extremely important,
and participating in online conferences will give you access to other
students who are taking the same course as you at the same time.
Participate!
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.
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.
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.
Become a true advocate of distance learning.
Discuss the merits of the process with whoever 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.
Log on to your course every single day.
….or a minimum of 5-6 days a week. Once you get into the online conferencing
system, you will be eager to see who has commented on your postings and read
the feedback of your instructor and peers. You will also be curious to see who
has posted something new that you can comment on. If you let too many days go
by without logging on to your course discussion group, you will get behind and
find it very difficult to catch up.
Take advantage of your anonymity.
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 don’t 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 don’t 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.
Be polite and respectful. Just because you are anonymous, doesn’t mean you
should let yourself go. Remember, you are dealing with real
people on the other end of your modem. 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.
Speak up if you are having problems.
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 MUST speak up otherwise there is no way that anyone will know
that something is wrong. Also, if you don’t understand something,
chances are several people have the same question. If another student
is able to help you, he/she probably will, and if you are able to
explain something to your classmates in need, you will not only help
them out, you will reinforce your own knowledge about the subject.
Apply what you learn.
Apply everything you learn as you learn it and you will remember it
more readily. If it is possible, take the things you learn in your
online course today and use them in your workplace tomorrow. Also,
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.
