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How can you become a successful online student? Read the tips listed below to find out! You will find a "Back to TOC" link at the end of each question that will take you back to the table of contents below.
If you have a tip that you would like to share, please contact the Online Academic Support Specialist at
hreed@yccc.edu.
1. Be ready to take the initiative!
As soon as you are able to login to your course, take the initiative to familiarize yourself with the course design and layout. The course website contains all of the information you need to progress, including a syllabus with the course description and objectives, assignments and testing, a course calendar or assignment schedule, support contact information, and any other requirements such as additional media or technology used. Spend plenty of time reading the syllabus so you know what the game plan is for the semester.
Take the time to learn more about your online learning environment. Learn how to navigate through WebCT and how to use the course tools your instructor has included. Make a note of the icons on the homepage and how you use them to get to where you want to go. Find out what everything is for. Once the pace of activity in the course picks up, you will be glad that you don't have to waste time trying to find parts of the course.
Contact your instructor right away to introduce yourself and ask any questions you might have. Advise him or her immediately of any changes in your personal information, for example a new email address or phone number.
Start your work as soon as the semester begins and pay close attention to any schedules or guidelines that your instructor has given you. They will help you to keep yourself on track. Since assignments can be completed from anyplace you can find a computer with an Internet connection, there are very few excuses for late work. Plan ahead.
Make sure you understand the syllabus, course schedule, and assignments. If you have any questions or concerns, ask them as they arise. A clear understanding of the assignments will help you plan your time to get your work done and avoid mistakes.
Don't waste too much time trying to solve a problem that has you stumped. Try to work out your difficulty --- but if you can't, call or send an email to your instructor or to the online support personnel, whichever applies.
Don't be afraid to ask the support personnel for help. They are here to make sure that you are as successful as possible. Also, be sure to utilize the online support resources YCCC provides for you on this website.
If you like to study with other students, ask your instructor for help in identifying other students who may want to work with you. Consider posting a request on the discussion board for a study group to work with.
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2. Be flexible!
Expect the first week or two of your online class to be an adjustment period. By the third week, you should feel much more comfortable with the program. Any technical problems should be worked out, and the rhythm of your class should take over.
Be prepared for technical failure. The server will go down. All servers do.
If the YCCC server goes down:
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Don't panic.
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Keep trying to logon every few hours.
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When you are able to log back on, let your instructor know when and how often you tried to get into the course, and also when exactly you were successful.
If your server goes down - that's different - contact your Internet Service Provider for support. Let your instructor know what is going on.
Be aware that if you are disconnected from the Internet, you may lose your work. Get in the habit of typing and saving all of your assignments in a word processing application, such as Microsoft Word. This allows you to copy and paste your work into the body of an email, or even attach the document.
It is also good practice to print out all of your assignments and completed quizzes to access offline, use as study guides, and as a backup.
Allow a reasonable amount of time for instructors to respond to email. Your instructor will not be available 24/7, even though the course is. Please allow a 48 hour response time when contacting your instructor. If you have not heard back from them by then, try another method of communication (the phone for example) or get in contact with your department chair. If you are still unable to get a response, contact one of the online support personnel. Be prepared to give specific information as to how and when you attempted to contact your instructor.
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3. Be a participant!
Whether you are working alone or in a group, it is important to contribute your ideas, perspective and comments on the subject you are studying, and read about those of your classmates. Sharing your educational experiences is part of the learning process. If you find an easier or quicker way to do something, if you discover a feature of the course software that you think is helpful, or if you know of internet resources related to the course, please share the wealth!
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.
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4. Be communicative!
You must be willing to let your instructor know about problems. Remember that instructors who teach online courses can't see if you are having problems. In the classroom, instructors rely on non-verbal clues that may demonstrate your confusion, frustration, boredom, or absence. When online, instructors rely on you to inform them of your problems. If you are experiencing difficulties on any level, either with course content or the technology, communicate this to your instructor immediately. If you don't, your instructor will never know what kinds of problems you may be experiencing.
If you have to travel, or otherwise take time away from the course, communicate to your instructor your plans and how you will complete required activities while you are away. By giving the instructor advance notice, they will be more open to working with you on keeping current in the course. While they understand emergencies will occur, they usually take a dim view of unexcused absences impacting on your coursework.
The telephone is a valuable resource. Sometimes it is impossible to discuss a problem via email or discussion board. If your instructor gave you a contact number you can use to reach them, do not be afraid to do so. They gave it to you for a reason!
Bear in mind that if you don't understand something, chances are several people also have the same question. Don't be afraid to post your questions and concerns on the discussion board so your classmates can read them. If another student is able to help you, he or 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 also reinforce your own knowledge about the subject.
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5. Be a writer!
An online student needs to be comfortable and proficient at written communication. Nearly all communication is written in an online course, so you will be writing often. If you have limited writing abilities or are uncomfortable expressing yourself in writing, work on improving these skills before or as part of your online experience.
The good news is that you have time to reflect on the information before posting a written response, which is often easier than having to respond in a traditional, in-person discussion group. However, since instructors are aware of this, many may grade your written responses on grammar and punctuation as well as content. Consider writing your response in a word processing application first and using the spelling and grammar tools. When it is perfect, you can copy and paste it into a discussion board message.
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6. Be motivated!
Be self-motivated and self-disciplined. Because there is a freedom and flexibility in the online environment that doesn't exist to such a great extent in a traditional classroom, you need to be particularly responsible and self-disciplined. The online process requires a commitment. No one will be in your face telling you to login to your course, so it is easy to avoid it. It helps if you develop a pattern. Schedule regular study and login times for your online courses.
Do not procrastinate. It is very easy to fall behind when you don't have to physically attend a class. Once you fall behind, it can be difficult to get back on track.
Understand how you will be evaluated. Know how your performance in the course will be evaluated. This knowledge will give you a greater understanding of what is expected of you.
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7. Be committed!
You should be prepared to spend as much time per week as the course requires. Online courses are not easier than traditional classroom courses. In fact, you may find that they require more time, commitment, and discipline.
It is vital that you stay with the class and complete all your work on time. Once you get behind, it is almost impossible to catch up.
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8. Be independent!
It will help if you have a private space where you can study that is free from distractions. 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 inevitably take priority over studying.
You must also have your own computer that you are not sharing with a friend or family member. Sharing computers never works well. You need to be guaranteed that you can login to your course whenever necessary.
Make sure your study area is comfortable, with adequate lighting and ventilation. Your computer desk should be large enough to handle the computer, monitor, printer and mouse pad and still give you room for a notebook. A copyholder is a good idea for reading text at eye level while typing. A height and back adjustable chair is essential for correct posture and to keep your eye level in line with the top part of the monitor. Being able to look straight ahead reduces tension on your spine. Remember not to slouch in your chair, and get up and have a stretch every now and then!
Avoid all interruptions and distractions while you are reading the textbook, working on the computer, or studying. Take the telephone off the hook if there is no one available to answer it but you.
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9. Be a time manager!
You will find that it is critical to manage your time wisely in an online class. It is very easy to spend either far too little time, or far too much time on your class. Online students should plan on spending several additional hours for every hour that would otherwise be spent in the classroom if attending a face-to-face class.
Log on to your course every single day. Once you get into your course, 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 board, you will get behind and find it very difficult to catch up.
Start assignments as soon as they are given. A little work on an assignment each day will allow you time to give attention to its quality. Your workload will be spread out, so you will avoid doing it at the last minute.
It is a good idea to identify study times when you are fresh and attentive and stick to those times every week. Think of the study times as "reserved time." If you miss too many study times, revise your schedule. Study in short spurts, and often. Your brain takes in information faster and retains it better if you do not try to overload it. Decide what your best time is and try to schedule your study time accordingly. You accomplish more when you are alert.
Review your notes, assignments and discussion board discussion on a regular basis. Print out all of your work so you can look at it without having to be on the computer. Reviewing your work on a regular basis keeps you up to date and helps shorten the study time required for quizzes and exams.
Time your tests wisely. Before you take a test, make sure you understand the information covered in the course assignments that will be the basis for a particular test.
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10. Be a goal keeper!
Set interim goals and deadlines for yourself, and stick to them. Print out the course calendar and mark it off with the amount of work you need to do each week. You might even want to mark in the days when you will expect to take tests, submit projects, and contact the instructor.
Don't fall behind in your work! Keep reminding yourself that you will always have more to do near the end of a course than at the beginning.
Check your course progress frequently. Don't wait until the last week in the class to find out that some of your work is missing. Don't be afraid to ask your instructor what you need to receive an "A" grade in the course.
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11. Be sensitive to others!
Don't use your electronic correspondence tools improperly by making inappropriate comments or inflammatory remarks. Be careful when using sarcasm and humor, and don't include any obscenities in your messages.
Without face-to-face communications, people may take your humor personally, and you never know who may be offended by expressions that are commonplace to you. Most people find it very difficult to accurately portray emotions through the written word. Before you hit the "send" button, make sure you haven't misread someone else's comments and poorly worded your own in response. Remember to address the idea, and not the person when reacting to someone else's message.
Be polite and respectful. Don't include any obscenities in your messages. Remember, you are dealing with real people on the other end of your modem. Participating in an online course is not the same as communicating in Instant Messenger. 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.
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12. Be supported!
Before you begin an online course, make sure to get the support of your colleagues, family and friends. 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.
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13. Be able to relate!
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. 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.
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14. Be an advocate!
Become a true advocate of distance learning. Discuss the merits of the process with anyone who 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.
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15. Be happy!
Enjoy yourself! Learning should be fun. YCCC hopes to provide a convenient atmosphere in which you can expand your skills.
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For further information or to arrange for a private tutoring session, please contact:
Heather Reed
Online Coordinator
(207) 646-9282 ext. 240
hreed@yccc.edu
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