Need Tips for Taking Online Class

Time management and self discipline! Think of it like this: your school work and studying is your job; act like you're working from home.

I currently work from home AND I've taken online classes... it's not for everyone.

You have to dedicate certain blocks of uninterrupted time to school work... no distractions! Also, make up one place in your house solely for school... if you don't have a desk, the kitchen table works fine, as long as everything's in one place and it's not in front of the t.v.

The hardest part is pushing yourself to get things done before deadlines. Most people who fail at online classes fail because they think 'oh whatever, I can get this done after dinner'... and then it never happens. It's really easy to play hooky or get distracted.

I personally LOOOOVED taking classes online. I'd still have to go to school to take my actual exams and do lab work, but it was so great for me!! Good luck and congrats, I get excited when I hear about people going back to school! I want to get back into it myself!! :)

I think it takes the right person to do online courses. I actually prefer online courses over going to class. I hate going to class. You really have to learn the system you use online...we use blackboard and it is nice.

You have to be good at scheduling yourself. You cannot procrastinate on classes. I love that every so often you get a teacher that allows you to work ahead. I am taking two classes this semester and I am just about finished with the one prolly next week. But class doesn't actually end till mid december. I like to work ahead and get it over...unless it is a tricky subject. I also know that just about the only class i personally couldn't take onlne would be math related because that is a subject I need a bit more help with.

Always shoot for turning in homework at least two days in advance! I found that every now and then my kids would blow up my schedule and I would forget but at least forgetting means a day early instead of two.

The hardest thing with online is there isn't class time. When you are in a traditional class you know you have to go to class on say Tuesday so you know to get the work done by then. Even though you have a deadline online it is more abstract so easy to forget.

I only took four online courses because that was all that transferred. Still every professor made it deadly clear they would accept nothing late!!

Oh and don't decide to do class work when you have the kids around. It seems like that would be the bonus to online courses but when they need you they just don't care that you have homework to do correctly. Even if you get it done you tend not to remember what you learned and door poorly on tests.

One thing that helped me was having a planner with all the due dates/exams/quizzes in there, so I could keep track of it all. With online, you don't go to class every day, you're not in a room with other people and its difficult to keep everything in the forefront of your mind. Having everything in writing really helped me manage my time better.

I too, did about half of my degree in online classes. I loved them! Most of mine had online discussion things and it could get overwhelming. Most were a class of up to 40 students and a few weekly questions that everyone was usually required to answer and reply to at least one or 2 other students answers. Some had additional parameters to what the answers must entail (so many points to be noted, taken from the text, or some were simply personal opinions..totally depended on the topic of the class and how the teacher wanted thisngs done, formatted, etc). But with so many students and so many weekly postings, if I didn't plan to log in several times a day and check things, there would be WAY to much to get to (like the one time I left it all weekend when I was horribly ill with a tummy bug). By logging in a few times a day for 10-20 min each, I could stay on top of it all.

Assignments, I also did as soon as the material was available or if I could read ahead. As someone else said, a good planner and system for your own needs. I had post it page markers I wrote chapter numbers on for easy referral for online testing..all were of course open book, but if it takes you forever to find the chapters, you will be flustered. I had a good planner for the few classes I could take at a time (campus and online), and all of it in a large 3 ring binder with folders and dividers. hubby called it overkill but I always knew where everything was. I overused multi-colored highlighters, post its of all sorts and such.

I worked 55 hours a week, plus 10 at least for outside work hours job related things, PLUS went to school. I graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Good luck!

Online courses can be a challenge if you don't stay organized & caught up. Make sure you are clear about the requirements (how many times per week you need to log in, number of discussion posts you need, papers required etcetera). I have always printed a calendar and I write down what needs to be done each day and check it off as you complete it. It has been my experience that as long as you are logging in and completing your required discussion posts that it is easy to do well-- the challenge comes in making the time to do it! Also I would suggest logging in early to familiarize yourself with the online format (it can vary by school). Best of luck!

I got my Masters degree online. I LOVED taking online classes. I'm so much better at self directed things than sitting in front of a teacher for a few hours every week. My biggest tip is COMMUNICATE. Be very proactive. Look at the material early and if you have questions or concerns about the assignment etc... you'll have plenty of time to receive feedback.

Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call your professor if you need help or clarification. I called my professors often, even when I didn't need help, just to touch base with them and make sure I didn't get lost in the e-shuffle of online learning. It really benefited me in throughout the degree. It lets them know you're serious about what you're doing and it builds a relationship with them. If something happens and you can't get an assignment in on time or something like that they're often more lenient with you if you have a relationship with them.

Designate a certain time every day/week to take care of your school work and make it a quiet time where you can really devote your time and energy without interruption.

Don't assume that just because it's online it's going to be easy. If you're going to a good school you're going to have to work for the grade/degree.

As soon as an assignment is given make sure you understand what is required. You're then able to plan your time to get the assignment done accordingly. Never wait till the last minute because you will find yourself up all night completing it. The assignments are typically a little more involved than traditional schooling (in my experience) and can't be thrown together in an hour or two.

Good luck! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

It's likely that, if this is your very first online class, it will be an intro course to help you learn to navigate the system. Don't worry about it too much.

But, here are a few things:
Keep up with the reading.
Read the syllabus and make sure you understand the expectations for each class you take. If the instructor says that they want complete sentences and full citations for every source you use to find information, be sure to adhere to that.
Don't argue with classmate's answers. Provide facts and the sources for those facts, but keep opinions out of it.
Usually, each class begins with an "intro" thread where you'll introduce yourself and tell everyone about your educational goals. Write up a half-page blurb in a Word document about you, where you're from, what you do, and your educational goals...and save it to your desktop so you can cut-and-paste it. You'll need to do this for every online class you take, so this way you won't have to rewrite it over and over. Unless you want to.
Save every paper your write for every class...because it's good to remember what you've done. BUT NEVER REUSE A PAPER for a class.

Good luck!