How To Be A Successful Online Learner

I can't say this enough. The only way to succeed in online learning is to be well-organized.

Things you need to organize:

Your time
This is the most important tip I can give you. The advantage of online learning is that you can dip in and out of it whenever you like. However, without some type of timetable for your studies, you can be tempted to leave it for later and start to slip behind. Set aside a time each day that you can devote to studying online. Shut the door, take the phone off the hook, get your spouse or a friend to watch the kids, make sure pets have already been fed... You need your study time and others need to respect this. Any unexpected spare minutes you get at other times can still be used for quick tasks like checking the discussion board or reading a course text.

Your study space
You need a desk or corner of your own. If you don't have a study, make sure you have a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Other things you will need are your laptop or desktop computer (of course!), a printer and a file for keeping paperwork. You may also have course books that you need to keep to hand. You may be wondering why a printer is useful. Even though many of your course reading will be online, most people still to prefer a printed copy. You might also want to make notes on it or underline important excerpts.

Your calendar
If you have end of course assignments, expect to be more busy than usual at this time, and to need more time to work alone for longer stretches of time. Take note of what else is happening in your life at that time. My first 2 course assignments coincided with the beginning of Christmas. It made sense to take some leave from work so that I could focus on getting the assignments completed ahead of the deadline.

The fun thing about studying online is that you will have many opportunities to interact with others.

On the other hand, you might not meet any of these people in real life. So at first everyone will be a stranger. This can make starting conversations feel awkward.

Join in the online learning discussions
The important thing here is to join in and become part of the group as quickly as you are able. If you stay isolated and wait to join in, it can become harder and harder to do so. You might start to feel like there is an in-group as others become friends.

Communicate with other online learners
Even though building friendships is not a priority for many online learners, the conversations you have with others can be a valuable way to learn. In addition to discussion board conversations, you can keep in touch with other students and your instructor using emails and instant messaging. You might even have voice chats. I felt nervous the first time I did any of these activities, but in the long run they made me feel like part of a real class rather than just someone reading course texts online.

Communicate with your instructor
Above all, keep in touch with your instructor. Some of us worry about bothering them with emails (I know I did) - but if you don't contact them, they have no way of knowing if you have a problem. If they don't know, they can't help. So make the first move, and let them know if there is anything you don't understand or if something is making it difficult for you to learn effectively.

Online learning can be hard work. There is no short cut to success.

But it can also be fun! Enjoy interacting with others and using the Internet to do something productive and purposeful. Be prepared to experiment with new ways of learning such as blogging, virtual world classes, e-portfolios, real-time chats, and forums. Remember that mistakes can be good teachers, and that it can take time to master new technologies. Remember too that you are not alone in your experiences - good or bad.

As well as learning about your subject of study, you will be likely to learn or improve your IT skills too. And possibly even make some new friends!

Finally, best of luck with with your studies. Although, if you follow these easy tips to be a successful online learner, luck won't come into it! :)