Effective Online Learning
Contents

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
STUDY PLANNING
COMMUNICATION

Build and use a support system for your online study. Help is out there if you care to use it!

 
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Who? Where?

Make sure you have contact details for online support staff. When will they be available? How does that fit in with your study times?

Course co-ordinator's name, office location and hours, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address
Instructor's name(s), office location and hours, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address
Online Service Desk hours, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address
Librarian's name, Library location and hours, telephone, fax, e-mail address
Campus administration location and hours, telephone, and fax

What?

You need to be clear on the following points. If you don't know, find out!

What course materials you can expect
How you will receive the course materials e.g. course website address and login
How you will be notified of course announcements
Are class activities offered (virtual, or face-to-face) ?
Are there compulsory extra resources eg textbooks, that you need to buy?
Are there recommended extra resources that may help you, eg library resources?
How to access instructor support
How to access technical support
How to access library support
How to access on-campus computers and other facilities if required
How to access support for specific learning difficulties

Are you equipped with the necessary technology?

Find out:

The computing and internet hardware minimum platform and specifications
Software type and version required
Multimedia accessibility (including plug-ins required)

How will you be assessed?

Find out:

What specific competencies you need to acquire for each module
How you will be assessed and what weighting is given to each component
Assignment topics and notes
Due dates for assignments
Marking and late submission policies

PLANNING YOUR STUDY

KNOW YOURSELF is the rule here.

Schedule yourself, and stick to a study schedule, that

- fits in with your lifestyle and other commitments
- matches your course requirements and deadlines

Identify the sorts of distractions and weaknesses which prevent you from committing to and keeping a study schedule, and work out how to deal with them.
Understand which learning style works best for you and use/modify materials provided, to match this.

 
COMMUNICATION

Interact
Take advantage of opportunities for fellow student interaction via bulletin boards, discussion groups, group projects, etc.

Provide feedback
In a face-to-face course, an instructor relies on feedback from students, whether with questions or facial/physical expressions. In a distance situation this is most difficult, and you carry the responsibility to inform the instructor how you are doing in the course, whether by appointment or through phone conversations or e-mail.

Use feedback
The instructor must provide feedback to you on your progress through the course. If comments on your assignments aren't clear to you, inquire how you're doing.

This guide adapted from "Succeeding in Distance Education Courses" created and maintained by Joe Landsberger, University of St. Thomas' Learning Center http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides