Advice For Online Learners

The subject of what makes for a successful online learning experience is one we've addressed in a number of posts here on the Go 2 College Free blog. It's definitely one that is worthy of further reflection.  Today's post is more of the same but from the perseptive of blogger Joshua Kim.

In a recent Inside Higher Ed article entitled "Your Advice For Online Learners," Kim talks about the main things students should keep in mind when they decide to take an online class or a hybrid class (which blends online and face-to-face formats).  Specifically, he highlights 7 Keys To Success for online learners. Below you can find a thumbnail sketch of each Key.
 
1.  Make a schedule.  Kim observes that most online courses require a significant amount of hourly work each week and that, as such, it is important to distribute this workload evenly throughout the week as opposed to cramming on the weekend (tempting as it may seem).  "Block out time," writes Kim, "that you reserve each day devoted to your online course." 

2.  Collaboration is key.  According to Kim, the success of an online course depends largely on the quality of feedback and participation of the course's students. "Strive to be present," says Kim, "and involved in the online environment."  Students will take from the class only as much as they put in. 

3.  Don't be perfect.  At first glance this key to success might sound a bit counterintuitive.  Here, Kim simply recommends that we should priviledge getting work done and submitting it in a timely manner over submitting work late because we're trying to get it done flawlessly.

4.  Demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills.  A common, but true, piece of advice.  "Leadership," writes Kim, "is about doing whatever you can to make the course and program successful for everyone." The Golden Rule reiterated.

5.  Be flexible and positive.  Kim observes that taking an online course is a marathon, not a sprint.  It's important to pace yourself and to remain calm if you experience barriers along the way (like a computer crashing or any other technology failure - it's bound to happen eventually).    

6.  Proactively communicate.  Similar to Key number 2.  Here, Kim recommends communicating proactively with the course instructor and fellow online students, especially if you have a question or are unclear on the requirements of an assignment or project.
 
7.  Enjoy yourself.   Sometimes we get so bogged down with assignments and stressed out that we lose sight of the bigger picture.  Keep in mind, urges Kim, that the ability and opportunity to partcipate in higher education is a gift.  We're bettering ourselves.  (There's also the fact that online courses allow students to learn from the comfort of home on their own timetable - enjoy it!).

Online Ed Trends

According to a May 18th article on Inside Higher Education, a recent survey shows that community colleges continue, each year, to offer more and more online classes and hybrid classes ("hyrid" formats blend in-person and online elements).  This trend makes sense in light of the fact that online classes provide potential costs savings for colleges, and also provide more convenience for students who can't make the commute or who prefer learning from the comfort of home. 

The IHE article also notes, interestingly enough, that completion rates for students in online classes lag behind completion rates of students who enroll in traditional, face-to-face classes.  This statistic highlights the importance of setting yourself up for success and figuring out, in advance, if online classes are right for you.  So let's start a short conversation around that very question:

Are online classes right for you?

Coming up with an answer will require some self-inventory and reflection on the experience and skills you bring to the table. We've discussed the question of what makes a good online student in an earlier post, but it never hurts to review ground already covered.

While they provide a convenient alternative to the traditional physical classroom experience, keep in mind that online classes (and to a lesser extent hybrid classes) imply a certain type of learner.  Students who typically succeed in online learning environments are:

• Highly motivated
• Have a capacity for self-guided learning
• Have good time management skills
• Take initiative in contacting the instructor with questions

In addition, students who typically succeed in online learning formats already possess a key set of skills.  Specifically, they already know how to:

• Use the internet
• Use a search engine
• Send and receive email with attachments
• Use word processing applications
• Use a chat room

Are you a self-starter? Do you have good computer skills? Do you want to learn from the comfort of home?  If so, online classes might be right for you.  Green River offers a wide variety of online classes in both university transfer and professional technical pathways, so you've come to the right place. Check out the e-learning page on the Green River website for more information.

Is E-Learning For You?

(adapted from greenriver.edu)

Today's post is about e-learning.  What's e-learning?  In simple terms, the phrase denotes the use of electronic formats to conduct learning.  In even simpler terms, e-learning means online classes. 

Green River Community College offers a wide variety of online classes in both university transfer and professional technical pathways.  This is a good thing.  Online classes provide a convenient alternative to the traditional classroom experience, especially for students who are home-bound due to injury, the raising of children, or care of a family member; place-bound due to living far away from their college campus; or job-bound due to working rotating or sporadic job schedules.  Online classes also provide a convenient alternative for students with disabilities or for students who simply prefer learning from the comfort of their own home.

While online classes provide a convenient alternative to the traditional classroom experience, and while they are becoming a more permanent fixture in the two-year college system, they also imply a certain type of learner who already has the skills needed to succeed in an electronic learning environment.  Not everyone, in other words, is cut out for online classes, at least not right away.  So today, let's briefly talk about what makes a good online, or e-learning, student.

First off, students who typically succeed in online formats are self-starters who:

• Are highly motivated
• Have a capacity for self-guided learning
• Have good time management skills
• Take responsbility for learning outcomes
• Take the initiative to contact an instructor with questions

In addition, successful e-learning students possess a key set of skills going into the class.  Specifically, they already know how to:

• Use the Internet
• Use a search engine
• Send and receive email with attachments
• Use word processing applications
• Use a chat room

Finally, Green River recommends that before taking onlines classes, students should first score five points or more above the qualifying minimum for transfer classes on the COMPASS assessment.  That is, students who take the COMPASS English and Math assessment should have higher than the lowest possible qualifying score before signing up for online classes.  If those COMPASS scores are only at the qualifying minimum (and not at least 5 points above), you may want to start with traditional classroom courses to build up your English and Math skills before making the transition to online classes.

Oh, and one last thing.  If you decide to take an online class, make sure you have a back-up plan in case your primary computer crashes, malfunctions, or is stolen.  It happens.  Identify a second computer you can use to complete the online class in the event something like this happens, be it a computer at a friend or relative's home, or a computer at a county or college library.

To recap, e-learning might be good fit for you if you're a self-starter, if you have a key set of computer skills up front, if you score above the qualifying minimum on the COMPASS, if you have a back-up plan, and, of course, if you like completing work on your computer.