While many students attend college or technical schools, they can’t afford to put life on hold and ignore all their other obligations. Family responsibilities, job schedules and illnesses force students to give up valuable time in the classroom. Fortunately, this is not as big of a problem as it was before the development of many digital devices.
Now, students have a chance to participate in online courses that can be done from any place there is an Internet connection. Students can do homework and take tests at any hour of the day rather than the specific hour the professor is available.
Whether you attend college or a tech school, online courses can be a huge benefit or a recipe for disaster. Those who learn well in an online setting must have several important qualities to ensure that they receive a quality education.
Communication Skills
Without face to face interaction with your professor and your classmates, it’s difficult to feel like you are involved in the atmosphere. CSI’s ESL Academy suggests in order to develop relationships, attend study groups and get the help you need, you must have the appropriate communication skills for someone at your level of education. Never respond to a classmate or professor in anger, and keep all your interactions professional. Although you don’t see these people regularly, you may be surprised at how often you will be in the same courses.
Time-Management
It’s one thing to turn in assignments and take tests when the rest of the class is doing so, but online courses are typically run at your own pace. This means that in order to stay on top of your assignments and obligations, you must effectively manage your own time and set a schedule to keep up on reading. If you fail to keep up with your courses and try to cram everything in during the last week of the semester, it’s difficult to get a good grade or even learn anything from the course.
If you worry about your time management skills, make sure to read the syllabus for each course before signing up. Create a long term schedule to ensure that you stay up on assignments. Make sure you are checking in to class every day and completing one task off your list.
Computer Knowledge
Obviously, it’s difficult to complete an online course if you don’t know how to use a computer. Many students fear the computer and believe they can figure things out as they go. If you don’t have the basic technical skills necessary to operate a computer, you may want to take a basic technology course before starting any online courses. Your schedule will be seriously complicated if you are trying to understand the basics as you learn new information.
Persistence and Dedication
Perhaps the most important characteristic good online learners have is the persistence and dedication to earn an education. Most obstacles can be overcome if you are committed to learning and are willing to do the work to succeed. Online courses are a great asset to millions of students all over the world, but be prepared to do the extra work to guarantee that you have the right personality traits to be successful.
Presented by CSI Now
Getting some computer knowledge is vital these days. I really could do with more myself – I’m thinking of an evening course to brush up on my coding skills. Plus, my DVD drive jammed last week and I was flummoxed on how to fix the thing. I’m sure it would have taken about 5 minutes if I had some hardware knowledge.