How to Be a Good Online Learner

How do I manage my time to study online?

Develop a Study Plan
• Online learning requires learners to be organized and to
manage time wisely.
• In order to be successful in your online studies, it is best to
make a study plan. This study plan will help you to determine
when, where, and how you will study. Below are some of the
questions that you may want to answer in your study plan:
• When will I study?
• Where will I study? (home/office)
• How many hours a week can I commit to studying?
• What are competing priorities in my life? How can I work
around these?
• When will I evaluate my study plan to see if it is working?

Your Learning Space
• In advance of enrolling in an online course, it is a good
idea to set up a learning space. Make sure that you
have all materials and supplies needed, including your
computer. Keep your papers and documents related to
the course in this location. Make sure that it is a
comfortable and well-lit space.

Getting Support
• It is important for us all to be supported in our
learning endeavors whether face-to-face or
online. Before beginning online learning, it is a good
idea to approach your family and employer to let them
know that you are planning to take an online
course. Let them know how long you will be involved
in the course and what you expect from them.
• You'll find that getting their support early in the game
makes it that much easier for you to be an effective
learner.

Managing Your Time
• If you have ever spent any amount of time online, you know that time seems to
go much faster. Before you know it, it's been three hours!
• One important skill to learning online is learning to manage your time first.
• Here is a list of tips for managing your time effectively so that you have time for
all the things you want to do.
• Make a list. Create a checklist of things that you need to accomplish and check
them off as they are completed.
• Set reminders. Allocate a set amount of time for a specific task and then use an
alarm to alert you when you have almost used up your time. This will keep you
focused on the task and will keep your attention from wandering while online.
• Don't try to do it all at once. It's ok to set aside some tasks for completion
later. Unless it is due that day, it can most likely be postponed for another time.
• Delegate. Don't feel while you are learning online that you have to do everything
for everyone. Part of the conversation with your employer and family is to
decide how responsibilities will be reallocated while you are participating in
online learning.

Managing Your Time
• It's important that you also don't make too rigid a schedule too far in
advance. Making a weekly study schedule is one of the most effective
ways to keep on top of your studying. Look at your commitments for
the week and plan your study time in the natural breaks.
• In addition to completing your weekly assignments, you also have a
requirement to respond to your classmates. Schedule time for this as
well. Learning doesn't occur in a vacuum and everyone needs to
participate if excellent, collaborative learning is to take place. Also in
the spirit of collaborative learning, you should adhere to the weekly
schedule and follow the pace of the course.
• Make time for offline activities. Some online courses require you to
complete assignments outside of the virtual classroom. Make note of
these at the beginning of the course and plan accordingly for them.

Motivation
• When we sign up for online learning, we are excited at the
beginning but as the weeks progress, motivation can
diminish. When this occurs, remind yourself of the reason you
enrolled in the first place. Realize that you are doing this to
improve your teaching skills and to provide better services for
your students. Remind yourself that you can do this. We ask our
students to juggle the stress of learning and working;
experiencing this for yourself will also make you more
empathetic towards what your students are going through.
• You can read more about how to be a good online learner
through Alan R. Roper's article, "How Students Develop Online
Learning Skills" found at:
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/
HowStudentsDevelopOnlineL/40009?time=1202767128