Tips for Succeeding in an Online Course

Don't reinvent the wheel. Take a moment to review a few tips from former students on how to succeed in an online course.

Define your goals.	Ask yourself “What is my goal in taking this course?” If you define your goals and objectives up front, you will already know where you are heading and what it will take to get there.
Understand how you will be evaluated.	Know how your performance in the course will be evaluated. This knowledge will give you a greater understanding of what’s expected of you.
Plan for success.	Plan ahead. Make sure that you have read the course syllabus and that you understand what is required and when assignments are due. Use the calendar and task scheduler in Black board so you can easily recall important dates, times, locations, and tasks.
Use e-mail effectively.	Make sure you have provided your instructor with a valid e-mail address so that he or she is able to contact you at the start of the course and throughout the semester. Get in the habit of checking your e-mail at least daily, if not more frequently.
Seek the support of others.	Seek support from family, friends, colleagues, and other students. Support from those closest to you is essential to your success as an online student.
Participate fully.	As in traditional courses, it is important to participate in online class activities and discussions. Communication with your instructor and peers can provide great insight in to the subject you are studying and provide a more fulfilling educational experience.
Create some personal space.	It is important that you have a quiet place that you can go to study. If you’re taking an online course, your desk serves as the classroom. A private, personal space gives you a place where you can shut the door, study, and work in a peaceful, focused manner.
Log on frequently.	It is important that you log on to your online course each day. Logging on is often the only way to find out what’s happening in the course and to stay informed of any last-minute changes. If you ignore this step to success, you will fall behind.
Become a master of politeness and respect.	Abide by the Golden Rule and treat others how you would want to be treated. Just because you are shielded by a computer and miles of phone line doesn’t give you a license to put down someone else’s ideas, no matter how outrageous they might seem. Be polite and respectful towards others, as you would in a traditional course.
Speak up.	If you are having difficulties in the course, speak up. The professor is not able to see your hand raised or the blank expression on you face. The only way she will know that you are having problems is if you discuss those problems with her. Besides, you never know if other students are also having the same difficulties; speaking up will enable your professor to clarify the problems not only for you, but for the other students as well.
Apply what you learn.	Look for opportunities to apply what you have learned in class to your everyday life. Doing so will help you remember the material and recall it more readily when taking tests or participating with online discussions with other students.
Be on time.	Hand in all projects and assignments on time. The instructor cannot evaluate your progress in the course if he or she does not have anything to base the evaluation on.
Study schedule.	Place yourself on a study schedule and stick to it. Doing so will help you stay organized and help to ensure that you have read the material and completed the assignments.
Put in the time.	Plan on spending 5-10 hours a week studying for each online course.

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