Be Self-motivated and self-disciplined. With the freedom and flexibility of the online environment comes responsibility.
The online process takes a real commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the process. Many of the non-verbal communication mechanisms that instructors use in determining whether students are having problems (confusion, frustration, boredom, absence, etc.) are not possible in the online paradigm. If a student is experiencing difficulty on any level (either with the technology or with the course content), he or she must communicate this immediately. Otherwise the instructor will never know what is wrong.
( Motivated & computer skill) Not Easily Frustrated Students in an online class sometimes are faced with obstacles that are out of their control: computers can break, ISP servers can crash, and electric power can go out. A successful online student identifies solutions for unexpected "catastrophes" by thinking ahead about solutions to potential problems. Possible solutions for each of the above scenarios: Use a friend or relative's computer Access a computer in one of the computer labs on campus Remember to save all online classroom work to a floppy disk, CD, zip disk, or flash disk so if your hard drive crashes, you do not "lose" your work.
Good written communication skills o Remember, your primary means of communication is through writing. Being able to send a well structured message will help with the communication process. o Make sure that you are able to easily maneuver through Blackboard. You should be aware of how to find assignments and course material, as well as be able to participate and post to discussions and send emails with attachments. If you are taking an online course in biology you would not want to miss the point of the lesson simply because you did not know where/how to find the lecture. o You should be confident that you have access to the necessary hard and software requirements to meet the needs of the course. The Academic Skills Center is available
on-campus as is the local library. Make sure that you have a backup plan of where to go to complete your work. Comfort with the system o Make sure that you are able to easily maneuver through Blackboard. You should be aware of how to find assignments and course material, as well as be able to participate and post to discussions and send emails with attachments. If you are taking an online course in biology you would not want to miss the point of the lesson simply because you did not know where/how to find the lecture. o You should be confident that you have access to the necessary hard and software requirements to meet the needs of the course. The Academic Skills Center is available on-campus. Your local library will also be able to offer these tools. Make sure that you have a backup plan of where to go to complete your work.
Excellent attention to detail, particularly when following written directions o Assignments, projects etc. are posted in the written form. Grades are drawn from work accomplished as directed. When grading assignments the instructor will look for competence in the work submitted. This means that all of the required steps were followed and presented in a professional manner.
Proficient Readers & Communicators Online classes are reading intensive; students are expected to glean information from their texts and from online materials to apply to work assigned to them. Before enrolling you are required to take the ASSET and/or COMPASS
tests: a score of at least 40 on the reading and comprehension sections of the ASSET placement test or at least an 81 on the COMPASS placement test reflects minimum college-level reading and comprehension skills (see Assessment & Placement link at right). Basic Computer Skills The computer is an integral part of the online classroom. While mastering the lessons of your online course, you do not want to be saddled with less-than-adequate computer skills. These basic skills including proficiency in sending and receiving emails with attachments, cutting and pasting from Word, and communicating with fellow students in Discussion threads. In order to be successful in online courses, distance learners also must have the ability to communicate their needs. As mention early in the course, distance learners have various needs. A distance learner is identified with a profile that is possibly similar or diverse from that of others. Holmberg (1995) specifies, These learners are very heterogeneous (Smaldino, Albright & Zvack, 2009, p.47). Because distance learning is done in the course of group interaction, instructional designers will be required to put forth an enormous attempt to integrate the technologies to meet the needs of distance learners and foster collaboration and interaction among these learners (Chaney, J., Chaney, E. Stellefson, and Eddy, 2008). Distance learners who are not proficient at navigating through wikis, blogs, and discussion boards must communicate their need for tutoring to their instructor and course administrator. According to Bray, Harris, & Major, 2007) distance education endeavors can be hindered by technology itself. As Wilson (2001) states, reliable technology with readily available support is vital for success (Bray, Harris, & Major, 2001). Furthermore, online learners are expected to utilize the provided library resources as well as write their course assignment in a professional manner. Students often have difficultly in understanding their tasks, therefore email and chats are useful in communicating
with the instructor for helpful information. In my experience, I find communicating your needs is vital to being a successful distance learner. Written communication abilities: In an online course, almost all communication is written. Therefore, you need to be comfortable with written materials and directions. It is also essential that you feel comfortable expressing your thoughts and opinions in writing. Computer Skills: A basic level of computer skills will enhance your learning and help you complete your course successfully. You should have a working knowledge of the following computer skills to be successful in an online environment: o create, save, copy, move and manage files and directories on a computer o run applications on a computer when needed for a course o use a browser, e.g. Netscape or Internet Explorer, including navigational tools such as the "Back" button, bookmarks/favorites, etc. o use a search engine to conduct research on the Internet o send and receive email o send and receive a file attachment from email o paste text into an email message (e.g. from a Word processor) o describe any problems accurately to technical support (e.g. write down error messages) In addition to these skills, you may also need to: o customize your browser o download software o install software o register for email and discussion forums o complete forms online Software and hardware help sheets can be found in the documentation section of the Universitys Technology Web site at www.technology.pitt.edu/documentation.html. Be able to communicate through writing. In the Virtual Classroom, nearly all communication is written, so it is critical
that students feel comfortable in expressing themselves in writing. Many students have limited writing abilities, which should be addressed before or as part of the online experience. This may require remedial efforts on the part of the student. Technical requirements: Before your course begins, make sure you have access to the tools necessary to complete the assignments. You will need a computer with adequate hard disk space, as well as a modem and an internet connection.
6. Communicate the instruction techniques that work. Instructors in online courses employ a variety of techniques aimed at engaging the learner. The participants in this study discussed some of the techniques that were most successful. One student commented, "I liked instructors who logged in often and asked a lot of questions. Not only did this help to increase understanding of the subject, but it gave people the opportunity for class participation." Another student added, "One teacher went farther than I would expect, but I found his technique wonderful. He posted the initial question for discussion, and then asked us individual questions based on our answers." This technique worked well with a variety of learners (42 percent). The instructor was able to craft questions that matched the students' level of understanding of the material and provide online resources that helped them (15.7 percent)
