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Online Learning Tips & Study Skills
What Makes a Successful Online Student?
Time Management in an Ole Miss Online Course
Online classes require more time and commitment than traditional classes.
- Make sure you have all the necessary texts and supplies before the semester begins to avoid falling behind in your assignments.
- Check the day and time of your deadlines for discussion responses, quizzes, projects, and exams—mark them on your calendar.
- Set aside a specific time period at least three times a week to log onto your class site (one of these days should be early in the week).
- For each class, plan to spend 6-9 hours per week reading the assigned material, participating in discussions, and taking quizzes. Allow additional time to complete projects.
- Try to work on your class during the hours of the day when you are most alert.
- Establish a regular study schedule and stick to it. Don't allow yourself to fall behind in completing assignments. It’s even harder to get caught up when you don’t see your instructor and classmates face-to-face to remind you at every class period.
- Pay attention to the Course Announcements and Course Mail for any information regarding the class from your instructor.
- Avoid distractions such as surfing the net, shopping online, playing games, chatting, or emailing your friends during the time you've designated for your class.
- Get help early if you think you may need it. For example, it may take a few days to get help from a writing lab tutor.
- Check out this Time Management website for some great tips and exercises.
Communicating with Your Instructor and Classmates. Communication plays a major role in an online course. Follow these tips to make sure you are on top of the game.
- Develop a habit of checking your email daily.
- Stay connected and participate online regularly. Your instructor will provide guidelines for participation. Respond promptly to messages from instructors and other students. Be prepared to spend more time online than you would spend sitting in a classroom.
- Keep in contact with your instructor. Your instructor can’t see your face in the online environment, can’t read your body language, or hear a question in your voice. You’ll be responsible for initiating more contact, for being persistent and vocal when you don’t understand something or are having problems. Your instructor is here to help. Be sure to post a question and express confusion or concern about anything you don’t understand.
- Remember, you can contact your instructor by telephone, email, regular mail, or in person. Your instructor will provide specific contact information. Print it for easy access in the future. Keep phone numbers of your instructor and the Ole Miss Online Office handy in case you have computer or email problems. Inform your instructor and the OMO staff promptly of any changes to your address and/or telephone numbers.
- Ask questions! Your instructor is there as a resource for you. Ask right away if something isn’t going right, whether it’s technical or something to do with your class. Most problems are easily solved, but we need to hear from you before we can help you.
- Interact online with other students as much as possible. Your communication with other students is important. Your frequent presence and participation in discussions is needed to create a real group learning. Exchange addresses and phone numbers with other students. Frequent online communication with other students will help to motivate everyone.
Participating in Online Class Discussions
It is important to take the discussions seriously to succeed in an online class. Here are some suggestions for quality discussion postings.
- Your responses should be several sentences to a full paragraph.
- You must support your responses with specific information and key points introduced in the lesson.
- You should read other student responses and try to contribute something new to each discussion.
- You should not repeat what others have said.
- You should show that you have really thought about the material.
- Responses must be in your own words. While some of the points may be the same, you can show that you have thought about it by using different examples to support your post.
- You should use correct grammar and spelling. The Writing Center can be of assistance.
Tip: Your responses can be written in a word processing program. They can then be saved and copied and pasted into the discussion text box in ANGEL. - Submit discussion responses early, especially when you are required to post your original thoughts and respond to others.
Netiquette—Standard Guidelines for Communication over the Internet
Exercise “netiquette” standard practice for interacting with others online (via email and threaded discussion) as suggested below. Keep in mind that your instructor may have additional preferences.
- Keep messages short. People don’t like to read long email or forum messages. If you have a lot to say, break up your ideas into multiple postings.
- Don’t use CAPITAL LETTERS extensively in messages (especially not the dreaded all-caps message). Capitals are the online equivalent of shouting – something normally done in polite conversation. Use them only when you want to really emphasize something.
- When responding to an email message or discussion posting, begin by summarizing what you are responding to in your first sentence (“I don’t agree with John D’s comments about …”) so that the context for the message is clear.
- When you refer to a website, always give the URL so people can check it out themselves. Put the URL in executable form (including the http://) so the link can be selected directly.
- Avoid sarcasm in messages because it is easily misinterpreted. Online messages don’t carry the tone of voice and facial cues that indicate a remark is meant to be humorous so they are more likely to be taken as earnest comments.
- Be wary of “flaming” – getting involved in an online argument by making thoughtless or nasty remarks in a message. Because they are written and context-free, negative comments tend to be amplified, which means that minor insults or criticisms seem much harsher. Be careful when formulating online messages. Online communication is not the same as in-person or telephone interaction.