Succeeding in Online Education Courses

"Distance education is based on the premise that students are at the center of the learning process, take responsibility for their own learning, and work at their own pace and in their own place. It is about ownership and autonomy." *

The good news: studies have shown that students perform about the same in online education courses as if they would in the traditional classroom.

The bad news: students tend to procrastinate and drop out at higher levels than in traditional courses.

Conditions for a successful online education course:

Technical requirements:

a reliable computer with internet access
MS-Office or Open Office
Additional software - click to check your computer for compatibility

Schedule yourself, and stick to an assignment schedule, that

coincides with the course requirements
is manageable
provides for study on a regular basis.

Schedule yourself daily/weekly for course communications for

fellow student interaction via discussion areas or email
feedback to the instructor
In a face-to-face course, an instructor relies on feedback from students, whether with questions or facial/physical expressions. In an online course this is most difficult, and you carry the responsibility to inform the instructor via e-mail how you are doing in the course.
the completion of assignments and on time submission
progress reports: The instructor will provide feedback to you on your progress through the course.

* Wheeler, Steve, "Convergent technologies in distance learning delivery", Tech Trends, Volume 43, Issue 5, November 1999, p. 19.

adapted from Joe Landsberger