Online Learning
Online learning is becoming increasingly popular around the country due to the demands of the everyday lives of people who want to continue their education. Many are turning to this type of education in order to receive job promotions, raises, or just to complete a degree. I have used online learning to obtain my bachelor's degree and I plan to continue by obtaining a certificate in online teaching.
But will online learning replace traditional classroom learning? This question was addressed here Huffpost.
Traits of Successful Online Learners
Discipline
Being successful online takes discipline, due to the demands of having to login online daily, post to discussion boards, and complete assignment deadlines. You will need to set reminders to help you remember what is due, so you receive full credit for the assignments. This may be challenging for some people who rely on constant reminders of due dates. Another way a student must be disciplined is when their friends and family are having fun without them. They have to be able to say no to an engagement that will stop them from completing an assignment on time. This may be hard at times, but the student must focus on the long term goal, which is obtaining the degree.Dedication
Being successful also means being dedicated to your online class. This dedication needs to be there because there will be times when you are not able to attend events because of synchronous learning, which is required for some online classes or because you may have a paper due. If you are dedicated to what you are learning online, these things won't matter and you will be able to succeed online.Determination
Determination is very important in online learning. When you are determined to complete your degree you will constantly login to the computer, complete assignments on time, and forget about the social life you are giving up. You will stay determined to finish what you started and you won't give up. Netiquette
Another determining factor of a successful online learner is their netiquette or network etiquette. This is the professionalism you posses when responding to professors and peers online. When dealing with people online you must remember they are human. They have feelings just like yours and it may be possible to offend someone online. Helpful information for first time online learners can be found here: Netiquette Rules.
