An online course is an anywhere, any time type of course. But class work still has to be completed  sometime. Students should expect to devote at least as much time for an online course as a traditional course. Some students may require more time because of the online research.

It's a good idea to develop a regular schedule for completing readings and assignments. Avoid disruptions and distractions during the time you have scheduled for studying.

Contact the instructor by email for help if you have trouble understanding an assignment.

Keep a copy of all mail you send to your instructor. You may want to send a copy yourself to make sure that the mail is being delivered, and you will also have proof that it was sent on time.

Attend on-campus sessions for orientation, discussion, and examinations. Many online classes require on-campus sessions.

Bookmark the class home page.  This will help you locate the schedule and assignments quickly.

Read through assignments to see if you have any questions. If you do, e-mail them immediately. It may take a day or two to receive a response.

An online course requires work completed every week of the course.  You should not consider skipping an online course's weekly assignment any more than you would skip a week of a traditional class.

Make sure you read all of the written material from the instructor (Web pages & e-mail) as well as the textbook.

Don't procrastinate    Don't procrastinate   Don't procrastinate

The most common problem online students run into is falling behind in completing their assignments. Submitting assignments late will result in a lower grade.
 

  Schedule time for assignments
  Keep backup copies of floppies - disks go bad and sometimes get infected by a virus
  Do homework as soon as possible - Don't put off work until the last minute
  Contact your instructor when you need information or clarification
  Don't feel overwhelmed, learning online is a new experience for many students.
 

                        Plan your online time carefully.

1. A key to being successful in an on-line course is time management. Students need to understand that the average time spent on a college level course is 2 to 3 hours per credit hour. This means for a 3 credit hour course students should expect to spend 6 to 9 hours minimum a week reading and working on the material. The time will depend on the difficulty of the course and the student's study skills. Even though an online class does not require students to come to campus, students will still need to devote enough time to complete the work.
2. An effective way to manage an online course is to put the time in your weekly schedule. For example if you take traditional classes, you know you are required to be in class. For an online class, you should schedule a regular time to do course work for this course and stick to it! Plan at least three or four times a week to log onto the course to check announcements and the Discussion Forum.
3. Students who like to work ahead can read ahead, work on assignments, and even complete some tests or exercises early. This is especially a good idea to work ahead when you have some free time in case you have a deadline or a major test or project in another course. Plan your time for each course.
4. The course is designed so that students do have to keep up with a schedule to particpate in Discussions Forums.
5. Each student needs to plan a specific time each week to work on this course, either reading or completing assignments. Plan to spend as much time in the course site as you would spend in classes if this course were held face-to-face. This site is your meeting place to contact your instructor and participate in discussion groups. Avoid the temptation to print a copy of an assignment and never return to your computer.
6. Also plan an equivalent amount of time for reading and homework. Often students in online courses find it easy to put off work until a more convenient time. Students do better if they follow a regular schedule and check into the course each week.
 

Make contacts among your fellow students.  Form study groups if you feel it will help to discuss assignments.

As with a traditional course, students in an online course should develop notes for each unit or chapter to review for examinations without having to read the entire text just before the exam.

Develop a list of terms that are important to the course, especially those that are unfamiliar to you. Write definitions in your own words and review them.
 

                                    MEETING DEADLINES

You must pay careful attention to the deadlines for completing each assignment or test. Meeting deadlines is the student's responsibility. Failure to complete discussion forums, quizzes, exams, and essay or other written assignments will result in a reduction of grade or NO GRADE for a particular assignment. Be sure to save your work in a document file on your computer before you submit it and allow plenty of time for transmission of your files electronically by e-mail. Don't assume that the telephone line connections are always working and always instantaneous.
 

                                           E-mail Guidelines

1. Students should keep the e-mail address of the instructor written down in a safe place in case other computers are used.
2. All e-mail should be addressed appropriately to the instructor or classmates. If you are sending e-mail from home computers to the instructor, please be careful to spell all information correctly.
3. Students should keep copies of all important e-mail correspondence to the instructor and to classmates until the course is over and a grade is posted. This way if a question arises about information, the student can refer to the printouts.
4. Students can expect a response from the instructor on an assignment within 24-48 hours after it is received but not immediately since instructors have other classes. If you have not heard from the instructor within the allotted time, send another e-mail message or call the instructor to make sure material has been received.

Netiquette in e-mail messaging:

       E-mail your instructor on a regular basis, at least once a week.  Instructors
       appreciate knowing their students are attentive.

Be aware that e-mail is a different medium.  Choose your words carefully
in a message.  It is easy to be misunderstood when all the other person sees
is a typed message.  Humor is more difficult to get across in a message.

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