Tips for Success
2 a Day
To succeed in this class you should budget yourself two hours each day for six days a week. That adds up to the twelve hour goal and spreads those hours out so that you spend smaller chunks of time (which researchers say enhances retention of learning) and reduce your stress level. You may find yourself needing more time than this especially if you have some writing concerns or read at a slower pace to begin with. You also may need some extra time around some of the larger projects, but, in general, two a day is the ticket to success.
Read Everything Actively
In online courses, you must read everything--everything: every instruction, every web lecture, every sample essay. You must pay particular attention to rubrics, web lectures, and instructions. These substitute for typical classroom interactions with your teacher, so they require especially carefull attention from you.
Make Friends
Online classes can feel isolating. I will try to combat this by having us engage in a variety of conversations and activities that will at times require us to work in pairs and groups, but you will also need to take the initiative to reach out to some of your classmates and create learning groups and other relationships that will help you feel a part of a learning community.
While most people who sign up for online courses are independent learners, everyone needs some support to succeed in a demanding course such as an online composition class. Yes, the old Beatle cliche holds true here. You can get by with a little help from your friends.Trade digits (oh yes, I'm hip) Keep your email address in Moodle current. Encourage each other in each online discussion or activity .
