Resource Sites

• Online Learning Readiness Questionnaire
• Online Education and E-Learning Excellence
• Top 10 Time Management Tips for Online Students
• Books on online student success

Identify Objectives & Goals

What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the course? When you define your goals and objectives, you can more readily stay on track.

Review Course Requirements

Thoroughly read the course syllabus to know what is required of you and when assignments are due. Use a calendar or scheduler to help you observe important dates, times, locations and tasks.

Understand assessment methods

Understand the assessment process in your online course and how your performance will be evaluated. If the information is not provided, ask the instructor.

Write well

Take advantage of resources to help you write your best. Goucher offers a graduate course, The Writing Studio. There is also a campus-based Writing Center.

Use email effectively

Use your Goucher College email address for course communications. Check your email daily.

Log on frequently

Log on to your online course each day. Logging on is often the only way to find out what's happening in the course and stay informed about changes.

Participate

Just like with traditional courses, it is important in online courses to participate in group activities and discussions. Communicating with your instructor and peers can provide great insights into the subject you are studying.

Be polite and respectful

Treat your classmates in the manner in which you want to be treated. Be supportive, polite and respectful. 10 golden rules of Netiquette

Work offline, post online

Use a word processing program to compose course communications, and then post online. Save your work repeatedly. Use cloud storage as a back-up option (e.g., DropBox, Google Drive).

Speak up

If you have difficulties in your online course, speak up. It's possible that other students are having similar difficulties, so your communication may enable your professor to clarify problems for the other students as well as for you.

Be on time

Submit projects and assignments on time. Communicate with your professor if you have difficulties keeping up.

Have a study schedule

Place yourself on a study schedule and stick to it. Stay organized and help ensure that you read all required material and complete the assignments.

Create your personal space

Maintain a quiet, peaceful place where you can study in a focused manner. Your desk serves as the classroom.

Put in the time

In general, plan to spend 5-10 hours a week studying for each online course.