Study Hints
Learning at a distance or taking a WWW course may be a new experience for you. Although there are many similarities to face-to-face instruction, there are many differences as well. Some of these similarities and differences will seem like advantages and some like disadvantages. We hope that the suggestions that follow will help you adapt to the distance learning environment, maximize its strengths for your learning, and find ways to become a successful online student.
Set Goals for Yourself
- List the most important goals first and make sure they are specific and realistic. Then, reward yourself as you make progress toward your goals. Examples of goals you might set for yourself include: (1) work for at least one hour on a lesson before you take a break, (2) spend enough time on each lesson so that you understand all the concepts before going on to the next lesson, (3) try to answer all the questions on a progress evaluation without looking in the book first, and (4) try to improve your scores each time you take a progress evaluation.
Develop a Study Plan
- Each student has a different learning style. Some people like to work on difficult tasks first to get them over with. Some people like to start with easy problems to build up their confidence. Some like to work for several hours and then take a break. Others like to break their work into smaller chunks of time. Think about your own preferences; then record how long it takes you to complete the first lesson or two. You can use this information to prepare your own study plan for completing the entire course.
Keep Your Study Materials Neat and Well-Organized
- Have your textbook, pen or pencil, paper, dictionary, and other materials readily available. That way you won’t waste valuable study time looking for supplies.
Focus on the Lesson Purpose and Objectives
- Each lesson is designed to give you a preview of what is coming and lets you know what you should focus on. Read the purpose and objectives for the lesson carefully because they correspond to the main points within the lesson’s instruction as well as to the areas covered in your assignments and/or examinations.
Keep a List of Vocabulary Words and New Concepts
- Make sure you look up any unfamiliar words or concepts before submitting progress evaluations or taking exams.
Be Aware of Computing Habits
- At home, you may use the computer for games or while you are doing something else like eating, talking on the telephone, etc. You may pay attention only intermittently. Participating in a WWW course is not like that. You need to stay focused on the content and participate fully in the learning activities presented.
Manage Your Time Wisely
- Preparing for your examinations should be a daily activity. Throughout the course, take complete notes, review each lesson, and read your textbook regularly. Don’t wait until exam time to try to learn everything at once. When you receive your lesson reports, review the comments carefully and look up answers to any questions you may have missed. Make sure you understand the concepts in each lesson before going on to the next. If you have questions about the lesson reports, contact Student Services at the Center for Distance and Independent Study at 1-800-609-3727.
Take Responsibility for Your Learning
- Without a teacher present, you must make a special effort to understand the course content. The commentary in the online course is designed to take the place of class lectures. Most online courses include discussions of important points, additional examples, and study questions to supplement the material you will read in the textbook. You will need to do more than simply read the course commentary in order to understand the concepts fully.
Use Online Help Features
- If you need help with using software, check to see if there is an online tutorial or try the help feature on the toolbar. Different Internet Service Providers may also provide a contact person or "help desk" that you may call. Sometimes a Web search will help you discover solutions to technology problems. If you are exploring the Internet, many different sites also have a help feature called FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
Share Your Thoughts and Opinions
- Let the Center know how you feel about the effectiveness of participating in a distance education environment like the Internet. As you finish the course, you will have the opportunity to complete an evaluation form. Your input will help us plan for future distance course delivery.
Think Critically About WWW Sources
- The Internet and WWW are wonderful educational tools for students and instructors. However, there is so much information available and not all sites are of excellent quality. Therefore, critical thinking and evaluation skills become important as you explore different sites. It’s important to ask questions like—Is it accurate? current? meaningful? researched? supported by people knowledgeable in the field? thorough? The following are links to some excellent resources that survey a variety of Web site evaluation criteria for students:
Some of these study hints were adapted with permission of the MU Distance Learning Design Center.
