How to: Stay on Top of Your Coursework from Afar
Keeping up with an online degree program takes a lot of self discipline. Since students usually don’t have to keep up with appointments or set class schedules, they have the freedom to log on and complete assignments anywhere and at anytime they choose. With that freedom, however, comes the temptation to procrastinate and the possibility that students may forget about their work altogether. Distance learners are often working professionals juggling many different responsibilities at once. If they don’t make a point to schedule in time to study, it’s easy to fall behind.
Students who have a hard time remembering to participate in online lecturers or cohort discussions need to schedule in time each day for their studies, just like they do for work meetings and extracurricular activities. If a student has difficulty finding the time, they might consider taking only one course at a time or dropping an extra club or activity in order to make room for their education.
Temptations and distractions come in all forms. One of the benefits of online learning is that students can manage many of their daily responsibilities while they study; however, if juggling child care, work and household chores gets to be too much, the student may want to consider hiring a part-time babysitter or maid to make up for time spend studying. Extra little investments will pay off in the future, once you have earned your degree and increased your salary potential.
One of the most important tips for an online learner struggling with motivation and procrastination is to set goals. Setting long term goals will help students realize what they’re working towards: a better lifestyle, a higher salary, or a more fulfilling career. Short term goals help students stay on track by forcing them to complete assignments, e-mail instructors and study for a set period of time each day.
Students worried about falling behind should try to find time to study each day, even if it’s just a quick review of already familiar coursework. These little reviews also decrease students’ overall study time for a test, since they can study as they go instead of cramming for hours and hours the day or two before. Some students find that joining a study group or discussion group with online classmates or members of a Google group who are interested in your course’s subject matter. About.com guide Jamie Littlefield also recommends creating online flash cards to help students study and get used to working on the computer. Littlefield lists sites like Flashcard Exchange and Flash Card Maker as helpful tools for creating Web-based flash cards you can access anywhere, even at work or during your lunch break.
Just as students may find it helpful to schedule in their own study time, finding a specific place to study is also a good idea that helps keep online learners on track. Traditional, on campus students have study rooms and their college library to visit, and online learners will benefit from the added community atmosphere of going to a local college library or coffee shop with their laptop. If a student makes it a habit to get a little study in right before bed each night, chances are he or she will forget to study or continue putting off their work until a better time comes along. Physically removing yourself from temptations and setting up a schedule that works for you can make a tremendous difference for online learners.
