Go Inside e-Learning with Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D. Get an insider's look at online education by an education administrator active in online career education and professional development.
Her latest book, Excellence in College Teaching and Learning: Classroom and Online Instruction, was co-authored with George Henderson and published in 2007. Leadership and the e-Learning Organization, was published in 2006.
By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.
Why do students who seem to be off to a great start in their online courses seem to crash and burn? How is it that the students you though would never make it actually graduate early, and with great grade points? The answer is not an easy one. Why? Achieving success in an online program is much more complicated than it may seem at first glance, and it may not be as easy to find out success strategies, especially if you have not established contact with fellow students, and you don't have a friend or acquaintance who is going through it with you.
The way to stay in school and to succeed in your online program is to plan and to self-monitor. To do so effectively, you'll need to be able to identify the various aspects and elements of your course, your program, and your life. Here is a checklist of elements that will help you succeed and your courses. They will also allow you to work on all the aspects of your life that relate to your academic career to make sure that your progress is smooth, filled with benefits to you, and profoundly motivating to you.
Curriculum Planning
- Work closely with your advisor.
- Take courses in the correct sequence.
- Do not skip prerequisites.
- Take the correct number of hours, manage your load.
- Balance courses (correct balance of easy/hard)
- Make sure you have core competencies in writing and math.
- Take accelerated courses with caution and planning.
- Avoid Incompletes ("I"s).
- Purchase your books early.
- Buy the correct books.
Interaction
- Establish positive communication with your instructors.
- Connect with classmates, share information with them.
- Seek mentors, study buddies, tutors early.
- Find ways to obtain information about registration, advising, library resources, support services.
Career Planning
- Choose a major you care about.
- Make sure your major connects to your career goals and interests.
- Take virtual internships when possible, gain experience in your career area.
- Investigate credit for experience (portfolio).
Financial Planning
- Take out as few student loans as possible.
- Credit by exam when possible (CLEP, DANTES, Excelsior)
- Credit for portfolio when applicable.
- Investigate and apply for scholarships.
Infrastructure and Technology Planning
- Purchase a good computer with sufficient capacity.
- Make sure you have a good connection.
- Use mobile devices to communicate as much as you can (check e-mail, send messages, post to discussion, listen to lectures, watch videos).
- Make sure you have the software you need.
- Keep up to date with plug-ins (Flash, Java, Javascript, etc.) needed for your software.
- Familiarize yourself with the learning management system. Be sure to go through any training that is available.
Study Habits, Study Resources
- Create a study environment that fits your lifestyle.
- Set goals.
- Manage time effectively.
- Adjust your study habits to fit your learning preferences and styles.
- Visit your virtual library and resources often.
- Investigate tutor centers.
- Use simulations, serious games, and virtual worlds (Second Life, etc.) when it helps.
- Avoid distractions.
Anonymous comments are disabled
About susan
Involved in the development and administration of online courses and programs since the early 1990s, Susan Smith Nash has made a point to share her experience as well as her research through her websites, weblogs and podcasts.
The recipient of collaboration and innovation awards for her work in developing innovative and high-quality online and hybrid programs that take advantage of the latest technologies, Nash has been involved with organizations and educational institutions involved in online education and training.
She has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and has made presentations at prominent national conferences. Susan is involved with research into the best ways to use new techniques and technologies (Web 2.0, etc), for effective e-learning (and training).
Her latest book, Excellence in College Teaching and Learning: Classroom and Online Instruction, was co-authored with George Henderson and published in 2007. Leadership and the e-Learning Organization, was published in 2006.