Online Education

Distance courses are inviting because they allow you to work on your own time. The flexibility distance courses offer is beneficial if you have many other demands outside of school like work and family. However, this flexibility can lead to difficulties if not managed well. It’s important to intentionally make time for your course work. Schedule consistent, multi-hour blocks of time during the week and stick to the schedule.

Creating open lines of communication will benefit you during and after your course. During the course, communicating with your professor to ask questions about the material or assignments helps to provide clarity and deepen your understanding of the material. Communication can take many different forms from a Canvas message to a phone call. Just ask your professor which communication method is preferred. Keeping open communication can benefit you in the future by providing professional connections and potential professional references.

Face-to-face classes are always different based on the content and the professor. Distance classes are no different. Take this into consideration and how you will learn best. If you learn better on your own and can structure your class time outside of regular working hours, then maybe distance learning is for you. If you are a procrastinator, need interaction with others, and like to see how the instructor explains concepts in person, then maybe you should consider a face-to-face class rather than distance. Be aware of your learning styles and habits before you dive into an online course.

Limiting yourself to required discussion board responses can reduce your interaction with others. Be sure to expand your thoughts in the discussion, add points from research you’ve read or relevant experiences you have had. Increasing your contribution not only increases your learning but also helps you to connect with your classmates.