Tips and Skills for Virtual Success

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Tips and Skills for Virtual Success
What it takes to Succeedby Paula Short
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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Best Practice 1
• Become familiar with your computer. It will be
  the link between you and your instructor. Know
  how to
• Turn on the computer
• Surf the internet
• Send and receive email
• Paste text into an email message (e.g. from a
  Word processor)
• Send and receive a file attachment from email
• Install software
• Turn in assignments
• Create, save, copy, move and manage files and
  directories on a computer
• http//www.sdaedu.org/services/success/guide.pdf

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Best Practice 1 cont.
• Run applications on a computer when needed for a
  course
• Use a browser, e.g. Netscape or Internet
  Explorer, including navigational
• Use tools such as the "Back" button,
  bookmarks/favorites, etc.
• Use a search engine to conduct research on the
  Internet
• Describe any problems accurately to technical
  support (e.g. write down
• http//www.cgs.pitt.edu/pdf/SuccessStudent71306.pd
  f
• http//www.sdaedu.org/services/success/guide.pdf
  Further reading What Makes a Successful
  On-line Student

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Best Practice 2
• Student-to-Teacher Communication
• Break the barriers. Communicate right away with
  your professor. Keep in mind that clear
  communication requires more effort in an online
  environment. It is your responsibility to let the
  instructor know when you have questions, are
  confused, or need technical support.
• Drop an email to introduce yourself
• http//www.sdaedu.org/services/success/guide.pdf

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Best Practice 3Set GoalsAt the beginning of a
  new course, look through the materials. Break the
  lessons/assignments into manageable chunks. You
  might not have time to do a full lesson in one
  night, so plan for how much you can do, then
  stick to it until you're done.
• http//www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/d
  istance-learning-success.htm

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners
Best Practice 4 Flexibility Being flexible is
important because e-learners have to reframe
their approach to learning and studying. They
have to bend and flex more as part of t he
distance learning process. Best Practice
5 Establish a regular study/learning
schedule Keep a calendar or journal with your
study goals and important dates clearly
marked-and look at it daily. Determine what
time is best for you to study. Take
breaks-walk around and stretch.
http//www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles
/distance-learning-success.htm
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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners
Best Practice 6 Resourcefulness Able to solve
problems Able to deal with difficult
situations Able to locate research materials,
etc. http//www.worldwidelearn.com/educatio
n-articles/distance-learning-success.htm

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners
Best Practice 7 Know your learning style, and use
it!Look for real-world situations and examples
of what you're learning about. If you're studying
about civil engineering, pay attention to
bridges. You'll be much more interested if
you're involved, not just reading about a
topic. Put things into practice as early as
possible. http//www.worldwidelearn.com/educa
tion-articles/distance-learning-success.htm
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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Best Practice 8Persistence
• Dont give up
• Ask questions
• Keep in contact with your professor
• Best Practice 9CELEBRATE Success
• Reward yourself
• Be proud of your accomplishments

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Tips from experienced eLearners
• Be prepared to work independently
• Manage your time effectively
• Actively participate in the course
• Ask questions if you don't understand
• Be familiar with a computer
• Know what your Personal Identifier (PID) is and
  why you need yours activated
• Form a "buddy" system or support group and share
  email addresses
• Prioritize your tasks
• Ask your instructor for assistance if you require
  it
• Find out if there are any supplemental study
  tools for the course
• Inquire if tutoring at a distance is available

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Students who Succeed in Online Courses are Able
  to
• Become actively involved in their learning
• Focus on their goals
• Prioritize their responsibilities
• Reach out for the assistance they need
• Find ways to identify and develop academic and
  social support Systems within their courses
• Pay at least some attention to their health and
  wellness
• http//www.vto.vt.edu/online.php

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners

• Biner et al. (1995, p. 56) found that students in
  distance education programs tended to be "more
• Intelligent
• Emotionally stable
• Trusting
• Compulsive
• Passive
• Conforming
• http//www1.worldbank.org/disted/Teaching/Design/k
  n-02.html

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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners
Why Some e-learners Fail Pitfall 1 Treating DL
courses like traditional face-to-face courses.
Distance learning requires different media,
delivery methods, course design, evaluation
methods, and learner- support structures.
Pitfall 2 Jumping straight to the course
content. Pitfall 3 Lacking the necessary
support structure. Pitfall 4 Lacking
motivation. Pitfall 5 Not planning for
technology problems. Tech problems are common.
There's always a previous version of a program
that can't run the application, can't install
the plug-ins, or dont have the right
connection. So, you should plan enough time to
solve such problems.
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E-Learning Best Practices Strategies for
e-Learners
Why Some e-learners Fail Pitfall 5 Not planning
for technology problems. Tech problems are
common. There's always a previous version of a
program that can't run the application, can't
install the plug-ins, or dont have the right
connection. So, you should plan enough time to
solve such problems. Pitfall 6 Not planning
enough time for discussion and teamwork.
http//www.learningcircuits.org/2000/apr2000/apr
2000_elearn.html