| The format of distance learning courses is | | | | involves studying the text, completing |
| different than what most students have | | | | assignments and taking exams. Just about all |
| experienced. The teaching style is more | | | | work will involve reading and writing, so |
| student directed and you will have to become | | | | take some time to improve your skills in |
| accustomed to these differences. Distance | | | | these areas. You will most likely have a fair |
| learning relies heavily on technology. If | | | | amount of reading assigned both in the text |
| you aren't computer and internet savvy, you | | | | and from outside sources. Schedule enough |
| will need to learn new skills, in addition to | | | | time to complete all reading assignments. |
| your coursework. Look for classes or | | | | Get the textbooks early and read the first |
| workshops on computers and the internet. | | | | few chapters before classes start to become |
| These are often available in public libraries | | | | familiar with the material.Taking non |
| or community centers. You may feel | | | | traditional college courses requires |
| overwhelmed at the thought of taking another | | | | commitment and time management skills. The |
| class, but the time you spend learning to use | | | | ability to work at your own pace can turn |
| the technology will save you time in the long | | | | into procrastination. Set goals for yourself |
| run.Most colleges offer support for new | | | | and make a schedule that will allow you to |
| students. Some schools may have orientation | | | | reach those goals in a reasonable amount of |
| sessions at the start of a new semester. If | | | | time. Plan on spending at least nine hours |
| your school offers this, plan on attending. | | | | each week for each class you take. Schedule |
| You will gain valuable information about the | | | | study time and stick to your schedule. It's |
| structure of the course and the technology | | | | important not to fall behind and even better |
| used. Instructors often give advice for | | | | to stay a week ahead of the class |
| organizing your time at these sessions. In | | | | schedule.You won't be completely isolated |
| addition, you will get a feel for the | | | | when taking distance learning courses. Stay |
| teacher's expectations. Most schools offer | | | | in contact with your instructor and ask for |
| tutorials to help you learn to use the online | | | | feedback regularly. Instructors will have |
| classroom and other software used in distance | | | | office hours when you can call, or you can |
| learning programs.Research papers are common | | | | stay in touch with email. You may be given |
| assignments in both traditional and distance | | | | opportunities to interact with other students |
| learning college courses. Utilize the | | | | through chats, message boards or online study |
| resources offered by your college to help | | | | groups. Take advantage of these |
| complete necessary research. If the school is | | | | opportunities, if studying with others is |
| in driving distance from your home, take | | | | helpful to you. Some colleges offer online |
| advantage of the college library. Other | | | | tutoring, usually in math and writing. Take |
| colleges may allow you to use their library | | | | advantage of every opportunity for the best |
| with a student ID from your school. Many | | | | experience.Katie Robbins is a freelance |
| schools offer an online library database. | | | | writer for degreeclick.com, a web resource |
| Learn to use the database to save time when | | | | where she regularly publishes informative |
| researching. Quite a bit of research can be | | | | articles about online education. Some of the |
| done online, which can save you time as | | | | topics she covers include online |
| well.The workload in distance learning | | | | universities, health care degrees, and |
| courses is similar to traditional college | | | | criminal justice degrees. |
| coursework. The basic format of most courses | | | | |