With the globalization of the economy have come many changes. Distance is no longer an obstacle to communication; labour crosses borders; jobs change; and people change jobs frequently. And because of all these changes, lifelong education becomes particularly important in this knowledge-based economy.
Of course, this is why so many people study on-campus at university or college. But many others already have jobs or other commitments and so cannot attend on-campus classes. If you are one of these people, online learning provides a flexible solution. But to succeed you need to take account of the following six guidelines.
When you study on-campus, other people organise much of your study time. With online learning, you have to organise it yourself. So be organised ” manage your time. Set aside a regular time in your diary for study of the material as if you were attending classes. And complete assignments well before the due dates. That way you have time to check them and also avoid those last minute things that go wrong when youre late. Do not be a poor time manager.
To complete a degree online means often working alone when your friends are out enjoying themselves, and it means maintaining this level of commitment for a long period of time. To achieve this, you must have a high degree of motivation. We did some research on success factors for our mature-age online learners. The number one factor wasnt previous exam results ” it was motivation. Even with very few previous academic qualifications, we found that students would succeed providing they were motivated. So, do make sure that you are highly motivated.
Unfortunately, many of us were taught to use rote learning at school. But other skills are needed to acquire meaningful knowledge. This means having well-developed critical reading and thinking skills. To be successful in learning online requires that you develop these skills. Many programs or colleges will provide a course to help you acquire such skills ” it would be well worthwhile taking it so that you do know how to learn.
If you are learning online, the materials replace the lectures that students get in a face-to-face course. But they usually does more than those lectures ” the courseware often includes questions, exercises and further reading so that your learning can be active rather than passive. And that is the key – ACTIVE LEARNING. Make sure that you complete all the exercises and actively read the text.
Lectures in high school classrooms and in undergraduate classes can all so easily encourage the passive learning already referred to. But real learning takes place when you are interacting with the materials and with others. So try to find a learning group, either in your area or online, and exchange ideas regularly. Also, make sure that you respond to all the e-Tutors requests for participation in the discussion forums. There may even be a mark allocated for such participation.
I recently heard of a government official who had his position taken away from him on the grounds that he hadnt earned his qualifications because they were from a diploma mill – a business that simply prints diplomas and degrees. He protested that he had earned them because he paid good money for them. You must always make sure that the online qualification you receive is from an accredited institution and the form of accreditation is recognised in your country. Never buy a qualification from a diploma mill.
