It used to be when we had a question, we would consult a book or a knowledgeable friend. That was before search engines and the internet. Now, if we’re looking to find out when the Magna Carta was signed, or the structure of an atom we consult with Google, Yahoo, or your favorite research database. Well, the good news is the internet isn’t making us dumber, it’s actually making us more intelligent!

According to a study by UCLA neuroscientist Gary Small being a web surfer “may actually engage a greater extent of neural circuitry.” This study is in comparison to a more traditional learning approach on paper. Online learners use virtual libraries, which are becoming more popular with brick and mortar schools, and various web platforms like podcasts and webcasts for their lectures and lessons. What’s interesting is a younger age group, early 20s to early 30s use keywords to search, and the older age groups will tend to scroll through search results instead of filtering the content for best results.

[5 Questions to Ask If You're Ready to Go Virtual]

You’re training your brain to rely on technology for an answer, but it’s your professor who keeps the classes challenging. To find an original response your best bet is to do your research in the academic libraries. The online format is more convenient in terms of accessibility, you can get to class even if you’re out of town, but you’re also your biggest motivator to get your assignments in on time.

For more on why your brain loves learning online, checkout this great post from TNW Insider.  

By: J. Mason

What’s your preference for absorbing information? Are you tactile (touch), auditory (sound), or visual (sight)? You may think that you’re limited to only sound and sight as an online student, but you can easily modify your home learning environment to fit your needs. Once you’ve identified where your mind is at, you’ll be able to adopt new learning methods that will compliment your experience in the classroom.

Define your learning style.

1. Visual learners learn best through their eyes.
2. Auditory learners obtain information best through their ears.
3. Tactile leaners absorb knowledge through their hands.

Take the time to observe yourself, and how you relay information in a subject. If you find yourself doing a search for videos and podcasts then you should focus on tuning your skills in the auditory direction. Here’s a great post on how to “Maximize Your Learning Style in School and Life.” It’s has great suggestions and exercises for fine-tuning your learning skills.

By: J. Mason

We all think we know how to write, but once classes start and the word counts rise we slowly realize how behind we are. Keep your head above water, and your brain from cramping, by taking a writing class in your first semester.

 [Related: Understand the Guidelines of Plagiarism and Cheating]

The advising group at American Public University System suggests taking a writing course up front to get familiar with the online format. You’ll have varying lengths of content to hand in. For example, discussion posts are typically short (around 150 words), and term papers can be upwards of 15 pages. Seek help from your advising department if you think your writing skills are falling short, and they can point you in the direction of a tutor with the school.

Good luck, and happy writing!

[Related: Boost Classwork Productivity With a New Writing Environment]

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One of my tricks for memorizing important details for a subject in class is to pick out “hot words.” These are the words that trigger a memory of a sentence in a novel, or a scientific process. So, instead of trying to memorize large chunks, treat it like a search engine would with SEO.

Separate Main Points

The best way to do this if you’re more visual is to take a stack of notecards, put the keyword on one side, and on the other as much relevant information to that word as possible. For example, if you have history test and you write Magna Carta on one side, the other should side should summarize its conception, purpose, and its effect on society. Be sure to cover all the topics your professor outlined throughout the semester, and then take your time reviewing just those cards. I found it easier to have small bites of information, as opposed to large sheets covered back and front with words and symbols.

Get Quizzed

Once you’re feeling confident about what you know, let your family quiz you! The more practice you get the better, and encourage them to ask you for in-depth information. It will improve your understanding on the topic, and relieve some of the stress that comes along with taking your test(s).

[related: 5 Ways to Use Your Tablet for Effective Study]

By: J. Mason

If you’re an online learner who uses a tablet for classes, make sure to tune into this podcast. It’s a great list of intuitive ways of getting the most out of your tablet. Our expert, Matt See, chats about many useful applications relevant for researching, note-taking, and why it’s a good idea to download your eBooks.

Check in with one of our tech experts below to make sure you’re getting the most out of your tablet.

Sometimes it’s not enough to have our apps, and other computer accessories closed down while we write. The more “noise” you have on your screen, the less likely you’ll feel compelled to finish the piece you’re writing on. If your preference is to create your weekly discussion post for class within the classroom editor, then consider trying a different approach. OmmWriter is the zen garden specifically created to soothe and coax you into the writing process.

[Check out more tools for online learners.]

This program takes your mind to the spa. It blacks out everything that’s irrelevant to the topic at hand, and will playing soothing background music. Just be sure to bring your headphones along if you’re writing at a public place. It could be just enough to shake up the humdrum routine of producing weekly assignments.

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By: J. Mason

It’s been said that the virtual platform allows the introverts to come out of their shell. Without the face to face interaction of a brick and mortar school, you rely more heavily on your social communication skills through text and content.

In the online learning environment the class clown isn’t favored, it’s the student that has the most value and information to offer the rest of the class. So, if you’re looking to fit in online, or at least network with students in your program, you’ll need to learn about the overall attitude of the student body. What’s the best way to do this? Get involved the school’s social networking groups. If you frequent a blog, or forum you’ll know that the more you particpate the more feedback and support you’ll receive. The same goes for social groups in an online school. Throw yourself into the mix by answering a question posted by one of the admins, or ask a question yourself. Depending on the response, helpful/not helpful, you can start to get a better sense on where other students are at.

[related: Go Public After Completing a Goal]

Don’t be afraid to use the chat feature, or engage other students within the classroom as well. Check with your advisor on if there’s a virtual student lounge you can visit to get in touch with other students. Online education still has the same end goal as any other brick and mortart institution, to educate and inspire innovation. Everyone interprets their education differently, but for the most part you’re in school because you want to be.

Just remember, you’re not alone in the learning process. There are thousands of other online students just like you working on their degree. One way to keep your motivation levels up while in school? Get social with your peers. I’ve seen friendships develop on our school pages on Facebook from students having continued and supportive interactions with one another. Take a second today to get connected with your peers online, you may find a new study buddy!

[related: Friending Your Classmates and Professors on Facebook]

By: J. Mason

There’s a reason art is still included in class discussions for children in elementary school, it’s fundamental and enhances the basic building blocks of learning.

Art helps with problem solving, creativity,cause and effect, and opens the lines for communication. There’s a lot more that lies behind the paint on the canvas, and a lot of higher level humanities courses will help you dive into the interpretation for great works of art and their relevance to current events and society.  With that said, steal yourself away from your laptop for a few hours this weekend and visit a local museum or art gallery.

Look through your local newspaper, or use a museum finder website to find a great spot nearby. If art isn’t your thing, stop by a science, or history museum. There’s always something to be learned, and it doesn’t have to be dull. Take your family or a friend along with you. This way you have someone to chat about the pieces with.

While you’re out, enjoy it. If you’re late on a paper, or stressed about work, it tends to linger and follow you everywhere you go. Leave stress and anxiety behind, and keep your mind open as you explore your artistic side this weekend.

P.S. If your local forecast is calling for snow this weekend and you can’t venture out, visit the Smithsonian’s Collections for an online tour from the warmth of your own home.

By: J. Mason

As a follow up to my recent article on the rumors that Apple was making a “big” education-related announcement in NYC on 1/19/12 (today), here’s some more information from the Washington Post on what they announced. In summary:

1. YES, Apply WILL revolutionize the textbook industry
2. There’s a new app that enables just about anyone to create a digital, interactive textbook
3. There’s another new app as part of iTunesU that will enable just about anyone to create an online course via an app

These are important milestones in the democratization of the textbook industry that will pave the way for independent publishers and amateurs to create some really compelling and specialized texts, and have a channel to distribute them that is similar to an ebook and app.

To support this new initiative, some major textbook publishers have already started making content available as an example, with many more texts planned – especially high volume texts that are used by millions of K-12 students around the country.

These textbooks aren’t just static texts. Rather, they include several interactive features including the ability to take notes, quizzes, make flash cards, and so much more. These textbooks leverage the uniqueness of apps and the digital space.

The courses are another great democratization of content delivery. You can package lectures, videos, books, and many other assets, including quizzes and syllabi into a course to be downloaded from iTunesU. Any time there are updates, you can push those just like in a regular app.

All-in-all, this is a wild new frontier for the education space that is surely going to present some challenges (quality) and some opportunities (new materials at a lower cost).

I can’t wait to try out some of these new courses and textbooks for myself!

A lot of first-time online students have a bit of anxiety and nervousness surrounding their first online classroom experience.  I wanted to compile some do’s and don’ts for those of you who may be new to this!

I did a bit of crowdsourcing for this post… thanks to the awesome folks from the AMU Facebook page for their awesome insight!

Without keeping you waiting any longer, here’s my top 10 list of online classroom fails (as shared with me by real, live online students!):

1. Cursing or ranting in a discussion post.
2. Improper use of grammar.
3. Failure to use spell check.
4. THE USE OF ALL CAPS.
5. Not citing your work, “borrowing” from classmates’ posts.
6. Failing to proof-read your post before submitting.
7. Attacking classmates and/or their opinions or beliefs.
8. Improperly using the copy/paste function from Word (resulting in a bunch of code mumbo jumbo before your actual post).
9. Scrutinizing classmates’ work instead of constructively contributing to discussion.
10. Being boisterous and presumptuous.

Want to read more? Check out the thread here!

By N. Cooper