If you have to memorize terms and definitions for a test, forget about the paper index cards. Although using index cards to prepare for a test is a proven study method, dealing with them can be a hassle. It seems that you either never have enough, are always misplacing them, or maybe what you previously wrote is totally illegible and it’s taking forever to translate. Using index cards can potentially be a mess.

Instead, try an online flashcard maker. These Web sites allow students to create, share, study, and print cards from their computers. There are many flashcards makers to choose from. Below are several you can test drive.

• Flashcard Exchange – Web-based software that offers free and premium services. A free membership will allow you to create unlimited flashcards, plus the ability to study and share them online. A premium membership, a one-time fee of $20 USD, offers features such as the ability to add pictures and audio to your flashcards.
• The Flashcard Machine – is a free service created by Madhu Lundquist in 2002 while pursuing his BFA in Multimedia Design at the University of Oregon. After discovering that all of the images for his art history class were available on a class web page, he started creating web-based flashcards. Today, Flashcard Machine is a growing community of students, teachers and professionals around the world.
• Studybulb – is a free online collaborative community for study materials. It’s still in an early beta stage of testing. During this time, early-adopters can begin adding study materials to the community as well as feedback to improve the site.

 - Online Learning Tips Staff

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You should always keep learning, even when you’re not being taught.

Either you’re nearing the midpoint of your semester, or you’re at a complete stop until your next round of classes begins again. Being productive during this downtime is important to your success as an online learner.

It gets hard constantly having to recall information from a previous course or lesson and apply it to what you’re currently working on. “Use it or lose it” as they say. Some people are able to remember important facts, dates, and formulas without a spreadsheet or a stack of notes, but a majority of us need a refresher before we dive back in. In studies conducted by various universities learning styles and strategies have been studied in depth for years. According to professors at North Carolina University there are two types of learners, active and reflective.

“Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it, by discussing or applying it or explaining it to others.”"Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first.” They go onto specify ways to enhance the learning experience for these varying learners. “If you are an active learner, you will always retain information better if you find ways to do something about it. As for reflective learners, stop periodically to review what you read and to think of possible questions or applications. Making short summaries of the readings may help in retaining the information more effectively.”

This lesson shows that there are different ways of learning and retaining the information taught in class. Being that students in the online environment are self reliant to attend class by themselves, create their own notes, schedule any kind of group meetings, and keep track of their next set of classes all online means that having a plan of action for retaining and consistently applying what was learned is so important.

If you’re not currently engaged in a class, or are waiting for your next assignment, be proactive and try using what you’ve learned already. Research articles on upcoming class topics, or write a couple hundred words on what you learned in your last class. These notes and study materials  are great to keep on file, and will be easily accessed for refreshers later on.

- By J. Mason

The editor’s pick for this week is a writing exercise. Writing becomes a big part of your life when you become an online student. Whether it’s writing e-mails for class, responding to a discussion post, putting together a 12 page paper, or even commenting on your friends wall on Facebook. Sometimes all you need is one word to get you started, and inspired to write. I found this great site to spark your creative writing side, it’s called http://oneword.com. You click on the ‘Go’ button and then you have 60 seconds to write as much as you can based on the word you see at the top of that page. It’s almost a mindless exercise in the sense that you’re not supposed to think about it, you’re just supposed to put the words on the page.

 Take a minute now to visit their site. The word for the day is holy. Ready, set, write!

- By J. Mason

For a good majority of students, english and writing majors excluded, writing is a chore. When it comes to being an online student writing can turn into a full-time job, especially considering it’s the main way virtual students communicate. The reason most folks dislike writing is because they think they aren’t good at it, not because they can’t do it.

One way to get your confidence back is by working with your professor on some extra writing assignments. For these, don’t worry about the length – go as long or short as you link. Even a well-thought discussion post in the classroom, or on a blog may help get your confidence in the right place.

There are tons of way to work your writing muscle. Below are just a few you can use to help improve.

1. Free Association Writing —Free writing is a timed activity that is writing as much aspossible in a two- to 10-minute time span. You are encouraged to write down anything. You may get a few good ideas or you may get junk, but at least you are writing and letting your ideas come out freely without anyone judging them as right or wrong. Free writing is used frequently by writers who have a “block” where they cannot think of what to write.
2. The Art of Reading— Good readers make good writers. Take time to read a good book, whether it’s one your teacher suggests, a book version of your favorite film, or a book written by your favorite author. Reading enables you to develop your vocabulary and helps to strengthen your stylistic ability to write creatively.
   
3. Journal Writing — Journaling is a form of self-expression that millions take advantage of on a daily basis. Journaling is easy to do and creative as well. What you write could explain anything from what you did that day, to how those events made you feel, to ideas for your future, to venting frustrations about life. In some cases, people rely on journals to help them remember what they did a week ago and even to remember what the state of the world was at the time of the writing. It’s up to you whether you share the ideas or feelings you write down with anyone else.

-Online Learning Tips Staff

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