I recently enrolled in a master of business administration (MBA) online course and so far it has been an enjoyable educational experience. The online classroom requires students to interact virtually and construct well-researched and written responses prior to posting them in the online discussion boards. Here are a few simple tips that can help you be more effective with your posts.

[American Public University offers online degrees for business professionals.]

Even though the discussion forum is somewhat informal, remember that everything you write is documented. Each post that you make builds a portrait of how engaged and knowledgeable you are as a student. So, always take the time and put your best foot forward, even if it’s a simple discussion post. Ensure that you don’t have typos, that you write clearly, and that you cite your sources.

Students will often write their discussions first in Word and then copy them over into the rich text editor in the online forum. This allows students to utilize the editing features of Word. Don’t just paste the text directly. The latest versions of Word, or .doc(x) files, produce code that is used in the background. If you cut and paste directly into the rich text editor, your post will lose its format and be littered with unreadable code. A sloppy post sends the wrong message.

Most rich text editors have a Paste from Word icon in the toolbar. Click on it, then paste over your text. This simple step can help ensure the integrity of your post and you won’t have to use up valuable time to go back and edit your discussion post again. No matter what the purpose of your submission is, always focus on submitting quality posts, and it will reflect positively on you. It might even help you get the good grade you deserve.

By J. Thompson
Online Learning Tips Staff

While completing your online degree or certificate, you’re most likely going to use the Internet for the majority of your research. Just about anybody can post to the Web, so it’s important that you’re critical of the sources you decide to use. Cross-check your information on several different sites before validating.

Also, if the information is taken from a Web site that has no clear professional or scholarly affiliation, check if the information is supported by hyperlinks to the original source or references for the writing. If so, you should click on these links and use those Web sites as a reference rather than the original site.

Source: Bright Hub

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Say you’re not the type who wants to learn yet another piece of software that syncs with your cell phone, work and home e-mail. Never fear – the good old daily/weekly/monthly planner is still in existence in every office supply store in the country.

You may be thinking, “isn’t that a little old school?”  Why, yes it is. And, that’s the point. Sometimes taking it back to the purest way of doing something keeps you focused.It could be as simple as a color code system for the date blocks: green for tests, pink for quizzes, orange for papers – etc. Keep it with you at all times and even add in your personal stuff so you’ve got everything in one place.

(Source: Evolve.com)

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You’re a college student, probably juggling studies with work and other obligations. You even may be guilty of staying up all night to cram for a test or finish a paper. If only you could get some sleep!

Sleep deprivation has some bad side effects, including decreasing your ability to focus on course work or anything else. Even if you can set aside a decent number of hours to crash, what if you can’t fall asleep?

Here are some ideas that may help you get the rest you need, perform better in school and feel better:

1. Follow a consistent bedtime routine. While there may be exceptions, try to stick with a consistent bedtime.
2. Give yourself time to prepare for sleep with a nighttime routine. Don’t expect your best sleep to come immediately after turning off the computer and hitting the sack. While this works for some blessed few, you need time to wind down.
3. Consider reading part of a novel or other non-academic book before you go to sleep. If you can immerse yourself in a story, rather than the last page you read about statistics or the Crimean War, it might help you reduce stress and thinking about worries.
4. Try to get a full night’s sleep every day. For some, that’s eight or nine hours, others wake up refreshed after six. Figure out what works best for you.
5. Do we need to say this? Don’t drink coffee, tea, sodas — or eat chocolate (ouch!) — within several hours of bedtime. Caffeine is not a good way to end the day.
6. If you have too much to do — and literally not enough hours in a day to accomplish what you need — consider what changes you can make to reclaim enough time to feel rested and not stressed 24/7. What could you remove from your list of tasks or activities that are overloading you?
7. If you can, keep TVs out of the bedroom, and leave the computer behind, too. Sleep in a quiet, dark room that’s not too warm.
8. Hungry before you go to bed? Try a glass of milk or a small healthy snack.
9. Don’t work out, run, jog, or do the Stairmaster before bed. Cranking up your heart rate before crashing isn’t a great way to prepare for sleep. 
10. Get up at the same time every day. There’s no such thing as “catching up on your sleep.” Staying on schedule is the best way to feel rested.

Today I came across this great post from the PsyBlog, “Boost Creativity: 7 Unusual Psychological Techniques”. It  gave me a great idea for using these same techniques for boosting creative levels in online students.

The first technique was to use psychological distance. This implies not only separating yourself from the task, term paper, assignment by physical means, but also by mentally taking some space as well. Their suggested insight is to imagine the project you’re working on as distant and disconnected from your current location. That space should encourage higher level thinking.

Mulling over a problem, or a discussion post could lead to a more insightful response. Another technique is re-conceptualisation. Instead of jumping straight to conclusions of what another student posted, or a question your teacher posed to the class, take your time to concentrate on the central issue and re-conceive the problem from different angles before trying to solve it.

Follow the path of most resistance for your next creative cue. Typically reviewing an item or topic in a new way can lead to a more creative variation to a popular theme. But using this method in itself may be more difficult to try and conceive an innovative and more creative solution. For something more novel, making passage down the road traveled by so many before you can provide more creative answers since previous attempts allow you to build on top of existing ideas.

Play on an ill mood. Using drama in the workplace, or your home, can boost creativity as well. Generally positivity is more conducive for problem solving and rational and flexible thinking, but in this case the negative mood may give you a different end result. Try working on a discussion post when you’re feeling just to one side of grumpy and see where your thoughts take you.

Use life as a general motivator. Have you noticed how the simplest things that happen throughout our day make us stop to ponder how it all relates? Another great technique they mention is absurdist stimulation. This means the more absurd an experience, the harder your mind has to work to make sense of the event. They suggest reading an absurd short story, ‘odd news’, or use a strange encounter at the store you had that day and channel that energy towards your work online.

Looking into the human mind is one of many ways to best discover how we think, and why we do the things we do. Try out one of these tips the next time you’re stuck for topics in class, or you need a thesis for your term paper. Creativity doesn’t have to be in short supply.

- By J. Mason

So here are some tips to help students make an informed decision before applying to a distance learning university: -

• How does one keep an educational goal?  Its dead simple- think about the future & what it holds for you, everything else will work out just fine!  Persistence and commitment to excellence will ultimately reward a secured lifestyle.  By dedicating your time wisely, an online school system will transform your career to a higher level.
• Distance learning is not to be taken lightly at all. It requires the same amount of dedication & effort as anyone would normally put into a traditional classroom setup.
• Internet based collaboration & communication is the key to success. More the interaction (video chat, webinar, and email); the less burdensome it will feel at the end of the day.
• According to a recent survey, e-learners are more adapt to problem solving in comparison to campus classroom students. This is due to the fact that students learning from home are constantly exposed to project simulation models and diverse software applications for completing their assignments.
• If you want your degree to be universally accepted by future employers; make sure that the web based university is fully accredited by the regional education council/panel of United States.
• Accreditation plays a big role in validating the credential of any type of digital degree offered by e-learning institutions. Students can find a certified & accredited logo displaying on the website of the distance college.
• Distance education gives the freedom to attend the classes at your own pace and time (asynchronous), so it becomes an individual’s own responsibility to keep up with the assignments, projects, and tests. In other words, online education requires a lot more focus and individual commitment to successfully complete all the courses.
• The money (tuition costs) spent on distance course is about the same amount as a regular college.  So there is no room for procrastination or a lack of effort.  Don’t toss your money away by self inflicting failure!
• Just remember that there is no one to motivate you on a daily basis, so be consistent by studying regularly. Take advantage of the opportunity and live in the moment itself.
• 24/7 Academic support will be provided by professors, but try to be self-dependent for getting the tasks done on time.  Remain pro-active by seeking online help from the instructors through persistent communication.  Curriculum advice will be right at your fingertips, so don’t be shy to ask for it!
• Prepare & polish your reading, writing, and vocabulary skills, it will come in handy for most of the assignments online. Comprehension know-how’s are crucial for communicating all the thoughts effectively.
• Time management is also an important element of e-learning. Set the priorities ahead of time, so you know how to avoid falling behind in lectures and tasks.
• Students must access their emails everyday and log on to the net portal for updates on daily assignments and course syllabus. It is recommended to use a browser based productivity tool for keeping a tab on everything.
• Keep yourself in isolation during online discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• Last but not the least, don’t listen to music or play games while attending cyber classes. Try to keep all the distractions away in order to make the most out of your classes!

So there you have it… a complete HOW TO, DO’S & DON’TS of virtual degree system! 

This post originated from Mottobiz blog.

Typically the warning signs of failure in school are clear-cut. Your grades are C’s or lower, constantly asking for extensions, getting incompletes on assignments, or you simply don’t understand anything going on in the class. What’s worse is that some people don’t realize they’re failing until the final grade is posted. Waiting until the last minute to rectify your standing in the class is not a good idea. Be proactive about classwork, and ask for help before the final test.

Still not sure where you stand in school. The reasons could be staring you in the face, and you haven’t picked up on them yet:

1. You have a C or D average:This means you’re not mastering the content, but possibly getting by without fulling understanding the material. This is particuarly dangerous with an online class, since you don’t meet face to face with the professor to discuss your grade and how to improve it. Don’t be your own worst enemy, ask the teacher what you need to work on before the class ends.
2. Constantly needing extensions or getting incompletes: If you depend on these modes of grading as an educational crutch as opposed to something circumstantial, then it might be time to evaluate if you have time for school. This may mean you can’t keep up with the page of college. Good time management skills can help here.
3. You spend too much time doing reading or homework: Typically professors assign work with time constraints in mind. Meaning they take into the account that a student may be in more than one class and possibly working. The assignments are greated towards being done in a manageable period of time. If you find you spend all your time on the work then you may instead have an issue with comprehending the course material. *This could be relative, some teachers don’t take these factors into account in relation to time span of the class and outside factors.
4. Too much time on social networks: Checking status updates, fan pages, tweets, or new videos is a good way to pass a half hour to maybe an hour a day, but if you find you can’t tear yourself away long enough to get your work done then you need to break your bad habit.
5. You hate where you are: If you really dread school every week, and just find yourself putting things off in order to not deal with them, then you need to rethink what you’re doing. Maybe school isn’t the place for you to be, or maybe try a new program. If you’re unhappy it will show in your grades, attitudes towards assignments, and length of time it takes to get your degree. Try contacting your student advisor if you’re unhappy and want a change, they’re there to help you.

Although you may want to sign up for as many classes as possible, taking only one or two in the beginning is the best way to go. That way you’ll be able get a feel for how many hours you need to dedicate to your classes each week. By starting slow, you’ll learn to pace yourself without being overwhelmed as well as what other life commitments will just have to go in order for your online learning experience to be a success.

It’s easier to add additional courses the next semester than it is to drop or fail out of one now. Remember, online college classes are just as challenging and time consuming as the classes at a campus university. It definitely won’t be a walk in the park.

Source: Education.org

Tell your family and friends about your decision to take online classes. This built-in support system will help you tremendously since there will be times you’ll need someone to cover your commitments at home or work. It’s important that you take the appropriate time to study and finish your assignments without feeling frazzled or overwhelmed with an increased workload. Good family and friends will understand that unnecessary distractions will only hurt the quality of your work and your ability to get things done.

Also, having a “go-to” support network gives you the chance to talk about what you’re going through with your classes. Whether it’s an assignment you don’t understand, or an unrelenting professor, in the end it will strengthen your commitment and focus for finishing the degree program.

Source: degreesandtraining.com