Your success in online learning depends entirely on you. Instructors and resources are readily available, but it is your responsibility to make the best of the experience. No pressure, right? Following simple yet effective time management and organizational habits will greatly improve your higher education experience, online or otherwise.

[Setting Up Great (and Successful) Study Habits]

Enter your program gradually so you can feel out what fits into your life and once you are comfortable, maintain that balance with some helpful tips from your academic advisor. You’ll notice that a lot of the recommendations overlap, which must mean we’re onto something worthwhile!

[related: Top 5 Questions an Online Student Should Ask Their Academic Advisor]

1. Keep an agenda.
   In the online setting, tangible reminders of assignments are hard to come by. We don’t walk or drive to class and we don’t see our professors writing notes on the board. While this saves time spent getting ready and money for transportation costs, distance education is a tougher setting to physically connect with. Your campus, classmates, and often course materials are on the screen in front of you. A simple way to help bridge the distance is with an agenda that holds all the pertinent information you will need to succeed. Getting into the habit of physically writing down assignments and notes helps cement the information. Even writing down what habits work for you in an agenda will be that one extra thought to motivate you to keep up the good work.
2. Take advantage of the setting.
   An online classroom holds a much more diverse population than you’d find in a traditional classroom. Online learners are often pursuing their education virtually to best accommodate busy lives and careers. Use the flexibility of the online environment to your advantage. The syllabus and assignments are available to you as soon as the class opens; plot out the course by prioritizing assignments, breaking down your schedule, submitting work ahead of schedule if you have time and know you won’t later, and utilizing online resources. Online advisors and instructors are aware of their unique student population so don’t hesitate to contact them for help navigating through unexpected hurdles that interfere with your academic plan.
3. Utilize resources.
   Taking courses online includes assignments and instructors; however it also comes with a wealth of resources. Most institutions have extensive online libraries, tutoring services, student and alumni centers, and much more. Too often students run into last minute, high stress situations and only then contact the necessary outlets. If you familiarize yourself with the campus and resources preemptively, you will be better off when problems arise. Browsing library resources can especially benefit your coursework because there is always an article or database with new information that may be relevant to a paper or project you could be working on.

Being an involved, self-motivated student requires hard work. Subscribing to quality work and time management habits will make it easy and the proof will be found in a high GPA and in seamless academic progress. Your online university is created to allow for a quality, flexible higher education experience so do yourself a favor and tap into all the wonderful resources out there!

By Emily Ludeman
Academic Advisor at American Public University

The online student needs to make sure they have 5 areas of interest down in order to survive school. They need to know time management, how to take notes, refine their writing skills, how to conduct research effectively, and effective study habits. Here are 5 app types to facilitate the online learning process:

• Time management/Organization
  • GoTasks
  • Homework Tracker w/Reminders
• Note taking
  • Evernote
  • iAnnotate PDF
• Writing
  • Write 2 Lite
  • Papers
• Researching
  • Article Search by Foreminds
• Studying/Flashcards
  • Flashcards Pro
  • iCram Master

Check out my app picks in the podcast below!
By J. Mason
5 App Types for the Online Student by APUS

It may seem counter productive to list out the things you shouldn’t be doing, but really it’s a good way to see your bad habits on paper. This isn’t something you need to do every week, but if you’re hitting a rough spot in your studies then it’s time to re-evaluate where your time is being spent.

[Setting Up Great (and Successful) Study Habits]

If your preference is a virtual list, you can try something like ToodleDo. More than your average to-do list, this tool is something you can take anywhere. You can transfer the list over to your smartphone, calendar, email, and much more.

After you’ve hit your stride again by submitting discussion posts on time, reading all 50 pages assigned that week, and getting into a comfortable groove then archive your list. If those habits start to creep back then it’s time to break out the list and cut out the distractions.

By: J. Mason

It’s no secret that earning your degree online can be quite an undertaking and seemingly daunting task. Unlike traditional “brick and mortar” schools, you do not have set class time in which you have to sit down and listen to the instructor. While this allows for the flexibility that suits working adults and full time parents, it also means many students find it difficult to study and keep their course work on track. I personally went to a brick and mortar school for 3 years before eventually completing my Bachelor’s online. Here are a few tips for studying and completing schoolwork that I find helpful while taking online courses.

1. Set aside dedicated study time EVERY DAY.
   
   It may seem silly to set aside time every single day to work on school work. After all full-time jobs, family obligations and other miscellaneous life obligations often make adding another task everyday seemingly impossible. However, setting aside some time every day, at least one hour, will allow you to stay on top of the work that needs to be completed rather than playing catch up. People often learn more by setting aside an hour or two every day to study, write papers and conduct research than they do if they only work on school for large amounts of time once or twice a week. If school work isn’t worked on every day, there is a danger of the school work building up. This means having to take even MORE time out of what may be your only time off of work in order to catch up on work.
2. Study away from distraction (as best as you can).

   The best way to focus on your school work is to cut out as many distractions as possible. Leaving the TV on in the background for noise may seem like a good idea, until you end up watching the TV instead of studying. Instead of a TV, try listening to classical music or other musical that will not distract you from thinking and learning.Not all distractions can be cut out though; kids will still need something, the phone will still ring and the dog will still bark even though are you studying. Try turning your phone to silent and study when children are otherwise occupied. Also, close the window to any social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest etc) as these will only create distractions.

3. Figure out how you study best and stick to it.

   Some students study best in the evening, before bed in their dining room with no noise in the background. Some students study best first thing in the morning before work when no one else is awake. And some students study best at the local WI-FI Hotspot where distraction is minimal. However you study best, come up with a plan and stick to the plan. The more routine your study schedule is the more your family can predict when you are going to be studying and the less they will (hopefully) distract you during this time.

4. Reach out for help.

   If you are ever feeling confused on course material, reach out for help! Posting a question in the classroom will allow you to find out if other students are having the same problems and perhaps someone will be able to help you. Your instructor can also address any concerns or confusion you may have over the material. Remember, your classmates and instructor is there to help you! Learning is a group effort!

5. Balance is the key.

   Studying for hours on end causes fatigue and a disinterest what you are attempting to learn. Have you ever been reading a text book only to realize you have no idea what the words are saying? Compromise while studying for longer periods of time. Study for a while and then take a chance to go outside, run an errand or grab a snack if needed. This will keep your mind and body fresh and at the same time avoiding the eventual “Study Burnout” that does occur.

[related: How to Balance Your Class Schedule]

By Ann Mezera
Academic Advisor at American Public University

We all have something we’re good at. Whether it’s writing long papers without straying from the topic, or arguing a point without losing your position, this is what you would call your niche. Having something you can consider yourself an expert in is something worth bragging about and building upon.

Being really good at one specific thing can be a great confidence booster. The more you work at fine-tuning that skill, the more of an expert you can become. College is a process that in a way is great for sharpening your best skills, and also discovering others you didn’t know you had. So if you’re not that great at writing long papers, but you have to write them for your online classes, explore what else is closely related to writing. Are you good at arguing a point? Do you favor conducting research over putting your thoughts into words? While you may not think these different skills relate to one another, they really do.

If you’re more of a social thinker, utilize your social skills to be a leader in your schools Facebook page. Ask your questions out loud and gain a new peer group in the process. This different way of thinking can give you new skills that will help you get through the more difficult courses, and along the way you may find you’re better at some things than you thought you were.

“I find that a great part of the information I have, was acquired by looking up something and finding something else on the way.” ~ Franklin Pierce Adams

Whatever your specialty may be, make sure you explore it to its full potential.

By: J. Mason

For some, mulitasking inhibits them from completing one task entirely. It can also make learning less effective. According to a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, participants lost significant amounts of time as they switched between mulitple tasks and lost even more time as the tasks became increasingly complex. This study revealed that if a student switches from one activity to another they will learn more slowly and become less efficient and make more errors.

To avoid the dangers of multitasking, shut down the e-mail, social networking sites and Internet games to focus your attention on the task in front of you and continue to work for a predetermined amount of time.

(source: About.com)

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Don’t let yourself get burned out on the information you’re taking in for class. Yes, some of the content in your textbooks may be dull or hard to read, but giving up won’t help and getting frustrated can bring you to procrastinating. Instead try changing how you approach the reading or assignment.

If you have kids, do you find new and interesting ways to teach them things? If so, it’s not too far off from that concept. Just like your kids, they get bored easily if they don’t understand something, or it doesn’t catch their attention. Put yourself in their shoes and you may have a better chance of taking in the new information faster. Instead of highlighting text in your book, take a minute to grab a few of the key concepts in that chapter. Make a story using them, or create a few doodles that depict the information. This can turn into your study tools later when it comes time to taking a test. Or if you want to try a more adult alternative to keeping information interesting, try adding humor to the text in a way that’s relevant to the material.

Many online learners don’t realize they are not alone out there! Did you know that over four million people have taken classes online in the past year? Take advantage of this growing trend and find another person who is new to online learning and is taking classes as well.

You can form a study group, figure out technology problems and just provide a virtual shoulder to cry on if your partner is discouraged or frustrated. Your study partner doesn’t even have to been in the same program, class or school. You can simply form a group of folks that creates their own “study hall” each week to share ideas, tips, encouragement and discussions, so that you have more interaction than just the online classroom. Setting aside a couple hours a week in a quiet place is all you need. In fact, someone can volunteer to bring snacks each week and you can rotate.

- Online Learning Tips Staff

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Don’t just slink away into the back room and come out, red-eyed and silent, after a few hours of intense studying. Let your family know you’re accomplishing something meaningful. If you discover something interesting, bring it up at the dinner table or discuss it while driving your kids to school. Let your spouse tag along on field trips to the art museum or city counsel. Chances are they’ll enjoy being involved in this part of your life and you’ll appreciate the chance to share it.

(source: About.com)

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We cannot articulate this enough fellow students!  Create a schedule. Determine what time is best for you to study and work on your assignments. Is it every Wednesday while your partner is out for poker night? Maybe it’s Saturday mornings when the kids are at soccer practice. By creating a schedule, and setting task reminders, you’re less likely to become overwhelmed juggling school with your other commitments. 

A schedule is extremely important since your classes are online.  While you can access the classroom any time, by setting a regular schedule, you’re more likely to succeed and remember to dedicate yourself to the commitment of education.  A schedule will help you plan ahead, accommodate future appointments and meet your classroom assignment dates ahead of time.  If you lack a schedule, you will more easily forget about an assignment or procrastinate until you are overloaded.

 - Online Learning Tips Staff

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