Wednesday is the sigh of relief for most people in the workforce. Once the day is over you’re about in the clear for the weekend where you can rest and forget about your responsibilities from that week. This may be true for some, but for most, especially online learners, it’s unrealistic. Most students need to have assignments submitted by Sunday, others have to have classwork posted by Wednesday.

Regardless of the day, there is no slowing down once you hit the hump of the week. The best way to avoid the sluggish pull of a lazy weekend is to tackle your assignments early so you can go out and play. Just like back in grade school, no TV or playing until your homework is done. The same should hold true now, even though you have may have a demanding job and a family at home. Wednesday shouldn’t be the day of the week where you slow down, instead use it to speed up and get your work in early.

-Online Learning Tips Staff

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Working from the comfort of your own home has its benefits – and its dangers! You’ll need a private study area where you will be free from distractions and where you can set up your computer and other course materials. If you make a space apart from the hubbub of other activities and where others know not to disturb you, you’ll be able to stay more focused and get the most out of your studying time.

(Source: MyUniversityPortal.com)

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Going to school online requires a different set of supplies to be prepared for class. Instead of a planner you can use an online organizer. No paper required, there are programs for that. And your writing utensils, all you need are your fingers and a keyboard. Even though the work online still isn’t easy, the tools you need for school are much more easy, and most of the time, free to use and attain.

Need something to help you manage your homework? Most online classrooms will organize your grades for each specific class every semester, but you need to check on them in the classroom while you’re logged in. Another way to keep assignments, projects, and papers organized is Gradefix. The name is deceiving, but its true purpose is that of a homework management system. It will allow you to track homework in your classes as well as other tasks. It’s great for procrastinators, but you don’t need to be one to benefit from it. It will let you know when it’s getting late to hand in your work.

If you’re the type to need a tap on the shoulder on responding to discussion board posts, keeping track of notes that may be posted for a class, or an overall class organizer, then you should try CollegeRuled. It allows you to create your class schedule and track your progress through the semester.

Not everything in school is about being organized, but sometimes a good flowchart or diagram helps to keep you at the top of your class. For the classes that require presentations, reports, or if you just want to spice up a discussion post Gliffy allows you to do so. The sites unique interface is useful for students who need to produce flowcharts, process flows, network diagrams, chemical processes, and other technical or non-technical illustrations.

Want to get friendly with classmates, or collaborate for a study session or group project? Online learning doesn’t normally involve face-to-face interaction so for the most part chat programs and emails are used primarily for communication to different parties. Campfire is something that offers traditional web communication, but with upgrades suited to fit an online student. It’s a group communication tool that allows you to share content and graphics. To use you sign up and set up access lists, for your group, then send out invitations to the group by e-mail. You also have the ability to control what each person has permission to see in the private chat room, and the chat history is available to later reference. A great idea for remote study sessions on your next big exam.

Being more productive and keeping the lead in your studies can be easier than you think. Using tools at your fingertips is one simple way to stay organized and keep track of what is going on in your classes. There’s nothing worse than a “surprise” at the end of the semester, tracking your assignments and handing things in when you’re asked to alleviate that unnecessary strain and stress.

- By J. Mason

WordWeb can be a great alternative to your paper dictionary and thesaurus. For those spending a lot of time in front of your computer, this could be what you need for writing papers, completing assignments, or even taking exams. It’s a handier option to the dictionary you have to flip through to find what you’re looking for. The other great aspect to this free download is that it’s still available even when you don’t have an Internet connection. Simply download it onto your computer as a reference tool.

 - Online Learning Tips Staff