Section

  • StratagiesHow to Succeed in an Online Course?

    This tutorial is designed to help you prepare for taking an online course. It will help you improve your online learning strategies and familiarize yourself with the skills to succeed in an online learning environment.

    Upon successful completion of all modules, you will be able to:

    1. Evaluate your readiness to take an online course
    2. Recognize effective learning habits and techniques
    3. Identify basic time management skills
    4. Recall the relationship between course participation and academic success
    5. Recognize the differences between traditional classroom and online courses 

    Developed by:

    Dr. Bruce Tsuji, Department of Psychology
    Haidee Thanda, Educational Development Centre

    Introduction (2:13 minutes)

      Note: these modules are self-guided and no instructional support will be provided. Please contact [email protected] for technical support.

      • Open allClose all

      • 1. Are You Ready to Take an Online Course?

        person at computer

        This module will introduce you to the differences between distance learning and traditional learning. It will help you identify your academic responsibilities in your online course. In addition, this module will introduce you to different learning preferences so that you can develop a specific plan to adapt in your online course. 

        Learning outcomes 

        • Differentiate between distance and traditional courses 
        • Recognize the characteristics of successful online learners 

          (5:06 minutes)

          Supplementary Readings

          • 2. Is Your Computer Ready for an Online Course?

            computer

            This module will introduce you to essential computer skills so you can successfully participate in your online course.  The goal of this module is to provide you with an overview of the technical challenges you may encounter while taking online courses.

            Learning outcomes

            • Recognize key components in an online course such as mail, news forum, chat, and BigBlueButton
            • Identify poor quality internet connections to avoid when accessing your course
            • Recognize the layout of your online course

            (1:45 minutes)

             

            • 3. Are You Struggling to Stay Motivated in the Course?

              wind up person

              This module covers topics associated with procrastination and self-regulation. Success in the online learning environment requires students to be self-directed and self-motivated as well as to take the responsibilities to keep up with the coursework.

              Learning outcomes

              • Identify your motivations for taking an online course 
              • Define the relationships between a student's motivation and course outcomes 

                (1:28 minutes)

                Supplementary Readings

                • 4. Are You Struggling with Time Management?

                  time management

                  This module covers topics related to time management and course expectations. It describes how to allocate time in order to achieve greater productivity in your courses. 

                  Learning outcomes 

                  • Recognize the expectations in your course in terms of time commitment (participation, readings, assessments) 
                  • Use reminders to manage your online course schedules

                  (1:37 minutes)

                  Supplementary Readings

                  • 5. Want to Boost Your Learning Skills?

                    This module discusses two intimately connected ideas - online study habits, and memory.  It introduces the idea of connecting with fellow students and making the most of online discussions to help you retain your learning.  The goal of this module is to help you understand advanced learning strategies you can apply in any online course.

                    Learning outcomes 

                    • Describe actions that help students develop online learning skills
                    • Identify strategies to improve your memory through better encoding such as SQ4R, mnemonics, and deep level processing

                    (1:41 minutes)

                    Supplementary Readings

                    • 5. Want to Connect with Other Online Students?

                      people icons

                      This module introduces the importance of social processes in online learning. Social processes include one-on-one mentoring between student and instructor, one-to-many interactions with each other, and peer assistance. It also demonstrates ways to enhance collaboration through key active learning techniques.

                      Learning outcomes 

                      • Identify the benefits of participating in your online community (forums, email, and question threads) 
                      • Recognize the relationships between course participation and academic success

                      (1:00 minute)

                      Supplementary Readings

                      • 6. Want to boost your learning with mindfulness?

                        mindfullness

                        This module introduces mindfulness and presents key research in the field. It focuses on the cognitive benefits such as improved concentration, good memory, positive emotions and stress reduction.

                        Learning outcomes 

                        • Describe the relationships among mindfulness, well-being, and performance 
                        • Recognize key research on mindfulness such as stress, memory, and positive emotions 
                        • Practice research-tested techniques such as the Relaxation Response to reduce anxiety
                        • Determine your readiness for taking online courses

                        (1:42 minutes)

                        Supplementary Readings