...It’s no secret that online students can face different challenges while pursuing their studies. These challenges can keep students from being successful online students. According to the article “Self-regulation of motivation when learning online: the importance of who, why, and how,” Online students will need to display certain characteristics in order to be a successful. In order to be a successful online student one must learn and maintain motivation to learn. (Cite Article) For this paper I will explore some of the main points of the article, I will reflect on the points of the article, and discuss how to apply some of these points to my own life. The article that I chose to use for information is entitled “Self-regulation of motivation when learning online: the importance of who, why, and how.” This article discusses a few characteristics of successful online students. One of the main points the article uses is the idea that “successful online students must learn the material & must maintain motivation to learn the material on their own.” (Cite Article) In addition to making the point that successful online students must learn the material & must maintain the motivation to learn the material on their own, the article also states there are “2 kinds of motivation that are essential to be a successful online student. Those two types of motivation are a “goals defined” (the value and expectancy of learning) motivation and an “experience defined” (whether interesting) motivation...
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...people are taking online classes. Many of these people jump right into taking classes with out learning how to be successful in the class. People become overwhelmed and many times failing their courses. In the article “Ten Simple Rules for Online Learning”, written by David B. Searls, explains how to be a successful online student. This article covers many different important aspects on how to be a successful online learner. Some of the main points that Mr. Searls covers are quite simple and fairly common to all types of students. Others are more directly representative of online students. For instance, rule number two is to be selective. Residential students must be selective when choosing a school to attend, but online learners have to be extremely more selective while choosing an online school to attend. Online students need to be more selective because the type of online instruction is not the same as a traditional on campus instruction. Other rules that pertain more so to online learners are rules four, five, and six. These rules cover doing the readings, exercises, and assessments. All of these are need to be implemented more by online learners because they are more responsible for their own education. A residential student has the opportunity to experience first hand the subject taught to them compared to an online learner who does not experience face-to-face classes. After reading this article I discovered many ways in which I can improve my online learning experience...
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...Characteristics of Successful Online Learning Factors and Characteristics of Successful Online Learning Heather Burton Liberty University Online Factors and Characteristics for Successful Online Learning Factors and Characteristics for Successful Online Learning “Once students are aware of desirable characteristics, the process of becoming a successful online learner is something that is attainable for most all potential learners.” (Taormino, 2010) There are many characteristics that students must be aware of in order to be a successful student in an online learning environment. Technical factors, environmental factors, personal characteristics, and learning characteristics are methods of organizing characteristics and factors of online students. With online learning there are many factors and characteristics that potential students must be aware of. A potential student needs to have the capability and comfort of using modern computer software and internet technology, and also the ability to communicate effectively whether using a specific e-mail system or online threaded discussions. Those would be considered technical factors. Environmental factors that potential students need to be aware of is the use of time management skills and the ability to keep up with other commitments regarding family and work. Personal characteristics involve having motivation skills and potential goals along with student integrity. Online students that are successful are highly motivated...
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...Case for Student Communication in Online Classes A Case for Student Communication in Online Classes Grand Canyon University: UNIV 501 9 July 2011 A Case for Student Communication in Online Classes This article explains the importance of participation, interaction, and communication in the virtual classroom between the students and instructors. Many students today are enrolling in online classes to continue their education. Inside the online classroom, students began to meet and greet through discussion forums. Once a relationship and trust has been established between the students and instructors, an online community has been formed within that classroom. Students and their instructors will learn, communicate, and interact with one another throughout the course. Initially, everyone starts out participating in the online discussion forums, but then the true slackers make their appearance apparent in the online classroom. Some students log into the classroom, but show little or no involvement in the classroom or lack input in the discussion forums. This eventually creates a big problem in the online classroom. Due to the lack of log ins, participation, and interaction dismantles the classroom as a whole. A research study was done to show how the students who participated very little could cause disorder in the online classroom community and risk online learning. Background Many education programs have become recognizable and more accessible online. People...
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...Assessment Essay p. 5-10 College Learning Essay p. 11-17 Analyzing Arguments Essay p. 18-23 Cover Letter This midterm portfolio shows how I have progressed has a college reader and writer. Before this class I had trouble even understanding how to write a thesis and now I think I can definitely write a college level thesis. I have progressed to know how to incorporate my evidence into my concise and focused thesis statement. For example in the self assessment essay my thesis was, “Due to transferring to many schools over my first two years of college, I feel like I have had the opportunity to build up many habits of mind from Framework for Success in Post-Secondary Writing, especially in flexibility, openness and persistence but still can develop in metacognition and creativity in order to become a more successful college writer.” This showed that I could adapt a thesis to the assignment and it was focused and used my sources. At this point in the semester, a strength I have is the ability to connect source evidence with my thesis. I am able to develop my focused thesis around source-based evidence. For example in the college learning essay I was able to use my interview with my friend who was an elementary teacher to help develop my thesis about how teaching has changed due to technology. I also think another strength I have is organizing my paper in a proper order. In the three essays in this portfolio I organized the essays with...
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...DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ONLINE LEARNING AND TRADITIONAL CAMPUS -BASED CLASSES 7 – 9 3.0 STRATEGIES FOR ONLINE LEARNING SUCCESS 10 – 12 4.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF ADULT LEARNERS 13 5.0 SUCCESSFUL ADULT LEARNERS AT IPD-OUM AWARDS CEREMONY 14 6.0 CONCLUSION 15 7.0 REFERENCE 16 1.0 INTRODUCTION Online learning has grown rapidly in the past few years in colleges requiring instructors to learn effective ways to build online communities of learners. There are barriers to avoid, as well as key components to include, when creating online learning environments. There are many technology options to choose from to deliver course material, but instructors must keep in mind the adult learners’ unique needs. Creating Online Learning Environments for Adults As our world embraces technology, the way instruction is delivered to students is evolving from face-to-face instruction to online formats. Creating effective interactive learning environments for adult online courses is important to the success of students. Online learning is a relatively new format for teaching, but as a growing field, it is important for educators to understand the best methods for creating learning environments with available technology. Technology can enhance or defeat the building of community learning environments. Social constructivists understand that learning takes place in a community setting, where instructors and students interact to construct...
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...new way of obtaining one’s college degree is available: online classes. The question now being asked by many is a question of how legitimate is a degree earned online versus a degree earned by physically attending classes. This writer, and also online class attendee, believes that an online degree is just as legitimate, if not more legitimate, than a degree earned by attending classes physically. To be a successful online student one must possess the technological ability, the discipline to set aside time for homework and study time, and the drive to be successful. Online degrees are demanding, not only do most online students attend full time, these same students are more likely to be working a full time job and raising a family. The amount of time that a student needs to be able to set aside per online class can vary. Most times, an instructor will advise his or her class to plan on at least 8 hours of time to study and complete the assigned homework. In a full week, there are 168 hours. If a student is working a full time job, they are already busy for 40 hours minimum during that time, leaving only 128 hours. Add on a family to that schedule and one must add at least another 40-60 hours, dropping one’s available time to 88-68 hours. Each class a student takes requires at least 8 hours of time. If a student is attending full time, they are taking a minimum of 3 classes that amounts to 24 hours. This student now has 64-44 hours left to sleep and fit in any other...
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...chose this article for the purpose of showing the challenges of online learning and balancing the schedule of online college learning and normal day-to-day life. I remember a time when I graduated high school, and thinking I didn’t need college, I quickly found out that I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. So I made the decision to go to college, and not just any old college, I needed to do it online because of working full time and having a family. I thought it would be the easiest thing but I was surely wrong in this assumption. Online students face any challenges. Such as not being able to just walk to your professor when needed or interacting with students face to face. All of these factors can have severe or very rewarding consequences but this all depends on how well students adapt to the unique challenges of online learning as I will discuss throughout this essay. One of the main topics in this article is also one of the most important points to successful online learning, self-regulated learning. Self-regulated learning allows students to regulate how and when they learn to better accommodate them in their learning process which in turn can promote more successful outcomes in the learning process. Technology self-efficacy is also very important because online students have to learn a variety of new programs in order to submit and complete school assignments. Students’ characteristics are vital in online learning because for some people it is hard to adapt to not being...
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...|Evaluation Procedures | |Course Description |Grading Scale | |Course Scope |Course Outline | |Course Objectives |Policies | |Course Delivery Method |Academic Services | |Resources |Selected Bibliography | |Appendix A – Professor Biography |Appendix B – Weekly Student Course Guide | |Instructor Information | Instructor: Email: Use “MESSAGES” in the classroom> Phone: If you need to telephone me, send me an email so that we can arrange an appointment. Fax Office Hours: Bio: (Biography) Table of Contents |Course Description (Catalog)...
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...Applications to Non-Traditional College Students “(Kenner, Weinerman) and “Adult learning styles and on-line educational preference” (McGlone). The articles describe multiple aspects of how an adult learns compared to a child and what life experiences adults bring into their educational environment. Adult learning theory is based on the way to adult learners comprehend and learn as they are older adults and not children. This theory also studies how adults learn when studying online. Newer adult learners bring learning styles and life experiences that provide a more critical foundation. Online learning is now the new basis for adult learners. To understand how adult learning theory works, the teacher must first understand andragogy, which is an advanced field of psychology in which the age of the learner, is studied. An andragogy study is a process-focused approach and was not studied until the 1960s and 1970s. Before that, only pedagogy was studied, which is the way that children learn. Children and adults learn completely different. In recent research, it is shown that adults learn best with a self-paced learning environment, which means instruction from the teacher and all of the guidance done solely by the students. Most adult learners are more eager than traditional students to learn since this is normally their second chance at a good education. Most adult learners are more eager to learn and stay goal oriented than traditional students because they have reached a certain...
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...Summary: Read-Only Participants: A Case for Student Communication in Online Classes As technology advances more and more, computers and internet have become more accessible, affordable, and ever so popular in recent times. With easy accessibility to internet, the online learning environment is a growing trend. Schools all over the nation offer online programs and fast earning degrees. Students from different demographics and age groups fill online classrooms making it even more popular. However, with such diversity in the classroom how does the instructor control communication in the classroom? Does the lack of participation from fellow students influence the learning environment? What are some of the different types of students often found in the online classes environment? This article will summarize the main points found in a research based on a case study prepared by Nagel, Blignaut, and Cronjé. With extensive research, investigation, and observations Nagel et. al.(2007) put together an article highlighting the importance of communication in the online classes. Noticing a significant drop-out rate in online classes, they were determined to research what affected this rate and which aspects of the online classes were setting students behind. The authors used different methods to gather data to support their findings, and used different articles to incorporate their research and back up their conclusions. In order to analyze student participation they "presented an 8 week course...
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... Page A. INTRODUCTION 2 B. CHALLENGING CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE LEARNING 3 1. Technology 3 a. Accessibility to Technology 3 b. Limitation of Technology 3 2. Motivation 4 3. Interaction with Facilitators 4 a. Online versus Classroom 4 b. Qualified Facilitators 5 4. Computer Literacy 5 5. Poor Time Management Skills 6 C. SUGGESTIONS AND WAYS TO IMPROVE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF ONLINE LEARNERS 6 1. Technology 6 2. Motivation ...
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...you have completed your Student Success Plan, it is now time to put your plan into action. If you need help in reviewing your Student Success Plan, please contact your Admissions Representative or another Graduation Team member. The purpose of the Orientation C hecklist below is to give you a quick view of your priorities in this Orientation class. You can print this checklist to keep track of your successfully completed assignments. Your checklist will also be available to you in the Orientation via the Student Success Plan link in the Module 1 overview. The checklist in the classroom will update with checkmarks as the assignments are successfully completed. In addition to using the checklist, it is important to visit the Gradebook to receive your professor's feedback. Once again, thank you for completing your Student Success Plan. We look forward to supporting you as you achieve your academic goal To begin, visit the C ampus C ommon to access your Orientation class. The first thing that you will see in the classroom is the professor's Announcements. Read these first, then continue to the materials under C ourse Home in the classroom navigation bar on the left. Course Home Readings Announcements C ourse Home Lectures Module 1: Introduction Readings All Module 1 lectures Assignments Assignment 1: Introduce Yourself Assignment 2: Student Success Plan Module 2: Technical Skills for Online Learning Readings Technical Requirements Technical Skills for Online Learning Prim ary Prim...
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...regarding your future as a college student. One decision that may be the most vital of all is the college that you choose to attend. It seems that everywhere you turn these days there are ads for countless different colleges stating that they offer everything it takes to be a successful student. This may cause you to feel slightly perplexed when attempting to choose the college that will best meet your needs. Right now you might be wondering how you will ever choose the best one. Well, my friend, I am here to help you make that choice. Western Governors University (WGU) is by far the obvious choice. Western Governors University provides all of the tools that you will need to be a successful student and eventually a college graduate. Starting college can often be a stressful time for students. You may start to feel overwhelmed at the thought of simply starting the enrollment process. Luckily, at WGU a student mentor is assigned to you as soon as you apply to a specific program. A student mentor will be in contact with you before you are even officially accepted into the program to which you applied. Student mentors are available to answer any questions that you may have and to help guide you through the enrollment process. After you have been officially enrolled and accepted into the program of your choosing a student mentor will be available to advise you on which courses to take each term, to give you tips on how to make each course a successful one, to answer any questions, and...
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...Introduction to Graduate Studies in the College of Education Read-only participants: a case for student communication in online classes The article “Read-only participants: a case for student communication in online classes” used a “mixed methodology approach to investigate how online activity and discussion postings relate to learning and course completion” (Nagela, Blignautb, & Cronje´, 2009). They also “investigated how student collaborative behavior and integration into the community related to success” (Nagela, Blignautb & Cronje´, 2009). The dropout rates for online courses can be as high as 50 percent, which is higher for equivalent traditional courses (Nagela, Blignautb, & Cronje´, 2009). Several aspects affect a read only participant. If the facilitator doesn’t entertain certain students as they learn and they do not feel instant gratification from participating actively in online discussions and then those students will simply stop participating and therefore will not benefit from peer-to-peer learning. Some lurkers may lack confidence to participate, may be introverted, or be a novice student and not understand the material or assignment (Nagela, Blignautb, & Cronje´, 2009). Some read only participants may care about themselves alone and are satisfied that their own learning needs are being met. Lastly, some may not be convinced that the course will benefit them and will not put the time or effort into the course work. The question is are these...
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