Many students are drawn to online learning for the convenience and flexibility it offers. For working adults, the benefits of online learning go beyond the advantage of attending class any time or the ease of engaging with instructors and other learners anywhere there is Internet access. For students juggling multiple priorities, such as career and family, online learning is a likely choice because of the many benefits. While taking a class online provides for a great deal of flexibility, it also means an increase in responsibility and other skill sets. It doesn’t mean that the work is “easier” than an on-campus course. With the convenience and flexibility of a 24/7 classroom comes an increased responsibility to self-motivate, manage time appropriately, adequately prepare for academic success, actively participate and fully engage in your learning, and become more familiar and comfortable with the use of technology.
There are five things prospective students should know in advance about earning anonline course:
An online class is not an independent study where you work at your own pace. Instead, you will have deadlines to meet and will be required to participate in discussions on a schedule set by the university. This requirement calls for you to manage your time efficiently. Dr. Michael Reilly, offers this advice, “Create a realistic schedule. Plan to succeed by setting dedicated time aside to complete and submit work in a timely manner. Life will get in the way if you don’t focus time on your studies.” Dr. James Moore, adds, “I would recommend that students look ahead at assignment and course requirements. We had a saying in the military, ‘prior and proper planning prevents poor performance.’ In academia, this saying simply means come to class prepared just like you would for an on-campus class.”
In an online course, most of your interactions with your instructors and classmates will be asynchronous and uniquely virtual. Discussion forums are used in place of the face-to-face discussions. Mihaiela Norton, adds, “Extra effort is required to stay engaged and to learn; there is no face-to-face time with the instructor.” Dr. Reilly adds, “The course instructor’s role is to teach and evaluate student learning. The student’s role is to learn and demonstrate learning. Students must recognize how these roles work together to achieve success in the course.”
Ensure that you have the required software and become familiar with the learning platform. Dr. Moore emphasizes, “Students need to be prepared to operate in an online environment. They need to be aware of the changing educational milieu and its requirements.” Reliable technology is also a must. Graduate student Mihaiela Norton advises that, “Having a good quality computer and Internet access is critical. You cannot afford downtime due to technical issues.” Always have a “Plan B” in case of computer or other technical problems in the middle of an online class. If you do experience technical difficulty, ask for help and communicate with your instructor immediately.
A significant difference between online classes and the on-campus classroom is that almost all of your contact with your instructors and classmates in an online course will be in written form. Across all areas of the course, it is important to contribute actively. For example, respond to your instructor or classmates’ posts when they address you directly, even if you’ve already met the stated minimum participation requirements. Doing so demonstrates your active participation. Although additional research may not be needed for a discussion or assignment requirement, the use of resources adds credibility to your work. When responding to a discussion question that specifically asks for your experience, resources can support the point you’re making. If a discussion question or assignment is prompting for your experience, it doesn’t mean you should write an opinion piece without proof, research, or well-reasoned rationale to support your conclusions. When you lead with your experiences and opinions, back your work with proof and research.
Self-motivation and your ability to guide and direct your own learning will be key to your success. Research suggests that students taking online classes require self-directed learning, a willingness and capacity to conduct one’s own education (Song & Hill, 2007). “Online learning takes individual self-discipline and blocked time to focus on what needs to be completed,” says Delana Bond, of her experience. You must contribute actively to demonstrate your engagement.
If you have suggestions or recommendations on how your instructors can make your online course more meaningful to you, it is up to you to say so. You are encouraged to take an active role in your learning experience.
Many adult learners return to college after years of being away from school. To become a student again can be a challenge. It has been a while since you’ve done homework. You may feel like you’ve forgotten what you used to know. And you will need to rediscover your study habits. Shifting to a student lifestyle may be hard, but it can be done. Here are a few ways that you can make yours a smooth transition.
Returning to school can have a significant impact on your schedule. Finding time to study, complete schoolwork, and enjoy your personal life can be difficult. By planning ahead and organizing your time, you can avoid falling behind. Use a calendar to keep track of your assignments. Google Calendar is free online, and there are several free apps you can download to your smartphone.
One of the most important ways for adult learners to create a schedule is to stay realistic. Setting aside half an hour to study might not be enough. On the other hand, not giving your family enough time can also impact your life. Some people can eat lunch in ten minutes or less, but only give themselves even more stress. The point is to prioritize what you need to do each week, give yourself enough time, and keep it real.
Most importantly, don’t forget to schedule time for yourself! While studying, relationships, and work are all important, taking the time to care for you is critical in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s watching your favorite movie, taking a walk, going to a yoga class, or curling up with a good book, be sure to take the time to unplug, reduce your stress, and enjoy your life.
Consider the ways your choice to return to school may impact your relationships. When choosing to go back to school, adult learners who are parents often struggle with feeling selfish. For family members who’ve dedicated their lives to raising and caring for others, they may find it hard to take time for themselves to finish their homework.
Talk to your friends and family before enrolling. Tell them why education is so important to you, and that you’re investing in the future. By acknowledging that change is coming, instead of ignoring it, you prepare the people you care about to deal with changes that affect their lives, too.
When you maintain healthy relationships throughout your transition to college, you create a strong support network that will empower you. These loved ones can be your greatest source of motivation.
Some adult learners assume they’re too old, or they’ve been away from school for too long to go back. If you worry that the years you’ve spent at work, in the military, or as a stay-at-home parent might hinder your studies, don’t overlook an important fact. Even if you weren’t in school, you developed real-world skills. Your life experience – whether in the military, in the workforce, or in the home – is extremely valuable. And that gives you an advantage over younger students who move directly from high school to college. You have a wealth of practical and applied knowledge that you can share and contribute to your fellow students. Take advantage of your experience, and apply it to your courses.
Depending on which university you attend, you may also have your work and military experience evaluated for college credit. When you translate your training and work history into transfer credits, you shorten the time it takes to graduate and save on tuition.
No matter how long it has been since you last attended school, you can be a student again. Manage your time and your relationships. Take advantage of your experience outside the classroom. You may find you’re a better student now than ever before.
Not everyone has a plan. Not everyone can say where they want to be in five, 10, or 20 years; and those that can, might not have a clue how to get there.
Sometimes you just take life one day at a time. You graduated from college, got a job in your field, and every day after that you worked to move up the ladder, confident that you were absorbing all of the knowledge you needed to make it in this world.
Then may come the day when it all stops. You’ve gotten as far as your degree will take you at your company. Or you’ve reached a crossroad and realize you want something different from your job. Compounding your anxiety over your stalled momentum is the realization that you don’t have what it takes to cross that career chasm. That’s when you reach the conclusion that it’s time to go back to school and embrace adult education.
By making the decision, you’ve already cleared one hurdle, and now you can start sorting out your priorities. Among other things, you’ll have to find the right program, plan your budget, and figure out when you’ll have time to study and work on your assignments.
But even after you’ve solved the cost and time commitment conundrums, how do you get over the intangibles? How do you get past the worry that you’re too old; that you won’t fit in? After all, you haven’t been to college since Robbie Dupree had a hit with “Steal Away” back in 1980. Who’s going to even remember that?
Everyone has their own way of dealing with these anxieties. Consider these suggestions:
Worrying that your classmates haven’t been exposed to history’s greatest musical influences won’t get you any closer to a degree. Besides, technology has transformed the modern classroom into an online learning experience where your focus will be on your assignments. If you still feel out of place, you shouldn’t. According to U.S. News and World Report, several of their “Best Colleges” rankings included schools in which the majority of the student body was 25 or older.
You’re there to learn. That’s all that matters. You might have partied harder during your first college experience, but now you’ve got some wisdom. Your party days are behind you, and you’ve learned time is a valuable — and irreplaceable – commodity. So chances are you’ll stay motivated and work harder than ever to get through school, earn your degree, and start the next chapter of your life.
You’ve made the decision that your degree is your ticket to get ahead in your current career, or start a brand new one. But consider the impact on your family and friends. You’ll be an inspiration to them when they see what you’ve accomplished at this later stage of your life. And you’ll join a community of lifelong learners who hope to motivate others through their success.
The plot is simple: Rodney Dangerfield doesn’t want his son to become a college dropout, so he enrolls at the same school and hilarity ensues. Along the way he romances Sally Kellerman, performs a ridiculous diving stunt, and inspires a generation. Not only will the story motivate you, but you’ll also arm yourself with hilarious comebacks if anyone claims you’re too old to learn something new.
The bottom line: don’t be afraid to learn new things. Adult education doesn’t have to be scary. You’ve already convinced yourself it’s necessary to get you to a better place. School wasn’t forced on you, and it’s only going to help you gain the knowledge or skills you need. Stick to your plan, stay on top of your studies, be prepared, and you’ll have nothing to worry about
There is no question that school can be stressful. Learning new materials, regular assignment deadlines, tests, and projects can be challenging enough, but when you include extra-curricular activities and the competing demands of work and family obligations, it’s enough to overwhelm anyone. Lowering your stress level will help you feel better and can also improve your grades by allowing you to focus and concentrate on your studies. Here are a few tips to help you feel less stressed.
It is well known that exercise is a great stress reliever, and it does not matter what type of exercise you engage in (Vlasik, 2013). Whether you are into running, cycling, tennis, yoga, swimming, or some other type of exercise, engaging in your favorite exercise activity will reduce stress and increase alertness. And you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the stress-reducing benefits of exercise – walking, gardening, mowing the lawn, or any type of physical activity that gets you out of your chair and away from your desk will help provide stress relief.
In many cases, stress is the result of too much to do in too little time. Deadlines all seem to show up at once, especially for online learners. You can avoid this problem by planning ahead. Use a calendar or electronic scheduling program to keep track of all the due dates for your assignments, tests, and other school projects. Include work deadlines and family obligations and then refer to your calendar daily to see what needs to be done today, tomorrow, this week, and this month. In addition to helping you avoid the stress of “crunch time,” by writing down the due dates of your school, work, and family obligations, you can stop worrying about them and focus on the tasks at hand.
If you’ve been studying for hours and seem to be getting nowhere, you probably need a break. Maybe you are trying to write an essay but are experiencing “writer’s block,” or perhaps you have read the same section in the textbook two or three times and nothing seems to be sinking in. Take a break, and spend 30 minutes to an hour doing something totally unrelated to your schoolwork. Try a walk with the dog, working on your scrapbook, or playing a video game. Doing something you enjoy will take your mind off of your schoolwork, and you will return refreshed.
Sometimes it just makes sense to stay up a couple hours late to finish an assignment or get in an extra hour or two of study time for an upcoming test. However, don’t make a habit of cutting into your sleep time. Your body and your brain need about seven to eight hours of sleep every night to recover and recharge (Brody, 2013). Many times, you will find that a task that seemed almost insurmountable as you are working on it at midnight is much easier after getting a good night’s sleep. Use your calendar to help you schedule your online classes, family, and work obligations so that you can avoid those late night study sessions. You will work more efficiently and feel less stressed if you regularly get a full night’s sleep.
For online learners, a little bit of stress can be a good thing. Without it we could not face the challenge of learning new concepts and enjoying new experiences. Pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone from time to time can be a rewarding experience that results in personal growth and satisfaction. However, too much stress is unhealthy and detrimental to your well-being (The Mayo Clinic, n.d.). When you start feeling overwhelmed by your school, family, and work obligations, try a few of these stress relieving techniques. Lowering your stress level will not only make you feel better, but also help you perform better in school.