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Orientation
Recommended Academic Skills
Successful online learners usually have strong reading, writing, communication, time management, and study skills.
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In a virtual course, most material is in written format. You spend most of your time reading your textbook and instructor's lecture notes. You will not have oral lectures like in a face-to-face course. Therefore, it is important to have strong reading and comprehension skills for this type of learning environment.
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| Writing |
You will spend a lot of time writing - assignments, threaded discussions, chats, and emails. It is important that you are able to use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc. when you are completing these various tasks in an online course.
NOTE: Here are some websites that can assist you in brushing up on reading and writing skills.
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Communication |
| Communication can be key to a successful online learning experience. You need to be able to communicate your thoughts, questions, and ideas clearly and professionally to your instructor and classmates, especially in a written format. Ineffective communication can lead to lack of motivation, procrastination, and frustration. |
Time Management |
Never get behind. It can be almost impossible to successfully complete the course once you are behind. Successful online learners develop a weekly schedule that includes all of their work, personal, and school commitments. This helps them stay on task. On average, you need to estimate about 10 hours per week for a 3 credit class. To help you map out your weekly schedule to ensure you have enough time, complete this Time Management exercise (Copyright 2005 Michigan Community College Association Funding from the U.S. Department of Education - Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) supported development of these resource). |
Study Skills |
| Students who are persistent, self-directed, and can guide their own learning tend do very well in online courses. You cannot give up easily when you don't understand concepts. You have to seek out help from your instructor, classmates, or tutor when needed. To get more information on study skills, review this section within the Strategies for Student Online Success Resource located under "Special Courses" on your student home page. |
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Iowa Community College Online Consortium
