An online student's survival guide

Defense AT&L, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Rich Stillman

Online training is no longer the wave of the future. Around the country, most colleges and universities provide some classes on the Internet, and a few schools provide whole degree programs online. The Defense Acquisition University currently offers 22 online classes that are being provided to 4,000 acquisition professionals at any one time. In fiscal year 2003 alone, DAU enrolled a total of 57,171 online students who completed 1.47 million hours of online instructional time. That represents an 83-fold increase in just five years.

Most students find non-resident courses flexible, convenient, and enjoyable. They set their own pace online, taking lessons when it's convenient in an environment that works for them. Gone are the snippy instructors with endless, hard-to-read vugraphs and monotonous voices. It's a brave new training world.

Unfortunately, however, not all students are ready to make the leap from the classroom environment to the Internet. They miss the direct contact with their instructor, the interface with the other students, and the focused classroom setting. They become distracted, frustrated, and lost. Their results fall short of their expectations.

This article is designed to help students new to distance learning get a positive start in their training and online veterans to get more out of the learning experience. A word of caution is needed up front. Students are all endowed with different skills, temperaments, attitudes, and needs. All of the suggestions may not apply to a single student, but some of the suggestions should apply to all of the students.

Understand the basics

Are you a night owl or an early bird? E-learning can accommodate either preference. Plan on working on the course when your mind is clear and your energy level is high. That is when you learn best. It will take you longer to complete a lesson if you are fatigued. So working on the course in the early morning may be best for the early risers. Evening work may work best for the night people.

It's important to have a quiet place to study where there are minimal-preferably no-distractions. Close your door, hold your calls, and schedule no visitors during study time. You might find it helps to place a sign in your work area stating that you're in e-training and shouldn't be interrupted.

Be sure that your study area has adequate ventilation and lighting to reduce fatigue and eye strain. Your computer work station should be large enough for both computer equipment and note taking. A comfortable chair rounds out the work area by improving your posture and reducing back stress. An efficient work place can help set the mood and improve your attitude for taking an online course.

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Watch the watch

Everyone has many roles and responsibilities, from professional lives to personal commitments to spiritual obligations, all of which require time and energy. So for many online students, there is a constant struggle to balance other obligations and still complete their courses.

All the DAU online courses come with a defined time limit within which students must finish the lesson materials and take all the tests. (Most classes allow 60 days to finish; some allow more or less time.) Many students struggle with completing their online courses on time; pleas for more time are among the requests most frequently received by DAU instructors.

Part of the problem is that students underestimate the time and effort it takes to complete a course, or they may be unclear on what is expected. Be sure you know how many modules or lessons are in the course, what type of material is in each module, and how the examinations function. Most instructors agree that new students should log into the course quickly and try a lesson or two to get a generalized feel for the total time that the course might take.

You also need to consider what is the best time of the day to be on the Internet. Depending upon the amount of traffic, certain times of the day provide faster download times than others. You may need to try different times and adjust your routine accordingly.

Noises, interruptions, and other distractions break concentration and increase the online study time. To fix that problem, some organizations authorize students to use computers in libraries or e-learning centers so that they get away from the hustle and bustle of the office. See if your organization has this arrangement. As a last resort, some students choose to work on their online classes from home, during their own time.

Seek professional help

Remember, online doesn't mean alone! You always have an instructor who's an expert in the subject matter and has real-world experience in the career field covered by the course. Your instructor can assist you in understanding the lesson material and take you beyond the online information by helping you connect the dots between theory and real workplace events.

DAU instructors are also responsible for helping students through administrative problems. Get to know your instructor early, and don't hesitate to contact him or her if you're having difficulty, need advice, or have questions. I usually encourage my students to send me an e-mail about why they are taking the class and their expectations. That opens up the communications channels and improves the experience. Interactivity with the instructor is often the key to a successful online program. It allows the instructor to share ideas, to suggest improvements, and to provide meaningful feedback. Contact your instructor regularly, especially when you are having trouble.