Strategies for a Successful Start
Strategies for Staying on Top of Your Work
Let the 3 P's work for you: participation, persistence and patience

Here are some pointers that will help you succeed in - and enjoy - your distance education college courses.

Strategies for a Successful Start

• Get appropriate counseling and advice. Contact your VCT Coordinator at your local college. It also might be useful for you to speak with a counselor or academic advisor at your local college in order to develop a degree plan. This degree plan will not only get you headed in the right direction -- it will outline the specific courses you will need to take in order to accomplish your educational goals.
  
  
• Check the computer/technical requirements needed for the course you are registering for and be sure the computer you plan to use meets the requirements for the distance education courses you are taking. Computer requirements are included on the Course Listing Form associated with each course in the VCT online schedule. To see the Listing Form, click the course title in the schedule.
  
  
• Make sure you purchase the correct textbook(s). Ask your college's VCT Coordinator how you should acquire your books: from the local college's bookstore, from the provider college's bookstore, or from some other source, such as an online bookstore. However you purchase your textbooks, make sure you have the correct ISBN number(s) for the book(s). Each book's ISBN number is included with the textbook information on the Course Listing Form associated with each course in the VCT online schedule. Click the course title in the schedule to see the Listing Form.
  
  
• The first few weeks of a distance learning course can be challenging, but it will become second nature after three or four weeks. If you get behind or if you experience computer problems in an online course, be sure to contact your instructor by telephone or email sooner rather than later.
  
  
• Read your course syllabus carefully and note all deadlines and due dates. Pay careful attention to any special instructions, guidelines, or requirements provided by your instructor. If you have questions, get the answers from your instructor as soon as possible.
  
  
• Visit course web pages your instructor advises you to read. Then bookmark them (Netscape) or add them to your Favorites list (Internet Explorer) if you will need them later.
  
  
• At the beginning of a course, spend some time exploring the course website so you can navigate it easily. If you have problems, contact your instructor immediately for assistance.

Strategies for Staying on Top of Your Work!

• Experienced e-learners often give this advice: "Keep up with the work; don't get behind." Distance learning courses require self-motivation and discipline, and it's important to give them the same dedication and effort that you would devote to courses on campus. Make an appointment with yourself to study. Make sure your family, roommates, etc. know when it is study time.
  
  
• Pay close attention to deadlines and due dates; they're not negotiable. Only courses specifically labeled "self-paced" should be treated as such; otherwise, your work will need to be turned in on the schedule your instructor specifies. If you have problems with an assignment or deadline, contact your instructor.
  
  
• Plan ahead. Give yourself plenty of time to complete your assignments and prepare for tests. Do not procrastinate!
  
  
• If you are unable to meet a testing deadline, contact your instructor as soon as possible to determine what options are available to you.
  
  
• Review your course syllabus from time to time, and stay in close contact with your instructor. If you have difficulty reaching your VCT instructor, contact the VCT Coordinator at the provider college.

Let the 3 P's work for you: participation, persistence and patience.

• Participation plays an important role in distance learning courses. Your comments, questions, and answers all contribute to making the class feel more like a community. You'll find that answers to questions don't always have to come from the instructor; you can use email, chat, or bulletin board tools to pose questions to other students, or form "virtual" study groups.
  
  
• Persistence is a valuable quality for distance learners, too. Keep trying until you get the answers you need. Make notes on areas where you have questions, and actively seek out the answers from your classmates and instructor. No one can see that baffled look on your face, so if you need clarification or an explanation, ask for it. If technical problems come up, don't put off dealing with them. Seek out online technical help immediately or send a note to the instructor.
  
  
• Patience will help you in distance learning. Be patient with yourself, allowing the extra time you may need to master course content and new technical skills. Be patient with others in the course, also, and be considerate in your comments and emails. If you disagree with people, don't "flame" them by lashing out in words. It is all right to disagree, but the same rules of courtesy apply in an online classroom as in any other setting. Remember that others can't see your facial expression when you make a joke or sarcastic remark, so write your messages clearly to convey your meaning accurately.

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*Adapted from the websites of South Plains College
& St. Petersburg College eCampus