Is Online Right For Me?

To be successful in the online environment, students must possess basic computer skills, have daily access to a computer with a reliable internet connection, practice good time management skills, and be self-disciplined.

Here's what some of our students said

Instructors asked the following question of the students in their online courses: 

What skills did you need to succeed in this Internet class?

Following are some of their responses. The specific skills they mentioned are bolded so you can see them easily, but we didn't change any punctuation or capitalization. These are their exact words. 

“Definitely discipline. You need the discipline to make sure you read your assignment and do your homework on time. Also, time management. Especially if you have other commitments such as family or another class. Finally, I think the ability to ask for help.” 

“By far the most needed skill with this class was SELF-DISCIPLINE!!!! A student must have the motivation and abilities to set a schedule and follow it. Without this kind of self-motivation a student would have a difficult time succeeding in an internet class.” 

“The first and foremost skill needed is discipline. In an internet class there is no one there to make sure you do what you need to do. In fact, if you never log on you won't even know what's going on. It takes a lot of discipline to sit down log on, review the work needed and then get it turned in by the deadline. It is not a blow off class by any means. I think you also need some basic computer skills to do well in the class. If someone is not that immersed in computer usage they'll be less likely to be actively involved in the class and its assignments. I think it will become a sort of discouragement and frustration.” 

“Perhaps this seems like an obvious answer, but convenient internet access is definitely important in being successful in this class. I found that a fast connection is particularly helpful when procrastinators such myself frantically try to submit assignments before the given deadline. Of course generally, procrastination would definitely inhibit success in this class. Skills in time management and self discipline would definitely help to facilitate success because everything needs to be essentially done on your own. However, perhaps a skill that was not so well emphasized in regards to taking internet classes was the ability to write. With the majority of your grade based upon essays [in this class], it is necessary to be able to convey your thoughts and understanding through words.” 

“The skills that one most needs to succeed in this course are patience, self-discipline, and time management. The student needs patience because there is a lot of material to go through in the book and when writing a paper, the right elements must be included to prove one's point. Patience is needed to allow the brain to soak up all the info and then bring it back in our own words. Self-discipline is needed because any Internet course can go out of control if the right amount of time is not dedicated to the material that is required. We are basically on our own out here. Time management is also important because there is a lot of reading and writing to do and if time is not managed correctly the amount of work will seem overwhelming.” 

“I think that a person should have a commitment in order to be able to handle any internet class. Definitely discipline and hard work pays off in any internet class. You would also have to be dedicated to setting goals, managing your time and following directions. You needed time to access the internet and the skills you needed would probably be reading and making yourself read. More people have to go to a class every so many days to listen and take notes and then they are more motivated to read.”