Characteristics of a Successful Online Learner

1. Be able to communicate through writing.

In an online learning environment most of your communication will be through writing. If you have difficulty expressing yourself in the written form it may be challenging for you to share your learning experiences with your course instructor and classmates.

2. Be self-motivated and self-disciplined.

Online learning gives you great flexibility, however sometimes having a lot of time can lead to a lot of procrastination. A successful online learner needs to manage his/her time effectively to meet deadlines established by the teacher.

3. Be willing to speak up if a problem arises.

Your teacher won’t be able to read the expression on your face to determine if you understand the material. A successful online learner needs to be comfortable asking questions and advocating for his/her own learning needs.

4. Be willing to think critically regarding the material presented.

Just as you are asked to analyze and evaluate information in a traditional classroom, cyber courses ask you to engage with the material being presented not just memorize and repeat.

5. Be willing to share opinions, examples from your own life and educational experiences with your learning community.

Again, just as in a live class, cyber courses will require you to interact with the other members of the course and to respectively engage in discussions regarding the material presented. These types of exchanges help all members of the learning community to create a deeper understanding of the information presented and offers another avenue for the student and teacher to access the learning that takes place.

6. Be willing to commit 10-12 hours a week to each cyber course.

It is important that a cyber student commits the same amount of time to an online course as he or she would commit to a traditional course. The successful student thoughtfully completes all assignments and many students say that they find cyber courses to require more time than a traditional course.

7. Be well organized and a good time manager.

A cyber student will need to be able to keep digital files, due dates, and resources well organized to stay on pace with the demands of the course. Typically, assignments are given for the week of instruction and must be completed by the week’s end. It is up to the student to implement an appropriate pace to complete all assignments satisfactorily and within the given due dates.

8. Have stable, reliable access to the internet.

It is imperative that a cyber student have access to the internet. Either this must be available at home or when travelling, or a student must be able to utilize regular school transportation to complete work at school or have personal transportation to come to school during the typical day to complete assignments.

Source: These characteristics were adapted from: http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/StudentProfile.asp