Distance Learning Survival: A Guide for Students

While still a relatively new concept, distance learning has quickly become wildly popular, especially among the working class. Many people are turning to higher education to help them realize a better lifestyle. Becoming part of a distance learning community meets their need for a diploma while they continue to provide for their families. This survival guide is designed to provide the tools necessary to develop a personal plan of action toward success in distance learning.

Distance learning for adults is quite different from any educational system you have been involved in before. Taking a step such as this is a major change in lifestyle. It can be overwhelming to, among other things, take on the extra time commitment, learn a new way of interaction with others, and accept nonverbal instruction. If you follow the steps below you should be well equipped to not just endure your distance learning experience, but thrive in it.

~ Educational Resources ~

The first choice you must make is the institution in which you will enroll. The first consideration you should be concerned with is the educational resources the institution provides for students. Without adequate resources your goal toward graduation is made much more difficult.
The institution you choose should have nothing less to offer students than:

 A core group of academic counselors who are there to help and guide you personally through your college career.
 Qualified and Degreed Instructors
 Instructors should be well versed in not only in the academia of the courses they instruct, but life experience of the subject as well.
 Experienced instructors who are adept at the unique challenges instructing in a distance learning environment will benefit students the most.
 Instructors should be adept at instructing various ages.
 Technological Tools:
 Academic databases providing peer-reviewed resources available to you at any time
 Downloadable audio, video, and digital media
 Student forums for discussion on academic related contents
 Tutorials and Guides
 Writing Manuals; Grammar and Writing guides
 Reviewing services, including grammar and plagiarism checker
 Tutoring
 Knowledge bases and FAQ’s
 Reference and Citation resources
 Online help in answering questions

~ Essential Tools for Success ~

After finding the college that’s just right for you, the next place to look is . . . yourself! What is going to be expected of you? What should you do for yourself to be successful? What are the essential tools for success? Use the essentials below as your plan of action toward the ultimate success in a distance learning environment.

~ Setting and Achieving Goals ~

A commitment to higher learning takes endurance and stamina. One way to maintain that endurance and keep your stamina up is to set achievable goals. It is important to a person’s mental and emotional health to be assured, by tangible means, they are progressing along the path they planned for themselves. This assurance fosters confidence in one’s own skills and abilities, and reinforced the values they aspire to live up to. Start your path well, so your success has the greatest chance, by setting goals for yourself.

 Identify two long-term goals – one educational and one career oriented.
 Break each of these two long-term goals into several, and achievable, short-term goals. This helps you define an achievement strategy.
 For each short-term goal set a specific deadline by which to accomplish the goal. Deadlines help motivate you to fully achieve your goals. This is also the time to anticipate any potential problems that may interfere with achieving your goals, and formulate any solutions you may need to employ.
 Prioritize all goals in order of importance keeping your values, situation, and time commitments in mind.
 Accountability is a good motivator to help you achieve goals. Pre-arrange with someone you trust to hold you accountable for meeting your goals.
 Write down how you expect each specific goal to help you along the path toward the overall goals.
 Monitor your progress. Set a date to check in on your own progress toward your goals; for example, after each completion of a segment of classes, or at regular intervals along the way.

Taking an active and responsible approach toward your part of your education will prepare you for what is in store. Understanding your own goals will give you that endurance, and stamina, to achieve them in the manner that satisfies you.

~ Utilize Wise Time Management ~

Alan Lakein, an author who writes about personal time management, is quoted as saying “Time equals life; therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.” Mr. Lakein coined the well known question, “What is the best use of the time I have right now?”

Here is how to answer that question in the moment:
 Identify your time related needs and preferences.
 Create a time profile and analyze its effects.
 Establish a schedule, stick to it, and analyze its effects noting any changes that could improve your productivity.
 Obtain a daily planner and use it to keep track of commitments, events, activities, class preparation time, etc. Prioritize by “importance labels”: Crucial, flexible, and of lesser importance or urgency.
 Avoid procrastination by employing flexibility.
If you want to receive the satisfaction of meeting your goals, and mastering life, then become a master over your time.

~ Honor Academic Honesty ~

We all know cheating is not smart. We all should know that cheating not only cheats others, but cheats the cheater more than anyone else. The most common form of cheating in a distance learning environment is plagiarism. . . . presenting someone else’s ideas as our own. One other thing we all know is how tempting it is. However, it does not make logical sense to pay thousands of dollars to get an education and then use someone else’s ideas to avoid obtaining said education!
You will want to avoid plagiarism, or even the hint of it, at all costs by :
 Understanding and applying the reasons not to plagiarize
 Knowing the difference between a quote and a paraphrase
 Making source and content notes as you compile your work
 Understanding items from the internet are subject to plagiarism guidelines
 Understanding the different types of plagiarism
 Understanding what is common knowledge and what is not
 Crediting authors and sources

All higher education institutions have strict rules against cheating, and specifically plagiarism. One moment of giving in to poor choices can end every hope and dream you have for your future. Arm yourself with education about exactly what plagiarism is.

~ Foster Reading Comprehension and Retention ~

No matter how you feel about it, reading is the thing you do most in college, and even more so in a distance learning situation. Your ability to comprehend what you read is paramount to your success. There are ways to improve your reading comprehension.

 Choose the right location and time for reading
 Think positively and critically
 Don’t expect to “get it all” at first reading, especially if the material is particularly academic.
 Build your vocabulary
 Look for order and patterns as you read
 Ask yourself questions about the text as you read, and clear up any concepts you don’t understand before you move forward.
 Learn to concentrate
 Train yourself to use a system of comprehension such as the SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) system.
 Plan a reward

The better you are able to comprehend what you read, the better you are able to respond to your assignments. It is to your advantage to take all steps you can toward excellent reading comprehension.

~ Personality and Learning Styles ~

In a distance learning environment, you are in a virtual classroom that operates as an asynchronous community. This type of classroom presents unique challenges as you interact with a classmate or instructor. Close attention to personality and learning style, your own as well as that of classmates, is essential in this environment.

A learning style is the way a person receives and processes information they previously have not known. There are different types of learning styles, and each one has both strengths and weaknesses. One advantage to a classroom setting is that others in the class have a different learning style, or intelligence style if you prefer, than you. They can give you perspective on a subject that you would not see for yourself. It is important that you take advantage of the strengths of your classmates to improve your own experience.

There are seven learning styles.
 Verbal-Linguistic - Ability to communicate through language.
 Interpersonal - Ability to relate to others, noticing their moods, motivations, and feelings.
 Intrapersonal - Ability to understand one’s own behavior and feelings.
 Logical-Mathematical - Ability to understand logical reasoning and problem solving.
 Musical - Ability to comprehend and create meaningful sound and recognize patterns.
 Visual-Spatial - Ability to understand spatial relationships and to perceive and create images.
 Bodily-Kinesthetic - Ability to use the physical body skillfully and to take in knowledge through bodily sensation.

Being aware of the learning personality of your classmates can also be an advantage to you. Like learning styles, each personality type has both strengths and weaknesses, and classmates that work together as a team can enhance the experience of everyone by coordinating together.

There are four learning personality types.
 Thinker – Technical; Scientific; Mathematical; Dispassionate; Analytical
 Organizer – Tactical; Detailed; Systematic; Sequential; Structured
 Giver – Interpersonal; Giving; Spiritual; Feeling; Peacemaker; Adaptable
 Adventurer – Active; Risking; Original; Skillful; Experimental; Open-minded

Following this plan of action will help you not only survive, but prosper as you realize your goals of obtaining a diploma. Good luck, and stay the path!

Alan Lakein Quotes: http://www.quotesandpoem.com/quotes/listquotes/author/alan-lakein
Alan Lakein LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alan-lakein/7/8b8/30

Copyright 2009 Beth Stroup. All rights reserved.