وب لاگ گروه زبان ایران - آمریکا

Take the program and yourself seriously.
Elicit the support of your colleagues, family and friends before you
start out on your online adventure. This built-in support system
will help you tremendously since there will be times when you will
have to sit at your computer for hours at a stretch in the evenings
and on weekends. When most people are through with work and want to
relax is most likely when you will be bearing down on your course
work. It helps to surround yourself with people who understand and
respect what you are trying to do.


Make sure you have a private space where you can study.
This will help lend importance to what you are doing as well. Your
own space where you can shut the door, leave papers everywhere, and
work in peace is necessary. If you try to share study space with the
dining room or bedroom, food or sleep will take priority over
studying.


Become a true advocate of distance learning.
Discuss the merits of the process with whoever will listen. In order
to be successful in this new educational environment, you must truly
believe in its potential to provide quality education which is equal
to, if not better than the traditional face-to-face environment. In
discussing the value of online learning, you will reinforce its
merits for yourself.


Log on to your course every single day.
?.or a minimum of 5-6 days a week. Once you get into the online
conferencing system, you will be eager to see who has commented on
your postings and read the feedback of your instructor and peers.
You will also be curious to see who has posted something new that
you can comment on. If you let too many days go by without logging
on to your course discussion group, you will get behind and find it
very difficult to catch up.


Take advantage of your anonymity.
One of the biggest advantages of the online format is that you can
pursue your studies without the judgments typical in a traditional
classroom. Unless you are using video conferencing, no one can see
you ? there are no stereotypes, and you don't have to be affected by
raised eyebrows, rolled eyeballs, other students stealing your
thunder, or people making other non verbal reactions to your
contributions. You don't have to feel intimidated or upstaged by
students who can speak faster than you because you can take all of
the time you need to think your ideas through and compose a response
before posting your comments to your class.


Be polite and respectful.
Just because you are anonymous, doesn't mean you should let yourself
go. Remember, you are dealing with real people on the other end of
your modem. Being polite and respectful is not only common sense, it
is absolutely obligatory for a productive and supportive online
environment. In a positive online environment, you will feel valued
by your instructor, valued by your classmates and your own work will
have greater value as well.


Speak up if you are having problems.
Remember that your professor cannot see you, so you must be
absolutely explicit with your comments and requests. If you are
having technical difficulties, or problems understanding something
about the course, you MUST speak up otherwise there is no way that
anyone will know that something is wrong. Also, if you don't
understand something, chances are several people have the same
question. If another student is able to help you, he/she probably
will, and if you are able to explain something to your classmates in
need, you will not only help them out, you will reinforce your own
knowledge about the subject.


Apply what you learn.
Apply everything you learn as you learn it and you will remember it
more readily. If it is possible, take the things you learn in your
online course today and use them in your workplace tomorrow. Also,
try to make connections between what you are learning and what you
do or will do in your job. Contributing advice or ideas about the
real-world as it applies to the subject matter you are studying
helps you to internalize what you are learning, and gives valuable
insight to your classmates who will benefit from your experience.

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