How to Succeed in a Web-Based Course
Dr. Stuart Blythe
Department of English & Linguistics
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
Web-based courses are not as easy as you may think
A Web-based course may seem like a good thing, and it can be. But
beware! Such a course is not as easy as you may think.
In fact, my Web-based courses have a slightly higher drop-out and failure
rate than my face-to-face
courses. That's why I have written this handout: to help you succeed.
Admittedly, a Web-based course
offers several benefits. (I wouldn't offer such a course if it didn't.)
For example, you may be able to fit school work more easily into your schedule, and
you won't have to travel to get to class. Once in the course, you
may even find that you have more contact with your instructor than you
do in face-to-face courses.
Despite such benefits, a Web-based course presents its own difficulties.
It's easy to fall behind in such a course because you
lack the contact
and constant reminders of a face-to-face course. I think that's why
a slightly higher percentage of students drop out of, or fail, Web-based
courses than face-to-face
courses.
Six tips for success in your Web-based course
Because a Web-based course presents its own difficulties,
you need a greater amount of self-discipline and a unique set of strategies
if you're going to succeed. Specifically, you must do the following:
- Realize that you can only shuffle the time you have, not
add extra time. Because you may never have to meet your
instructor or classmates in person, you may be tempted to think
that you can take
a Web-based course in addition to a full schedule. That's
simply untrue. The course will still require 8 to 10 hours
of your time
per week—just like any face-to-face course. A Web-based course
can let you use a finite amount of time more wisely and flexibly,
but
it cannot let you add to the 168 weekly hours at your disposal.
- Commit yourself to taking the course. There's something about
being physically present in a room with others that gives us a sense
of commitment to a course. Without such physical contact, some people
fail to develop the level of commitment needed to succeed in a Web-based
course. Develop your commitment initially by logging in to the course
Web site regularly and taking part in introductory activities, such
as online discussions and orientations.
- Set your own course time and stick to it. It's easy to fall
behind in a Web-based course because you do not have to meet with
classmates
at a given time. You may be tempted go several days without checking
in to the course Web site, but a lot can happen in 24-48 hours. Decide
for yourself when you'll attend to course business each day, at least
four days a week. (If you're an early riser, perhaps you could commit
to doing online work before breakfast; if you're a night owl, perhaps
you could commit to doing your work every night at 10:00.) Tell people
you "have to go to class" at that time so they won't ask you to do
other things.
- Resolve problems right away. You may initially experience
a problem with the technical aspects of a Web-based course (e.g.,
logins
& passwords, email, bulletin boards). If you wait several days
to resolve such problems, you may find yourself facing a deadline
you'll
be unable to meet. Contact me (blythes@ipfw.edu
or 260-481-6089) or the IPFW Help Desk (260-481-6030) as soon as you
can to resolve problems.
- Back up your work. You should routinely back up copies of
your work. Save your files in at least two places (e.g., a zip disk
and a hard drive). Also, be sure you save your work routinely as you're
writing.
- Give yourself time to handle glitches. - You may see that
an assignment is due by midnight on Monday and think you can log on
at 11:55 to submit it. That's the time when something will go wrong
and you'll miss the deadline. Plan to submit work no less than an hour
before any deadline.
Questions?
Please contact me at
blythes@ipfw.edu or 260-481-6089 with your questions and comments.
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