Tips for Learning Online

Studying online represents a new learning experience for both instructors and students. The learning environment and time of study can be very different from the traditional classroom setting we may be familiar with.

E-learning has several important differences in ways you learn and communicate with other students and instructors. These include accessing course materials, navigating through web pages, searching the WWW for information, sending/receiving e-mail and participating in online discussions via forums and chat sessions.

Each of these learning activities require new skills which we must develop to be successful learners in the online environment.

The following list of Questions (with answers on the following pages) is designed to help you prepare for this experience.

·     What is the right study environment?
·     Does a study routine help?
·     What time management skills will I need?=
·     How do I contact my teacher and other students in the course?
·     How is reading online going to be different?
·     When should I print out information?
·     How can I take notes while reading online?
·     How do I download files?
·     How can I keep track of useful websites?
·     How do I know if information I have found online is reliable?
·     How do I indicate web references?
·     Why can web pages take a long time to load?
·     How do I increase the viewing area on screen?
·     What if the print size is too small?
·     What if the colours don't look right?

What is the right study environment?

Online learning might take place anywhere - at home, work or in a library. However, most people studying using the Internet are likely to be at home.

It is important that you have a place to study that is quiet and away from distractions such as the television. You may have to consider moving your computer to another room if it is located in the same room as the television or stereo. You might have to share a computer, so work out a timetable for sharing with other users.

Your study area needs to be comfortable, with adequate lighting and ventilation. Your computer desk should be large enough to handle the computer, monitor, printer and mouse pad and still give you room for a notebook. A copyholder is a good idea for reading text at eye level while typing. A height and back adjustable chair is essential for correct posture and to keep your eye level in line with the top part of the monitor. Being able to look straight ahead reduces tension on your spine. Remember not to slouch in your chair. Get up and have a stretch every now and then!

Does a study routine help?

A study timetable will assist you with your learning by organising your study routine. Map out a weekly diary which shows study, work and family commitments, and your leisure activities. For a longer term picture, use a semester or year planner. Pin it up on the wall or a board near your desk if you can. Use your planner to show the goals you have set yourself.

What time management skills will I need?

Studying online means flexibility for you. You are not tied to a study routine based on attending a class at certain times. You can access you course materials and send messages to your instructor at any time. You are able to organize when your assessments are being submitted. Map out due dates that fit in with your other commitments on your planner.

When planning times to login to your course, consider what is the best time to be on the Internet. Depending on the amount of "traffic", certain times of the day appear to provide faster download times than others. Try at different times and adjust your study routine accordingly.

If you share a computer with other users you will have to negotiate your online time with them. Remember to indicate any set times when you must be available to participate in online communications with your instructor. These should also be put on your planner.

Your time connected to the Internet costs you money (especially if you are a rural student who might not have local call connection). Look for ways to minimise this time. Downloading e-mail messages and disconnecting from the Internet before you read them will save online time - especially if there are a lot to get through and they don't require an immediate response. It might also be practical to download some of your course files to your hard drive to read later if this is a study option.

How do I contact my Instructor and other students in the course?

When studying online, the familiar face to face communication of the classroom is replaced by the use of online communication technologies. Contacting your instructor and other students is conducted within the Archer College Learning management system, using e-mail and forums. You have your own email function within the Archer College Learning management system. Using e-mail will probably be the most convenient and fastest way for you to contact your instructor.

It is important to interact with other students. While this is possible using e-mail, you are encouraged to use the forums where you can post messages, read other people's messages and reply to them as required. The interaction between participants is usually delayed but it is an important part of the learning.

Some Archer courses also include chat sessions where you can "talk" with other students in real time. Your typed message appears on the screen (often in a chat room) and other students may respond.

You then see their response on your screen. Response time can be affected by your Internet connection, other traffic, and the typing speed of the participants. The simple rule is to be patient!

Remember that all communication should be carried out in a courteous and civil manner.

How is reading online going to be different?

Reading text on screen requires you to know how to scroll up and down pages. Reading web pages is the same. They are usually presented as text and pictures; some have animation and sound as well.

If the content of the page is more than one screen in length, you will need to scroll down and/or across the page using the scroll bar and arrows to see the rest of the page. You can also use the page up/page down keys to move through one screen at a time. Your reading style may determine which method of scrolling you use.

·      Scanning - glancing at text very quickly to find a specific item.
·      Skimming - looking through very quickly to get a general idea.
·      Surface reading - reading everything but not stopping to think about the information.

·      Study reading - making sure that you understand the text
·     fully, often re-reading the information and deciphering
·     new/unfamiliar words.

When should I print out information?

Studying online means that your course materials are mostly web pages you access via the Internet. It may take a while to get used to not having a text book or print based course guide on your desk. However, your instructor might suggest that you print out certain sections of the course notes to keep as a reference, for example, an essay plan.

If you are viewing a web page that does not contain frames, to print that page is the same as printing from a wordprocessor - choose File : Print from the drop down menu.

If the page has frames, make sure you click in the frame you wish to print. Then choose File -> Print Frame from the drop down menu.

How can I take notes while reading online?

Many students take notes during classroom lectures. Studying online is no different, take notes with pen and paper if you wish. Another way is to use a word processor.

While you're studying online, have your word processor open. Switch to the word processor to type notes, then return to your course when you want to continue reading.

HINT: To swap quickly between programs press the Alt and Tab keys if using Windows or the Apple and Tab keys on a Macintosh. A small window appears to show which program will appear next.

To copy a section of text:
·      1.   Use your mouse to highlight the text.
·      2.   Choose Edit -> Copy from the menu.
·      3.   Switch to your word processor.
·      4.   Click your mouse pointer where you want to put the text in your notes.
·      5.   Choose Edit -> Paste from the menu.
·      6.   Save your notes document regularly.

Always acknowledge the original author and URL (web address), and keep the URL handy so you can get back to that site later. See How do I indicate web references in assignments.

How do I download files?

You may need to download a file and save it to disk for future reference, for example a template to use for answering an assessment task. When you click on a download link you will see a window like this.

Your browser will select its own folder as the default setting or you can select your own directory and path if you wish.

Downloading can take several minutes. The download window will show the approximate time for this to happen. You can cancel the operation and try again later if the time seems too long (and you are paying for it!)

How can I keep track of useful websites?

To help manage your online time, keep track of any websites that you visit regularly. This is called bookmarking a site.

To bookmark a site:

1. Go to it.
2. Choose Bookmarks -> Add Bookmark from the drop down menu. The title of that web page is recorded as a bookmark and the page can then be accessed in the future by choosing its bookmark name from the same menu.

Note: If you are using Internet Explorer, bookmarks are called Favourites. If you collect a lot of bookmarks, group them into folders containing websites with similar information.

You could bookmark the login point of your course to make it easier to find (and don't forget your login details!)

How do I know if information I have found online is reliable?

What are the things to look for when deciding on the quality of the information you have found? The following points may help:

·      Who are the authors?
·      Do you know anything about them?
·      Do they introduce themselves?
·      Are they part of a recognised educational institution or other organisation?
·      Can you trace the origin of their web pages back to a home page with a clear
·      mission statement?
·      Do the authors present logical arguments ?
·      Do they quote references that can be traced to other reputable organisations or ·     individuals?
·      How old is the material?

Use this list to start with, but as you gain more experience in web browsing you will develop your own skills in the critical analysis of web page information.

How do I indicate web references in assignments?

Keep track of resources you use so you can record them in your assignments. Software programs such as Endnote can help you with this if you have a lot to record. When you quote from a source, use the following method to refer to it:

Author. Title of document (in quotes). Title of the complete work if applicable (in italics). Full http address (URL) enclosed within angle brackets. Date of visit in brackets.

Example:
Macklin L, `Snow' 1996, (24 March 1997)

Why can web pages take a long time to load?

The speed at which web pages are loaded is determined by:
·      The speed of your modem.
·      The Internet link provided by your Internet Service Provider.
·      The amount of Internet "traffic" at the time.
·      The size of the page you are loading.

You will wait longer if it has large graphics files (or sound/movie files). Be patient!

If you just require the text from the web pages and do not need any graphics you can set your browser to download text only by turning off the load images option.

How do I increase the viewing area on screen?

Make sure you have adjusted your browser's window size to take up the full screen. Maximise the screen by using your mouse to drag the edges/corners of the active window towards the side/bottom until the full screen is taken up. This also reduces the need for horizontal scrolling.

The viewing area can also be increased by turning off or hiding the browser's menu bars which take up extra space. In Netscape you can do this by choosing Options -> and deselect any of the Show items such as Show Toolbar. You will still have access to these functions from the drop down menus and can reselect them at any time.

If using Internet Explorer, choose View -> and deselect Toolbar/Status Bar. You can reselect them if you need to.

If you are reading a web page which has frames and wish to enlarge the viewing area of one of them, put the mouse cursor over the frame border and drag it to one side. The frame will reload and the text will flow out to fill the wider viewing area.

Do not resize the viewing area while a page is loading. It may cause a crash. This often happens when a sound file or animation file is trying to load. Also wait until the page has completely loaded before attempting any onscreen interactions.

What if the print size is too small?

If you are having difficulty reading the text on the screen, you can adjust the font display size in your browser's menu options. For example, in Netscape you would go to the Options menu -> General Preferences-> Fonts, choose font and change the size.

If you are using Internet Explorer, click the Font button in the Toolbar, or choose View -> Fonts -> and select the size.

What if the colours don't look right?

Normally the web pages you see are developed using complimentary text and background colours. Check to see if your browser has been set to use its own colour combinations. If so, you will need to adjust the settings to allow web pages to display their original colours.

In Netscape, do this with the same menu choices for changing the font size but choose colours instead and set to the default setting.

In Internet Explorer, choose View -> Options -> choose Colour and check the settings.

Sometimes (although not very common now) web developers use colours that will not appear on all computers so some may not be able to display particular colours correctly. There is nothing you can do!

[Acknowledgement to http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/courses/guide/s3/fs-learn.htm]