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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Get Your University Degree Online

Work responsibilities and the travel that came with them made attending classes next to impossible, so online education seemed to be the best option. Over the next six years, I completed both a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree online. It was a great experience and I now moderate online classes for the college where I also teach. Here are some of my tips for success in online education.

1. Pick a Great School
If you are going to make a significant investment in time and money to get an education online, make sure the school you choose is a good one. Of course it should be accredited, but also, check with potential employers to see if they recognize the credentials you will have when you graduate. Check both private and public institutions as they each have their own pros and cons. Don't limit your search for the right school to a single country. The Internet makes education a global experience.

2. Remember That You Still Have to Read
Sometimes when people sign up for an online course, they think that somehow information will be transferred to them electronically. There will be books and articles in addition to the material you get online. You can't get an education without reading.

3. Engage in Discussions Online and Offline
Many courses have discussion boards and chat rooms as a part of the program. In some cases, there may be sharing of email addresses to facilitate discussion. Participate in these discussions as much as possible. The discussion board is your classroom. You will learn as much from other students as you will from the course itself.

4. If Possible, Combine Your Online Studies With Traditional Classes
If you live in a town or city with a college or university, check and see if there are any courses that you can take part-time and fit into your online degree program. It is possible that your school will have affiliations with other schools. Some face-to-face instruction and discussion is not necessary for your success, but it will round out your experience.

5. Spend Some Time On Your Course Every Day
Read material when you're riding on the bus. Get up a bit early and check what's on discussion boards. If you try and find a couple of hours to dedicate to study, you may never get it done.

6. Take One Course At A Time
Usually in online education, you can take courses at your own rate of speed. If you focus on one course at a time, and finish each course in a shorter timeframe, you will likely finish your degree sooner than if you overload yourself with several courses at the same time.

7. Look For Resources at Traditional Universities
Universities that don't have online course may still have tremendous resources on their websites. Check these sites and you will be amazed at the information you find.

8. Learn To Become an Online Detective
Researching papers and assignments will be a part of your online program. Learn to follow your nose around the Internet to find the information you need. Search engines are getting overwhelmed with commercial sites, so learn to use academic search engines, and similar resources. If you find an article of particular interest, chances are the author is working at a university somewhere and has an email address posted on their website. Send an email with a few questions about the article.

9. Learn To Access Academic Databases

Download Drill of Physics for Selection Sign Universitas Indonesia (Simak-UI)

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Learning to use academic databases for journal articles and finding online journals is key to research success.

10. Find Inspiration
I met some incredible people online in the virtual classrooms of some my courses. People were overcoming tremendous obstacles to get an education. People bedridden with health problems, living in remote areas, dealing with financial difficulties and so on. The dedication and perseverance of these people were truly an inspiration.


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