subject: Your Success In Distance Education [print this page] 1. Good writing capabilities - In classes provided on the Internet, much of the conversation is written, thus being capable to express yourself in an effective way in writing is a must. Some communication is writing and communicating-to-learn. Besides, you and those people whom you write to should be capable to comprehend your thoughts plus the point of everything you say. In such cases, "good" grammar is not a must for you. You can omit capitalization and misspell words. You may construct comma splices and sentence fragments. For some of the writing, you communicate in a case where you should use well-constructed sentences and correct grammar, plus arrange and format the communication.
Another aspect for you to consider is that everything you write is the major source of info obtainable to your teacher and class members. This kind of communication gives no non-verbal signs to receive or send, and no voice inflections or tones to interpret. Sometimes, miscommunication may happen. Be ready to work through such times. You shouldn't assume the worst. But you should assume the other person tries to communicate positively.
2. Problem solver - Things can go wrong. You'll be more successful in case you try to resolve any problem occurring, than wait for help. When running into an obstacle, you need to look for solutions allowing you to fulfill the course requirements. You need to contact others in your class as well as your teacher, and propose alternate solutions.
3. Capability to arrange and prioritize your work - For online courses, you should structure the schedule, balancing the time around the class requirements, comprising completing your projects to be handed in. In addition to this, you need to list the tasks you need to complete, prioritize this list, and improve a schedule, setting the deadlines for accomplishing the tasks. Also, you can use the list and follow deadlines.
