Week 11: What are the characteristics of a successful online learner?

1. Be open minded about sharing life, work, and educational experiences as part of the learning process. Introverts as well as extroverts find that the online process requires them to utilise their experiences. This forum for communication eliminates the visual barriers that hinder some individuals in expressing themselves.

2. Be able to communicate through writing. In the virtual classroom, nearly all communication is written, so it is critical that you feel comfortable in expressing yourself in writing. Some students may find they need to undertake remedial work before their written communication is up to the required standard, or they may need to allocate more time than a fellow student on the same course to complete the same task. This may particularly be an issue for students studying in a language other than their first language.

3. Be self-motivated and self-disciplined. With the freedom and flexibility of the online environment comes responsibility. The online process takes a real commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the process.

4. Be willing to 'speak up' if problems arise. When students experience difficulty on any level (either with the technology or with the course content), they must communicate this immediately. Many of the non-verbal clues that tutors use to determine if students are having difficulties (e.g. confusion, frustration, boredom, absence etc.) are not present and if they don’t let their tutor know there is a problem, he or she may never know something is wrong.

5. Be willing and able to commit 4 to 15 hours per week per course. Online is not easier than the traditional educational process. In fact, many students will say it requires more time and commitment.

6. Be able to meet the minimum requirements for the course. The requirements for online are no less than that of any other college course. An online course is often a more convenient way to receive your education, not an easier way.

7. Accept critical thinking and decision-making as part of the learning process. The learning process requires you to make decisions based on facts as well as experience. Assimilating information and executing the right decisions requires critical thought.

8. Have access to a computer and the Internet. The communication medium is a computer, phone line and modem or broadband connection; the student must have access to the necessary equipment. Many students prefer to work from home; however, some students may use computers in libraries, open access centres run by their local authorities, or even from within the institutions they are studying with. Although online learning implies the learning takes place ‘at a distance’, the distance may only be one of time and not miles (or kilometres).

9. Be able to think ideas through before responding. Meaningful and quality input into the virtual classroom is an essential part of the learning process. Time is given in the process to allow for the careful consideration of responses. The testing and challenging of ideas is encouraged; you will not always be right and you should be prepared to accept a challenge.

10. Feel that high quality learning can take place without going to a traditional classroom. If a student feels that a traditional classroom environment is necessary for effective learning then they may be better off in a traditional classroom environment. Also, a student who wants to be on a traditional campus attending traditional lectures and seminars will probably not be very happy online. Potential online learners have to feel comfortable that the education experience they are going to receive is what they are looking for and that the teaching will be equivalent to that given to face-to-face students. As much as expectations about the quality of an online course can be communicated to online participants before they sign up, it is in some ways down to the online student to trust that this will be the case, particularly if they have never taken an online course before.

Adapted from:

Illinois Online Network. (2007). What Makes a Successful Online Student? Illinois: Illinois Online Network. Available from https://www.uis.edu/ion/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/successful-online-student/Links to an external site. [accessed 14th January 2010].