learnercharacteristics



=Learner Characteristics=

//Note: This area will be replicated within Blackboard sites for classes I teach. The advantage of putting it there is that I can also link to little movie clips and articles that I would share in a face-to-face class.// - SWQ

Helpful Learner Characteristics Resources about Successful Online Learning

Not everyone is well-suited to participate in an online course - and that is okay. In my experience, the candidates who are successful in a course taken in this model tend to have the following characteristics:
 * They are self-motivated and have good time management skills.
 * They are well-organized and plan ahead. They start their projects early and complete them with sufficient time to submit them prior to the due date/time. They anticipate that a technical problem could occur and they plan accordingly.
 * They can shut off distractions while they work on their classwork. They set aside specific times during the week to work, and they work in a location they have identified - either at home or at work - that allows them to concentrate on their work for an extended period of time.
 * They read the assignment descriptions and look at examples and other information before getting started on an assignment and before asking the instructor for assistance. (Corresponding with the instructor takes time and if you wait until the last minute to ask the question, you may not get the answer in time!)
 * They do not need frequent confirmation that they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. These courses often have very large enrollments and some of the immediate feedback you might like to have from an instructor is not always there. (Whenever it is possible, I use the features within Blackboard that give some sort of confirmation that an assignment has been received, even if it takes a few days longer to have the assignment scored and final points posted in the gradebook.)
 * They participate in the communication opportunities with their classmates by sharing their own experiences and reacting to their classmates’ comments in wikis, blogs, discussion forums, e-mail, etc. These learners are probably the folks who like to participate in class discussions in face-to-face classes. They seem to get the same feeling of community - getting to know their classmates - through these online communication activities. They also are not frustrated by the lack of immediate feedback by communicating in an asynchronous (not real-time) environment.
 * They are relatively comfortable with technology or at least they are not afraid to try new technologies. They have access to reliable and relatively modern equipment, software, and internet connection. They have also identified a local person who can help troubleshoot technical problems that might encounter. This is often the Information Technology (IT) person at work or a family member at home - sometimes it is a child or young neighbor! - SWQ

1) To see if you would make a successful online learner, explore some of the links on Online Learner Checklists. 2) You may also want to explore some basic information about online learning and resources available to online learners on Online Learners (optional)

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