Globalization has made an enormous difference to the way we live and work, and I don’t just mean the impact of petrol prices on our driving habits. Communicating with someone on the other side of the world is just as easy as communicating with someone next door. People change jobs more often than before, and jobs change just as frequently. And all these changes underscore the importance of education in this globalized, competitive, technology-driven, knowledge-based economy.

Of course, this is why so many people study on-campus at university or college. But many others already have jobs or other commitments and so cannot attend on-campus classes. If you are one of these people, online learning provides a flexible solution. But to succeed you need to take account of the following six guidelines.

Just because it is a flexible form of education, it doesn’t mean that you can keep “putting it off”. Procrastination, and then trying to fit it all in at the end, has caused so many failures. Don’t leave it until the last minute to upload your assignment or you can guarantee that your Internet service will go down just at that moment. So manage your time so that you complete assignments well before the due dates.

To complete a degree online means often working alone when your friends are out enjoying themselves, and it means maintaining this level of commitment for a long period of time. To achieve this, you must have a high degree of motivation. We did some research on success factors for our mature-age online learners. The number one factor wasn’t previous exam results - it was motivation. Even with very few previous academic qualifications, we found that students would succeed providing they were motivated. So, do make sure that you are highly motivated.

Unfortunately, many of us were taught to use “rote learning” at school. But other skills are needed to acquire meaningful knowledge. This means having well-developed critical reading and thinking skills. To be successful in learning online requires that you develop these skills. Many programs or colleges will provide a course to help you acquire such skills - it would be well worthwhile taking it so that you do know how to learn.

If you are learning online, the materials replace the lectures that students get in a face-to-face course. But they usually does more than those lectures - the courseware often includes questions, exercises and further reading so that your learning can be active rather than passive. And that is the key - ACTIVE LEARNING. Make sure that you complete all the exercises and actively read the text.

Lectures in high school classrooms and in undergraduate classes can all so easily encourage the “passive learning” already referred to. But real learning takes place when you are interacting with the materials and with others. So try to find a learning group, either in your area or online, and exchange ideas regularly. Also, make sure that you respond to all the e-Tutor’s requests for participation in the discussion forums. There may even be a mark allocated for such participation.

Never buy a qualification from a “diploma mill” - it can cost you! Before you enrol in a program, make sure is it accredited by a real accrediting body. Many diploma mills will claim to be accredited by a fake body, so check with licensing boards and professional associations under which they claim to offer programs.

Sophia Peters writes articles for the Online and Distance Learning web site where you can get more information on online programs. Visit the web site for more information on online programs, including nursing, business, entertainment and many others.

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