Online Learning

Part 1

Read Between the Lines

Make a judgment about the site’s reliability based on your own analysis of the site and the information it contains. Here are some ways to do this:

·         Look for facts you know or can check with a trusted source. If the site gets those facts right, it’s more likely that the other facts on the site are also accurate.

·         Study the language used. Is it angry, satiric or overly impassioned? This may indicated that the site is biased.

·         Consider whether the arguments are logical and backed up by evidence, and whether the site presents only one point of view.

·         Check the links to the sources that the author acknowledges. Scholarly writing, whether in print or online, should include a bibliography.

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It’s Online, but Is It On Target?

Part 1

Using the Web Wisely

Thanks to the Web, information is easy to find. However, it’s also easy to post something online. Anyone can do it.

You’ve probably used the Internet to do research for paper, to help you decide which product to buy, or to form an opinion about current events. Looking up information online is fast and convenient. But when you do online research, it’s important to find sites you can trust. Many websites claim to have the facts, but are full of errors. Others present information in a biased way – they only give one side of an argument. How can you tell reliable sources from an unreliable one? Also, it is critical that you post online only that which is decent and appropriate ,never anything pornographic, vulgar, indecent, out of taste, untruthful, or obscene. Post those things that will make a good name for you and your organization, that will promote goodwill and be of benefit to the world.

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Friday

Friday was a very nerve racking day. I woke up around 7 Am, showered, prepared myself, made sure everything was packed and ready to go. Then my mom took me to my cousins house, whom was providing me with a ride to Arizona. After me dropping off my luggage in his house my mom dropped me off at my girlfriends house around 8:30 and I spent about an hour there watching tv and eating breakfast. Afterwards I walked my girlfriend to her school and walked back to my cousins.

At around 12 we took off to Arizona, the view was beautiful. We saw a Marine convey on the way over there, when we got there we were EXHAUSTED. We spent a little bit of time chatting with our family, putting away our clothes and luggage and suits and then just said goodnight for the day.

Tips for Staying Motivated

Tips 1-2

To succeed in high school and college, you have to do your best at all times. But sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you really care about the work you’re doing. Here are five ways to stay on the right track.

1. Focus on High-Impact Activities

The key to success in school is staying focused on your course work. Make a list to get an overall picture of your workload before you start to tackle any of it. Then, make a plan. Although it’s tempting to do the simplest assignments first, those that take more time and effort to accomplish are probably the ones that you’ll learn the most from.

To determine what your priorities are, rank your assignments in the order of their importance. Then rearrange your time and devote more energy toward those that have the greatest impact on your course work and grades. For example, even though all homework assignments are important, studying for a midterm exam takes priority over writing a paragraph for English class. As you complete each task, think of it as another step on your way to college success.

2. Create New Challenges

Changing your approach can help you stay interested in what you’re doing. If you’ve been given an assignment similar to one you’ve done in the past, think about it in a different way. If you wrote an essay for a creative writing assignment last year, try a poem this time. For book reports pick a history book instead of another biography.

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Take Control of Homework

So It Doesn’t Control You

Part 1

Although very few students love homework, it does serve a purpose. Homework helps you:

·         Reinforce what you’ve learned during the day.

·         Build study habits that are essential in college.

·         Prepare for your classes.

·         Get a sense of progress.

 

Here are some tips to help you deal with homework more efficiently and effectively.

Set the Mood

Create a good study area with everything you need (for example, a calculator). If you don’t have a quiet place at home, try your school or local library.

Know Where to Begin

Even if you don’t have homework every night, use the time to review notes. If sitting down to work is part of your normal routine, you’ll approach it with less dread. Also, you’ll become a pro at using time productively.

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Note-Taking Strategies

Part 1

How to Get your Class Notes into Shape

Getting the most out of high school and college means studying hard and using your time in class wisely. An effective note-taking strategy can help you do both. Here are the basics.

Stay Organized

It may seem obvious, but your class notes can only help you if you can find them. When you’re taking notes be sure to:

·         Keep all your notes in one place.

·         Date and number pages; keeping them in order makes it easier to understand them later.

Before Class

Review the materials assigned for that class period thoroughly. Bring a list of any questions you may have.

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Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 1

You may want to take a class that your high school doesn’t offer. Under some circumstances, you can still enroll in the class – through distance learning. Distance education means taking a class without being physically present where it is being taught. Internet-based technology lets students participate in lectures and class sessions online from almost anywhere.

Some high schools agree to recognize distance-learning credits when they don’t have the resources to offer a course themselves. Distance education is often used to increase options in rural areas and for AP courses. For you, it might mean doing self-tutorial at home in the evening, or participating in a class that is 1,000 miles away, along with other high school students. Check with your school counselor to see what’s available.

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Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 1

Like many high school students, you may want – or need – to work part time. Working takes a lot of time and energy, though, so before getting a job, make sure that you think about your ability to handle both work and your education.

Important Considerations

You have to weigh a number of factors when deciding whether to take on a part-time job. It’s important to get as much information as possible, so you can figure out what choice makes the most sense for you. Schedule a meeting with your school counselor to discuss the idea of working. Talk to your counselor about why you want to work and what type of position you’re seeking.

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Selecting Your Courses

Recommended Classes for College Success

The academic rigor of your high school courses is an important factor in the college admission process. College admission officers see your high school course schedule as a blueprint of your education. They’re looking for a solid foundation of learning that you can build on in college.                                                                             To create that foundation, at least five solid academic classes every semester. Start with the basics and then move on to advanced courses. Challenging yourself is part of what makes school fun; but you need a firm grasp of the fundamentals before going on to more advanced work.

 

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How to Take on College Studying

Part 1

Develop Good Study Habits

In college, you’ll need to build on the study skills that you learned in high school. The demands of a college class are probably more rigorous than those you are used to.

You can succeed by knowing what to expect and how to handle it.

Think of college as a full-time job, in which you spend 40 hours a week on class, labs, study groups, and doing homework.

Being organized and using your time well are essential. Learn more about time management, and use guidelines below to develop your study skills.

Decide When to Study

Work out about how many hours you need to study every day. Then make a schedule.

-Figure out what blocks of time you have available throughout the day, in the evenings and on weekends.

-Consider what time of day you are most alert – there are morning people and night owls – and try to schedule your studying accordingly.

-Think about whether you do better studying for a few hours at a time or sitting down for marathon sessions.

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10 time Management Tips For Students

Tips 1-4

Organizing Your Life

Managing your time well is an important element of success – especially if you’re a student. If you set priorities that fit your needs and lifestyle, you’ll have a better chance of achieving your goals. Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life.

Tip 1. Make a To-Do List Every Day.

Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments.

Tip 2. Use Spare Minutes Wisely.

When you’re commuting on the bus or train, use the time to get some reading done.
Tip 3. It’s okay to Say No.

If your friend asks you to go to a movie on a Thursday night and you have an exam the next morning, realize that it’s okay to say no. Keep your short- and long-term priorities in mind.

Tip 4. Find the Right Time.

You’ll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work. For example, if your brain handles math better in the afternoon, don’t wait to do it until late at night.

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7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens

By Sean Covey

For teens, life is not a playground, it’s a jungle. And, being the parent of a teenager isn’t any walk in the park, either. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, author Sean Covey attempts to provide “a compass to help teens and their parents navigate the problems they encounter daily.”

How will they deal with peer pressure? Motivation? Success or lack thereof? The life of a teenager is full of tough issues and life-changing decisions. As a parent, you are responsible to help them learn the principles and ethics that will help them to reach their goals and live a successful life.

While it’s all well and good to tell kids how to live their lives, “teens watch what you do more than they listen to what you say,” Covey says. So practice what you preach. Your example can be very influential.

Covey himself has done well by follow a parent’s example. His dad, Stephen Covey, wrote the book The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, which sold over 15 million copies. Sean’s a chip off the old block, and no slacker. His own book has rung in a more than respectable 2 million copies sold. Here are his seven habits, and some ideas for helping your teen understand and apply them:

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Profile of a Successful Student

Part 1

 

http://www.plymouth.edu/office/online-education/online-learning/profile-of-a-successful-student/

A successful student…

… Takes responsibility for his/her own learning

Online learning can be a powerful, stimulating, engaging experience for the students who can work and think independently. However, since most—if not all—of the learning takes place on your own time, you will not have the kind of direct supervision you would in a classroom. Online learning therefore requires a significant commitment from you. All education comes down to what you’re willing to invest in the experience—this is particularly true in the online environment. Commitment, self-discipline and self-motivation are all key qualities to ensuring success in an online course!

… is comfortable and confident with written communication reading and writing are the basis of most online courses, so it’s critical that you feel comfortable with this form of communication. While some courses contain modules that include videos or other activities, all of them require significant amounts of reading. And nearly all of your communication with your classmates and your instructor will be in writing. If these are weak areas for you, you will want to address those issues prior to enrolling or while enrolled in an online course. The PSU Writing Center is available to assist you.

 

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Successful Students

1-2

Successful students exhibit a combination of successful attitudes and behaviors as well as intellectual capacity. Successful students . . .

1.       . . . are responsibly and active. Successful students get involved in their studies, accept responsibility for their own education and are active participants in it! Responsibility means control. It’s the difference between leading and being led. Your own efforts control your grade, you earn the glory or deserve the blame, you make the choice. Active classroom participation improves grades without increasing study time. You can sit there, act bored, daydream, or sleep. Or, you can actively listen, think, question, and take notes like something in charge of their learning experience. Either option costs one class period. However, the former method will require a large degree of additional work outside of class to achieve the same degree of learning the latter provides at one sitting. The choice is yours.

2.       . . . Have educational goals. Successful students have legitimate goals and are motivated by what they represent in terms of career aspirations and life’s desires.

Ask yourself these questions: What am I doing here? Why have I chosen to be sitting here now? Is there some better place I could be? What does my presence here mean to me? Answers to these questions represent your “Hot Buttons” and are, without a doubt, the most important factors in your success as a college student. If you’re educational goals are truly yours, not someone else’s, they will motivate a vital and positive academic attitude. If you are familiar with what these hot buttons represent and refer to them often, especially when you tire of being a student, nothing can stop you; if you aren’t and don’t, everything can, and will!

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Study for Multiple Exams

Part 1

How I study for multiple exams, deal with multiple projects: Really it is my time management that I explained above. If I see I have multiple things due or to study for all at the same time I spread out my time beforehand. For example, if I have a test Monday, and 2 tests Tuesday then I will study for my Monday test Thursday and part of Friday. Start studying for my next test on the second half of Friday and part of my Saturday, then my second Tuesday test on Saturday as well and part of Sunday. Then Sunday night I can review for my Monday test because I already studies for it. When that test is over I can begin reviewing for the other tests. My overall study method: I try to break it up over several days or at least two. I get bogged down if I try to pull an all-nighter. How I’ve overcome an initial bad grade: if I received a low grade I probably knew it was coming because I didn’t prepare properly or I didn’t use the right study habit for that class. I usually try to go over what I did wrong and sometime discuss with the teacher what I can do differently on the next exam or what they suggest I do for studying for the next exam.

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Sarah’s Academic Success Story

Part 1

Time management became a key factor in my study skills for college. In high school, there were times I was able to study for an hour or two the night before a test and get away with it. This was not the case in college. I made sure in college I was prepared for each class. Sometimes that meant writing out the terms for the chapter we read (even if when it isn’t required) to better understand them. That way when the midterm or test comes around I was able to understand what I was studying. I started taking excellent notes in class in college. I may have done this in high school, but in college I started typing up the notes after class. This helped me remember what I just went over in class then when I had a test one week later I was more likely to remember then as well.

My overall study method: structured. One thing I learned was I had to adapt or change my study method according to the class. I couldn’t study for a religion class the same way I studies for a finance class. But making sure I had enough time to study for each class – even if it meant carrying a planner with me at all times was a big part of my success.

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Work Together

Part 1

I can and will work as part of the team as long as everyone in the team is willing to do his work. I don’t like having to pick up the slack, but I will if I know that my grade will be harmed otherwise. My greatest academic success was in my first semester when I had to write a 10-12 page research paper. It was the longest paper I had ever been assigned and I was a little sacred. Also, it was the first paper where they were like, here you go, just write about something. I had to argue in favor of or against something, but it could be anything from the sky is blue to hypnotism. I wrote mine on hypnotism. I worked on this paper for weeks and weeks. Every night I would be doing research or writing. I put so much effort into this paper. It ended up being just under 12 pages but it was full on information. I turned it in and when I got it back a week or so later, I had received the first A+ of my college career. All my hard work paid off because I got the grade I deserved. I was really happy and proud of myself.

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You Can Succeed Every Day

Part 1

My overall study method: I break up studying over several days and over the course of the evening and day. Cramming never works for me so I try not to do it. I will have longer sessions on nights before big tests, but I never stay up much later than normal before tests. I know that if I take a test tired the next day I will not do as well as if rested. How I’ve overcome an initial bad grade: I usually look over the test or paper to see what I did that the teacher did not want. Basically, I do not stress about grades that much because for me they are not worth getting really upset about. I do well because I know that I know the material. However, id I do get a bad grade, or one lower than I expected, I make sure that the next time a test is coming I study even more so that I won’t be surprised by the questions.

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Effective Study Methods

Part 1

My test study method: When it comes time to study for the test, I usually start 2-3 days before the test. I go through my notes and make flashcards on what was important for those sections, paying special attention to what the teacher said would be on the test if there was a review session. Also, I go through the book and read inset stories and add to my flashcards. If there are practice problems or online assignments or old tests, I use those to help me study for the test as well. Once the test is over, I keep the flashcards so that I have them for the next test or for the final. Flashcards are a marvelous learning tool. The key to remembering something is to repeat it numerous times-spaced rehearsal. If you forget something, it is because you haven’t repeated it enough times for an extended period of time. Repetition is a law of learning; therefore, to learn and remember, to recall, it is mandatory that you repeat over and over the things you desire to learn and remember. You may be thinking, “Oh, no repeating something.” You need to get used to it. For example, the more you practice a song on the piano, the better you become at playing that song. Learning and remembering is like playing the piano-the more you practice saying or doing it the better you can remember it. Look now at what you remember. You remember it because you have repeated it numerous times since first being exposed to it. So, practice rehearsing those things you desire to remember, and they will stick with you.

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Academic Success

Part 1

My great academic success: In my principles of marketing class, we had to come up with a new product and sell it. My group ended up with a couple supposedly bad student according to our teacher since they were the last ones picked. In the end, they helped out more than needed since I was the team leader I assigned them certain pieces of the project that became solely their responsibility. Delegating work always helps since it allows a group member individual work without separating the group.

English, math, foreign language tips: Math basically just takes practice. I always tell students to take a blank piece of paper and write everything you know about what you’ve learned or what you’re studying for in the class. If you don’t remember everything or start drawing blanks, then you need to study more and review your notes. Note cards work really well for foreign language. Here are my final words of wisdom for students who want to get better grades in college: go to class, make friends with people in class just in case you’re absent, and remember that you should want to learn.

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