Good Ideas
More and more, adult learners are finding the convenience and flexibility of online learning a match for their learning goals and busy lifestyles. Online degree programs, courses, and virtual universities targeting adult learners have proliferated in the past decade. Although students can easily locate an online course or degree program that's both convenient and accessible, they may face significant challenges in developing a new set of skills for this type of instruction.
Educators have speculated on the development of student skills necessary to succeed in online learning, but relatively few publications cover the topic from the perspective of successful online students. I developed the study summarized here to provide this perspective and to identify useful strategies that instructors can promote in their online courses.
Methodology
The study began with the development of a set of questions that emerged from a group of online course designers, faculty, and administrators I consulted for ideas. The question set was reviewed and edited by a larger group of faculty and administrators, and an online survey instrument was developed.
Participants for this study were selected from a list of graduates who had earned their degrees by taking 80 percent or more of their courses exclusively online. Students achieving a 3.50 cumulative grade point average or better were invited to participate in the study.
Of the 93 students invited to participate, 59 did so. Survey answers were open-ended, allowing respondents to describe online learning techniques they found useful and to tell the stories of their experiences as online students.1.....
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