Centre for Flexible Learning:
Building Partnerships for Success
Studying Online
What will study online be like?
Studying online is a different experience for every unit you undertake at Macquarie. Units can vary enormously from one program to another, and from discipline to discipline. You might be working completely online, which means that nearly all your resources will be delivered to you via the Internet, and communication will be online: you could be discussing issues, completing quizzes, and listening to lectures online. Alternatively, you could be working with a combination of print, audio and web-based materials, and communication might be both online and in the classroom. That is, you might still have to attend traditional lectures, tutorials and pracs each week. If you are a distance student, you may have to attend an on-campus session once or twice a semester. Check the unit details very carefully to be sure.
How do I study as an online student?
Getting started
You need to be focused and organised. Don't leave things to the last minute. Scan through the materials online first and get an overview of what is available. Find out what you have to do, how much time you are expected to spend online, and regularly check the online bulletin board discussions and private mail. Talk to your lecturer and classmates about the unit to make sure you're on the right track.
Try out the technology
Log on to the site as soon as you have access so you resolve any technical problems. Find out what technical skills are assumed and what new ones you need to acquire.
Many units use an application called Blackboard CE6 and you will need to know, for instance:
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your username and password;
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how to navigate around the site;
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manage messages on the Discussions; and
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how to logout of Blackboard CE6 so that no one else can use your password.
You might also need to:
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know how to upload and download files to your online unit;
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use a number of other online tools, such as the calendar, compile, search and note taking tools.
Time management
All of this may sound a bit daunting at first, but it is manageable, and generally students learn very quickly. Log on to the website regularly, and allow room in your schedule in case there are difficulties. For example, you may have trouble logging on when a quiz is due, or you forget your password, or you find you cannot print when you need to, or the system is down when you have a scheduled chat session. The more you use the website, the more proficient you will become in accessing information and trouble shooting problems.
Reading online
Be careful if you have to read a great deal of information online. Give your eyes a rest from the computer every 20 minutes, and print off long documents rather than trying to read them online. Often you can enlarge the font size on your browser for easier scanning. See Onscreen reading survival tips for more information.
Most importantly, read critically and question the source of all materials on the Internet.
Online tutorials
Take note of the guidelines set by your lecturer. Make sure you read the Netiquette Guidelines. If tutorials take place on the Discussions you can post messages at a time that suits you, otherwise discussions could be in a chat room where a number of students must be online at a prescribed time.
If there is a specific timeframe for contributions, make sure you don't add your messages at the last minute as often these discussions are collaborative activities, and members of your group will be relying on you to contribute in a timely fashion. Also, no one person should dominate the discussion space; ensure everyone has a chance to share ideas online.
Good luck with your studies!