Counseling Education

How To Discipline Yourself When Going To An Online School

Attending a college class online can be challenging for some. Staying motivated and discipline can be difficult in this type of learning environment. Today we will discuss some useful tips and strategies to help you discipline yourself when going to an online school.

Read the Syllabus and Ask Questions

The first thing to do is to read the syllabus thoroughly. As you read, make note of any discrepancies or questions. Depending upon your instructor's methods, you can either email the instructor directly, or pose your questions in an online forum so that the question(s) and answer(s) will be shared with your classmates. Do this for each course you are taking.

Be Organized

Staying organized will also contribute to your success. Get a calendar and mark specific due dates for all assignments. Determine how long you think it might take in order to complete each assignment, given other assignments and obligations. If you think an assignment will take 2 weeks to complete, place a reminder on your calendar, such as, "Assignment X is due in two weeks."

Remain Focused and Don't Get Behind Stay on top of readings, lectures, online discussions, quizzes and tests. Much like acquiring debt, it is very easy to fall behind, and very hard to catch up. Find a compatible time of day, several days per week every week, and set this aside for school work and studying. Stay focused, motivated, and true to your goals.

Often, although it is a virtual study environment, you may find that there are other students in your class who live in the same city that you do, or somewhere nearby. If this is the case, developing a study group can be very motivational and productive to learning and discipline. If you don't have any other classmates in your city, you may wish to form an online study group using programs such as Skype or Facetime.

If you have questions, don't wait until the last minute; ask as soon as you know you have a question. Your instructor may not be available to answer your question if you wait until your assignment is due.

Stay Motivated

Motivation is a very important tool in disciplining yourself during online courses. Remembering your end goal and the reason you are attending school in the first place, and plan to give yourself small rewards along the way. After writing a 10 page research paper, for example, you may reward yourself by going to a movie or out to dinner.

In conclusion, we have covered several quick and easy methods to help you discipline yourself when attending school online. These strategies will not only improve your overall performance in the class but also save you time and stress in order to enhance your success in online educational environments.

The preceding article was written by R. Swingle, article writer for Lift Education. Visit them to learn more about accelerated degree programs.

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