Time Management Plan For Success In Online Learning

One of the greatest challenges of an online course is time management.  A common misunderstanding about online courses is that they require less time to complete.  In fact, you need to plan to spend as much time completing the work for an online class as you would for a traditional face-to-face class.  While the exact amount of time will vary for each student, a general rule is to plan for 3 hours a week of time for every unit the class is worth.  This class is worth 3 units, which means you need to set aside 9 hours each week for study and completing class work.  

This time does not need to be spent all at once.  In fact, it's better to spread the work throughout the week so that you can engage in class discussions, reading and completing the assignments in a way that makes sense.  For example, in this class you are required to post a response to a question each week on the discussion board. You are also required to reply to the postings of at least two other students.  Ideally, you should post your initial response early in the week so that you can return later in the week and see the replies of other students.  

It's critical to remember that late work will not be accepted. Don't wait to submit your work until the last hour before the deadline. A technology failure is not an excuse to have late work accepted.  Don't email the instructor and ask for more time or to have work accepted late for partial credit. You always have at least a full week to complete the assigned work and  you can always submit your work early before the deadline.

A key advantage to an online class is that you can work your class work around your work schedule or other life commitments.  What is important now as part of this course orientation is that you think about and plan for how you are going to complete this class work each week.  Use the following questions to prompt your thinking and to lay out a plan for success.