What if You Don’t “Fit the Effective Online Student’s Profile?”
When they learn about all the characteristics of effective online learners, some students may think, “I have most of those characteristics but, when I took an online course before, I still hated it”
Others may think to themselves, “I don’t fit the profile very well. Does that mean I will never succeed learning online?”
Don’t jump to conclusions! First, not all online courses are the same; therefore, your experiences with online courses will also vary.
That one course you took and hated so much some time ago very probably is not representative of all online courses. It may have left a bad taste in your mouth, but you may have much better experiences in other courses.
Secondly—and here is the good news—even if you lack many of those characteristics, there are things you can do to change your behavior and become more effective.
Can You Change?
When faced with a course that you were “forced” into, you still have choices. You can complain endlessly about it, which will only make you feel even more frustrated and discouraged.
Conversely, you can also take control of the situation and seek to minimize any shortcomings.
When classes first went online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers and instructors had to scramble to convert to online format the courses they had originally designed for classroom-based instruction. In some cases, they were making changes to their courses as the courses progressed. As the pandemic continued longer than they originally hoped it would, they got better at delivering online instruction.
As a student, you can do the same. You can adapt to the so-called “new normal,” change you learning behaviors, and adjust your mindset. towards learning.
Changing long-held attitudes is not always easy and takes a deliberate effort.
The article continues on the next page.