To start your study, you need to first decide what degree you are interested in pursuing and what institutions offer what you are looking for. Once you decide on the institution you are going to attend, you need to decide whether you will attend online courses, traditional classrooms, or a combination of both. While those who attend traditional classrooms will need many of these supplies as well, this article will focus mostly on what the student who takes online courses needs. You're going to need money for all of the following in order to be able to take online courses. Some of these you may already have, but for the rest that you don't have, you'll need to invest in them.
1. The online course and the materials you will need in them. 2. A computer. A laptop may be advantageous for you if you need to access your courses on the go, such as at work or in a study group.
Specification-wise, your computer should have - a Pentium processor that runs at 300 MHz or higher; - at least 128 MB of RAM; the more you have, the more resource-intensive applications you can run at one time; - an Operating System of Windows 95 or higher or Macintosh 8.1 or higher; - a disk drive ( CD or DVD that can burn as well) to download course materials and save information; - a modem to connect to the Internet; - some kind of word processing software on your computer to complete assignments - MS Word is the most popular, though there is also WordPerfect and AppleWorks; - a sound card and speakers; you won't be able to hear your professor's lectures without them. 3.
An Internet connection. Preferably, you should really consider high-speed Internet connections like cable or DSL because the video feeds professors will use to show their lectures online will come across better with fewer interruptions than if you are on dial-up. Having a smoother video feed will likely aid you in learning the material better, rather than only having the video play for 5 seconds or so, then pausing for 5 seconds or so, then resuming, etc. In addition, cable and DSL will allow you to upload and download your work assignments that much quicker; a 1 MB assignment would take at least 20-30 seconds to download via dial-up, whereas it would only take about 2-3 seconds at most to download via cable or DSL. The time saved can allow you to get to work quicker.
4. Investing in a high-quality printer. While you may not need a printer to print out your assignments and turn them in like you would in a traditional classroom setting, you likely will want to take some of the course material with you to read and review when you are on the go, rather than taking your laptop and powering it on all the time.
An inkjet printer or laser printer would be your best bets; a laser printer especially if you are just printing out text, while an inkjet printer might be a better choice if your course materials include a lot of graphics, as inkjet printers normally handle graphics better than laser printers. 5. A good quality, comfortable chair that supports your back; after all, you are going to be spending considerable amounts of time in this chair logging into your online courses, reading the material, downloading your assignments, preparing your assignments and uploading them, conversing with your online classmates, etc. If you are uncomfortable in your chair, it's likely your performance will suffer, so invest in a comfortable high-quality chair that fits your height, allows your feet to rest squarely on the floor, and allows you to perform at your best.
6. The desk you have your computer on; make sure there is enough room for you to have all of your necessary supplies, such as paper, pencil, mouse, printer (unless you have it on the floor,) etc. It's better to have enough room for all of those necessities rather than trying to shift everything around when you need a specific item, as this will save on time and frustration.
After acquiring everything you need to succeed in your online courses, you then need to put forth the time and effort to succeed at those courses. Only your determination and persistence will allow you to do that. It may take some getting used to participating in an online course because of the lack of verbal communication, plus you need to stay focused and determined to complete the course, even when your career or family life provides outside distractions. Some tips to stay motivated include - setting goals and charting your progress so you don't lose your motivation and fall behind in your class. - talking about what you are learning with a family member or friend, as this will aid your learning of the material.
- "talking" about the material with your online classmates via chat rooms, message boards, email, and instant messaging. If you can meet with any of them in a study group, that would also be beneficial. - keeping in contact with your professor and your online classmates to help you stay positive in times when you have doubts or experience frustration over the online course. - rewarding yourself from time to time with activities with loved ones and just taking time out for yourself.
This will help to recharge you and and your motivation to complete the online course. Successfully completing your online courses involves having the necessary supplies and motivation, so make sure you are prepared before enrolling in your online courses.
Bryan Wong is the owner of www.OneStopEducationSearch.com, a website that provides you a unique one-stop-search-service and high quality articles. Visit www.OneStopEducationSearch.com for great tips. Visit our giftshop and get an ebook on Time Management just for stopping by.
