I am no novice when it comes to online education.  I spent a year attending hybrid classes at a local junior college and thrived.  So why does the 100% online Library & Information Science program at San Jose State make me wince with furrowed brow?  It can be summed up in one phrase:  Out of sight, out of mind.

So how does one succeed in a rigorous 100% online program?  Answer: Accountability.

Steps to Accountability and Success as an Online Student

Step 1: Self-assess and decide on strengths and weaknesses.  Everyone has  weaknesses and not everyone is going to be able to “fix”them before beginning an online program, but knowing one’s strengths will help bolster weaknesses.

For example, while I am fairly self-motivated, comfortable working independently, and comfortable working with technology, I struggle with time-management.  However, I know that I have fewest distractions in the mornings before my kids wake up and before I check my work email.  This is a perfect time to check in on my class discussions and remind myself about upcoming assignments and due dates.

Step 2:  Create a schedule and add it to your calendar: schedule when to read and when to check in on D2L’s discussion boards.

Having several clients forces me to look at my calendar every day to schedule my agenda.  By having time set aside for classwork, even if it’s just a check-in during my lunch break, classwork is not longer “out of sight.”

Step 3:  Planning alleviates chaos.  Plan as much as possible.  Stick to the plan as much as possible.

Step 4:  When it’s time to check in on D2L, just do it!  There will always be 100 other things to do.  I find once I log in to D2L, I am productive 99% of the time.

Step 5:  Keep a positive ATTITUDE.  Remind yourself that the attitude you choose to exude in these beginning courses at SJSU will be setting the tone for an entire library career.  Enthusiasm is just as infectious as a lack thereof.

Step 6:  Don’t fear the TEAM.  SJSU’s SLIS, as in the real-world workplace, will require many collaborative assignments.  Collaboration is good.  It offers a way to introduce diversity of opinion.  It offers a way to build relationships.  And it helps form commitments to the implementation of ideas.  Remembering that  transparency and leadership should be core parts of the team, the group work done in class should be viewed as the perfect opportunity to practice weeding out the things that make teamwork dysfunctional: lack of trust, commitment, accountability, fear of confrontation/conflict, dominant personalities, etc., and implement strategies such as non-violent communication, to move the group toward success and “performance” (as put by Dr. Haycock.)

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So far I’ve found online coursework to be a groove I have to get into.  The more I log on and the more assignments I complete, the more confident and comfortable I feel.  I haven’t been able to  conquer all the steps outlined above, but I know that with the right attitude, success is attainable.