| You've decided it's time to go back to college to | | | | material for your degree study. You will be notified at |
| further your education, but as a working adult, you | | | | the start of class as to exactly what material is |
| can't see how going to school the traditional way will | | | | provided online, and what you will have to buy. |
| fit into your busy schedule. Fortunately though, after | | | | 4. Software. You may need to purchase additional |
| doing some research on the internet, you discovered | | | | software for your computer. In some cases, the |
| that the best option for you at this time is to get an | | | | software will already be included in the cost of the |
| online distance education degree. | | | | course. In most cases however, you will need to |
| Now it's time to get prepared for school. It's probably | | | | have specific software in order to watch the |
| been a few years since you've attended school, and | | | | lectures, to attend virtual classes, and communicate |
| you're a little unsure about what you're going to | | | | with your classmates and instructors. If you don't |
| need. To help ease any anxiety you may feel, here is | | | | already have this software, you will have to buy it |
| a list of six things you'll need for success with your | | | | and have it installed on your computer. |
| studies: | | | | 5. Other materials. As in a traditional classroom |
| 1. A computer. You will need a working computer | | | | setting, there are some standard items you'll need. |
| that you can rely on. It doesn't need to be brand | | | | Pens and pencils, paper, and 3-ring binders for the |
| new, but should be new enough that you can run | | | | syllabus and other class material are all essential items |
| any software necessary for the course. Because | | | | you'll need in you study area. And if you live with |
| you're going online, you need to make sure you have | | | | other people you should have a headset to listen to |
| adequate protection for your computer such as a | | | | audio portions of lectures and video streams without |
| virus and spam blocker, and a good firewall to keep | | | | disrupting their need for quiet. Your instructor will let |
| out hackers and malicious software. | | | | you know if you will need anything else for your |
| 2. Internet access. The very nature of online courses | | | | class. |
| requires that you have access to the internet. | | | | 6. A quiet place to study. Don't underestimate the |
| Although a dial-up internet account may be adequate | | | | importance of this one. It is imperative that you have |
| for basic class functions such as sending and receiving | | | | a quiet place to work on your assignments and class |
| emails and making posts in classroom discussion | | | | projects, as free as possible from extraneous |
| threads, it would be to your advantage to have high | | | | distractions that will sidetrack you away from your |
| speed internet access if at all possible. Some classes | | | | study. Of course, you will need to have a computer |
| may require large file downloads or video streams | | | | at this location as well. |
| which will take a virtual eternity to download with a | | | | So there you have it, six things you'll need for your |
| regular dial-up modem. | | | | first online distance education course. When you start |
| 3. Textbooks. Lectures, syllabuses, textbooks and | | | | class you may need to add some other things to |
| other course material are generally all available by | | | | your list, according to the course requirements. But |
| download from the online school. However depending | | | | for now, this list of six things can help set you on the |
| on the institution and the type of course you are | | | | path to e-learning success. |
| taking, you may need to buy textbooks and other | | | | |