Know Your Learning Style To Learn Online

I had to smile recently as I was doing research on an article about online degrees. Like many people who write articles, I occasionally generate new ideas by skimming PLR (Private Label Rights) articles Ive either collected or bought over the years. I just had to laugh when one such article announced the impending demise of the "real" brick-and-mortar university in no uncertain, albeit almost ludicrous terms. Imagine, ventured the incredulous author, that some people actually still play solitaire with a real deck of cards!

Even if considerations such as convenience and flexibility have made distance learning extraordinarily popular, the truth is that earning an online degree isnt always so easy. To be successful, online learners need better than average command of basic computer skills. While copy-and-paste, familiarity with a word processor and knowing how to access the Internet are easily mastered abilities, other tools in the skill set arent so easy to acquire.

Here's a list of three key factors to consider:

1. Discipline is at the top of everyone's list. Because distance learning is at its core an isolated endeavour, quite a few students aren't able to focus on their work without the benefit of one-on-one interaction with instructors and other students. Many online learners let assignments slide because there isn't a deadline or pressure from an instructor to hand in an assignment on time. This is particularly true for working adults or learn-at-home moms who need to integrate online learning with the pressures of a job or the needs of their children and families.

2. Discipline alone isnt enough. Organizational skills are also important because distance learners typically hold down a job or care for a family at the same time theyre earning a college degree. Theres no time for distance learners to pull an all-nighter before a paper is due or before final exams. So, online learners have to have the skills to organize their other activities in order to have enough time for projects and class preparation.

3. Even those who can rally the discipline and organizational skills to succeed may still not have the learning style that best dovetails with the distance learning environment. Online learning relies heavily on audio-visual naterials, either in the form of reading assigments or audio and video-based instruction. If you need a hands-on approach to learn, that is, by examining or even building something, chances are you may have difficulties with online learning.

You can discover more about your online learning preferences by completing one of several online tests that help nail down your personal learning style. Try searching Google, MSN or Yahoo for "learning styles" or "online learning styles" to find several different tests. These tests are all simple to complete and afterwards youll have a much better idea of how well qualified you may be for online learning. Reputable online universities also have counsellors and advisors to help you assess your chances of successfully earning an online degree.