What Every Online Student Needs to Have

Technology is vastly changing the way we learn and interact with each other. Now days you no longer need to physically be at a school in order to take classes. Students who take courses online have the unique opportunity to not only live wherever they choose but to learn when they choose. To excel in an online course one needs to have motivation and drive to learn the course material, basic computer knowledge, and self-discipline.
Regular college courses have required meeting times, lectures, and class discussions. Online courses do not have set times to meet or lectures to sit through. In an online class the student has to take the initiative to read the material, learn it, and complete the required assignments. The students who have the interest and motivation to read and learn the material are the ones who benefit most from online classes.
In order to access the course material and assignments one needs basic knowledge of the computer. Besides knowing how to turn it on and connect it to the internet, one must be able to navigate the Blackboard system and copy and paste documents. The computer skills required for an online course can be easily learned and will enhance the students ability to learn the course material.
The most important characteristic an online student needs is self-discipline. Every aspect of an online class is based on the student; when to learn the material and complete the assignment, when to study. Students who miss deadlines, procrastinate and do not set aside enough time to work will not do well. Time management and purely sitting down and doing the work will ensure a students success in an online course.
The experience of taking an online course is completely up to the student. A student who is motivated and disciplined will be able to learn and succeed in an online course. A student who procrastinates and misses deadlines will not do well and will have a harder time in the course.