Not having a regularly scheduled class with an instructor can bedisconcerting for students new to this kind of environment. All this points to the needfor time management skills. Developing time management skills is a necessityand cannot be over-emphasized. To be successful in online learning requiresactive participation and a commitment of time, energy, and self-discipline. To make your presence known, you needto participate.
Most instructors make participation a requirement.
Participationin an online course is accomplished through the posting of discussion messagesand assignments. Communicating your thoughts with others is key to buildinga community. Usually the instructor will set some guidelinesto keep the discussions moving forward. I suggest checking in at leastonce a day on weekdays and at least once on weekends. Not checking in frequentlymay cause you to fall behind.