1. Part I:
How to be Successful in an Online Class
©2010 Wellner Design

2. You will now become responsible
for discovering your best learning
environment…

3. …and making it happen.
• Is the television a distraction?
Are you watching Maury instead
of reading Shakespeare?
• You may love music but if you
are singing instead of typing,
you need to rethink the ipod.
• Good news for night owls…
NCVPS is open 24 hours a day
for your viewing pleasure!

4. What type of environment is
the most productive for you?

5. Careful what you say, text,
type…
• Online teachers love it when
you communicate with them.
They miss the “one-on-one” of
the classroom. Being a virtual
student DOES NOT MEAN
you have to figure out
everything without the help of a
teacher, however…

6. Careful what you say, text, type…
• Online teachers and students
cannot read your body
language from a text or email
so be careful when sending a
message. Make sure that it
conveys ONLY the message
you are sending. Read it over
before sending. Have
someone else read it. It is
important that you don’t make
the wrong impression…

7. Careful what you say,
text, type…
• AND, many teachers will take points off of
typed discussions and papers if you use
texting shortcuts and/or improper
language and punctuation. B careful.
bcause ur typin short message duz not
mean grammar z not important.

8. How hard will this be?
• Are you a good reader? If so you
will be rewarded by finding this to
be an easy class. If you are a
weak reader/writer, you may have
to work a little harder but your
reading and writing skills will
definitely improve in the online
class.
• Did you know that many colleges
now require freshmen to enroll in
an online course?

9. “I never take notes in class!”
• All students need to take notes
in the online course… I know you
are thinking “…but it is already
written down!” Don’t be fooled.
Notetaking is a strategy for
remembering as well as organizing
what you are learning. If you prefer
to study for hours and get a lower
grade every time you take a test,
go ahead, ignore the notetaking
suggestion.(By the way, that is
sarcasm!)

10. The importance of
Time Management
Okay. Your mantra is, “I am grown up and
can do it myself.”
Well now you can prove it!

11. Students that are proficient at
• monitoring their own progress,
• keeping up with assignments,
and
• meeting deadlines have no
problems with online courses.
For many of you, learning how to
manage your time may be
harder than the class itself.

12. “I have until Friday so I think I will start
on Thursday…”
• Ah, many good students
have been foiled by this
strategy. Usually, teachers
post assignments on Monday
and the turn-in date is Friday.
Good time managers will do
the assignments on Monday
and Tuesday and they can
relax the rest of the week.

13. • Poor time managers wait
until the last minute then,
when the internet
crashes, their parents
“kidnap” them for an
unexpected opportunity to
bond or (sadly) an
emergency comes up,
assignments are late. Do
not fall into this trap.

14. What do I need to take this class?
• Reliable internet.
• A headset with a microphone if
you are in a language class.
• Your personal headset if you
are working at school.
• Let me know if you need a
textbook but usually all reading
material is posted online.
• Students need to have friends
and family members that are
supportive of the decision to
take an online course.

15. How to succeed in an online course
• Log in every weekday
• Complete all assignments on time
• If you have questions, email your
online teacher or other students in
the class-every day if you need to.
• If you have technical problems email
or contact the NCVPS Help desk.
• If you are going to be out-of-town,
contact your teacher before you go.

16. Remember…
• You can access your NCVPS blackboard
from any computer, in any state, any
time.

17. The NCVPS Contract…
• You must turn in a Student Agreement
(available at www.wellneronline.pbwiki.com)
• You must follow me on Twitter
(@mswellner)
• The course calendar is available at the top
of the www.ncvps.org page including the
dates for Early Calendar classes.
• You must pass an online course to be
eligible to take another online course.

18. Help…My dog ate my computer…I
need to drop the class!!!!
(sure he did)
Simply send me an
email and don’t log
into the class.
You will be
automatically
dropped after 10
days.

19. Speaking of email…
• As of today, you need to be checking
the email you registered with EVERY
DAY. That is how your online teacher
will greet you and introduce you to the
course. It is also how I will send you
alerts such as …“email your grades to
Ms.Wellner …You are doing great so
don’t call Ms.Wellner… WHY AREN’T
YOU TURNING YOUR WORK IN!
CALL MS.WELLNER!”
• If you do not check your email and
meet your teacher you will be dropped
from the course.

20. Check your email everyday…
• Beginning yesterday!!!!

21. So how do I start the class?
• Your blackboard may not open until the
start date. You are welcome to try to log in
as many times as you want because you
cannot hurt a thing-not your grade, not
your enrollment, not my feelings! If you are
waitlisted you will not be able to log in until
you are enrolled.
• Once you are able to open the blackboard,
it may not show your class(es),or or it may
say that you are not enrolled. Ahhhhh,
technology. If your online teacher emails
you, you are enrolled.

22. Now what do I do?
• Until your class opens all you can do is
wait…but you can learn how the class
works by going to Part II: How the Online
Class Works