Online Study Skills and Managing Time (Text Version)

Study Challenges
Step 1 - Time Management
Personality Profile
Identify Your Time Management Style
Step 2 - Create a Schedule
Q & A
Prioritizing Time
Procrastination Check List
Procrastination Pie
Conclusion

Study Challenges

Studying is essential to any educational endeavor, but the online learning environment presents some unique studying challenges that you might not face in a traditional classroom environment. This means that in order to excel in your online class, you'll need to make sure your study skills are top notch!

Discipline, responsibility, motivation—these are characteristics that all students need in order to get the most they can out of their classes. But online students sometimes face additional challenges because of the degree of independence that the online learning system grants them. This is why it's so important for you to be able to honestly and effectively assess your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your study skills and habits, and to develop a process for yourself that will enable you to be most effective.

We've created this module on study skills and time management to help you identify your tendencies and habits, and provide you with strategies for improvement.

After completing this module, we want you to know:

Why creating and sticking to a study schedule can be even more essential to an online course than a course taught on campus,
Factors to consider when developing a study schedule,
Why "cramming" for an exam or assignment doesn't really work, and
How to stay motivated to complete your online course.

Step 1 - Time Management

We've broken things down for you into 3 easy steps, so let' s go through them one at a time.

Step 1: identify your time management style.

One of the first things you'll want to do is to identify how you manage your time, we've created the following 6-question quiz to help you determine your time management personality profile. Keep in mind that your responses should reflect what you probably would do in a given situation, not what you think is the "right" answer.

Personality Profile

The following form is for reference only on this page; results are not submitted.

1. Your instructor just gave your class the prompts for your first essay, which is due in two weeks. How do you proceed from here?

Choose a prompt and begin working on a thesis immediately. Better to get it out of the way! (4 pts - early bird)
Read over the prompts and let them sink in for a week or so. You'll still have one more week to finish the assignment, right? (3 pts - balancing act)
Read the prompts and maybe start playing around with ideas, but wait to really start writing until the day before. You swear it's all in your head somewhere! (2 pts pressure cooker)
Depends on how much work you have for your other classes. But you might forget about it until a few hours before the assignment is due, and ask for an extension. (1 pt - improviser)

2. You are working on a group assignment that requires you to split up responsibilities with 3 other classmates. When would you typically finish your part?

After one or two of the others have submitted their materials to the group, but definitely not last. You wanted to see how they approached it first. (3 pts - balancing act)
First. Then you're done and don't have to worry about it. Plus it could give you time in case you want to tweak anything later. (4 pts - early bird)
Maybe last, but definitely before the assignment due date and hopefully before any of the other group members ask about it. (2 pts - pressure cooker)
Definitely last. You'll wait until everyone else has done their work, so you can make sure you are not duplicating efforts. Whatever, this is why you hate group work. (1 pt - improviser)

3. Your instructor just posted the instructions for your next assignment and you read them but don't quite understand what he's asking for in a certain part. What would you probably do?

Try to figure it out for yourself. You're pretty sure what he's trying to say, and you'll give it your best shot. (2 pts - pressure cooker)
Send him an email asking for clarification, giving yourself enough time to wait for his response and then complete the assignment. Better to be safe than sorry. (3 pts - balancing act)
Don't say anything until after the assignment is due. Other people in the class felt the same way too, probably! (1 pt - improviser)
Send him an email that afternoon. When he doesn't respond that night, email him again. This is your worst nightmare—you just want to know what he wants!! (4 pts - early bird)

4. The course you are taking requires you to post on a weekly discussion forum by Sunday night each week so the class can talk about everyone's posts on Monday. When do you submit your posts?

Sunday night. You always forget during the weekend! (2 pts - pressure cooker)
Tuesday night, after the first day of class that week. Then it's out of the way. (4 pts - early bird)
Thursday or Friday night. You want to let the week's discussion sink in a little so you can collect your thoughts. (3 pts - balancing act)
Monday at 3 AM. That still counts as Sunday night, right? (1 pt - improviser)

5. You have an important assignment due Monday morning, and you have a social/work/family obligation that will keep you busy for most of the weekend. It is now the Wednesday before the assignment is due. How would you approach this dilemma?

You tell yourself that you'll finish it by Friday night, so you can have your weekend free, but you still have a little left to do on Sunday—no big deal. (2 pts - pressure cooker)
You tell yourself that you'll finish it by Friday night, and you manage this by chipping away at it over those 3 days. …Little. By. Little. (3 pts - balancing act)
You already finished it yesterday, the day it was assigned. Done! (4 pts - early bird)
You tell yourself that you'll take the weekend off, then stay up late on Sunday or wake up early on Monday to finish it. It's not a final or anything, and you have a life. (1 pt - improviser)

6. You have to read 150 pages before your next class meeting. You have 4 days to do so. What would you most likely do?

150 pages divided by 4 days means... a little less than 40 pages a day. You like to chunk it this way because then you'll also have time to go over your notes and highlights, and come up with questions for the instructor. (4 pts - early bird)
150 pages divided by... well, ... 2 days (because it's been a long week), means 75 pages a day. Totally doable. ( 3 pts - balancing act)
150 pages, the day before it is due. You did this to yourself, it's fine. (2 pts - pressure cooker)
How much time does it take to skim the text for key words and/or find a summary online? (1 pt - improviser)

Identify Your Time Management Style

Now that you have a picture of the time-management personality types out there, do you feel like your personality profile fits the student you have been in the past? Has your previous way of doing things worked for you, or do you think it's time for a change? Remember, we can all always improve! See if you fit into one of the following categories.

PERSONALITY TYPE: The Early Bird

Traits: You like to make checklists and feel great satisfaction when you can cross something off of your to-do list. When it comes to assignments, you want to get started as soon as possible (and maybe start brainstorming before that), because it lets you stay in control.
Strengths: You know what you want and are driven to figure out how to achieve it. Motivation is never really a problem for you.
Challenges: Sometimes you can get more caught up in getting things done as quickly as possible and don't give yourself enough time to really mull over issues in all of their complexity.
Tips for Success: You're extremely organized and on top of your schoolwork, so make sure you take time to really enjoy learning in your classes. Remember, school isn't all deadlines and checkboxes—you also have the opportunity to think about big picture intellectual problems that don't necessarily have clear answers.

PERSONALITY TYPE: The Balancing Act

Traits: You really know what you're capable of, and are ready to do what it takes to get the most out of your classes. Maybe you're naturally gifted in this way or maybe it is a skill that you have developed over time; in any case, you should have the basic organizational skills to succeed in any online class, as long as you keep your balance.
Strengths: Your strength really lies in your ability to be well-rounded. You may not always complete assignments perfectly every time, but you are remarkably consistent and usually manage to do very well in classes.
Challenges: Because you're so consistent, sometimes you can get in a bit of a rut where you begin to coast in class, rather than really challenging yourself.
Tips for Success: Instead of simply doing what works, use each class as an opportunity for growth by engaging thoughtfully with the material and constantly pushing the boundaries of your own expectations for yourself.

PERSONALITY TYPE: The Pressure Cooker

Traits: You always get things done, and almost always at the last minute. Hey, it takes time to really come up with good ideas!
Strengths: You work well under pressure and when you finally do sit down to accomplish a task, you can sit and work for hours. In these times, you can be extremely focused and shut out the rest of the world in order to get done what needs to be done.
Challenges: You sometimes use your ability to work under pressure as an excuse to procrastinate. Sure, you can really focus when the deadline is tomorrow, but is it really the best work you could produce if you had a couple of days of cushion?
Tips for Success: Give yourself small, achievable deadlines, and stick to them. Make sure they're goals that you really could (and would) achieve in a day. Then don't allow yourself to make excuses. You'll find that it's actually a lot more enjoyable to not be stressed out when completing schoolwork. Who would have known?

PERSONALITY TYPE: The Improviser

Traits: You frequently wait until the last minute to do assignments, but it's because you've been able to get away with this habit in many classes. Sometimes you miss an assignment or two, or have to pretend to have done reading that you haven't, but everyone does that sometimes, right?
Strengths: You think quickly on your feet, and while this is a true strength, it also can be a crutch that prevents you from being really successful in a class.
Challenges: As the saying goes, old habits die hard. If you find that you lack a foundation of discipline and personal accountability, it can be difficult to change, especially when the course material becomes difficult or you find yourself struggling to keep up with the pace of the class.
Tips for Success: The good news is, you can turn this around! Make a plan to organize your time and materials in a reasonable way, and really stick with it. Also, don't be afraid to ask your instructor for help, but be sure to do it before, rather than after, you might fall behind.

Step 2 - Create a Schedule

Now that you've evaluated how you have done things in the past, you'll want to think about how you might create a schedule for managing your time to improve on that! The best schedules have some flexibility built into them, as you will undoubtedly have unexpected situations and circumstances arise during your time as a student.

Your schedule will be unique to you, depending on the level of detail you find helpful. There are some things—due dates, exam dates, and discussion times, for example—that should be included in your schedule no matter what. But you also might find it helpful to break down assignments into steps (or milestones) that you can schedule as well. Again, this is all about what works best for you—do you want to keep a record of only the major deadlines you need to keep in mind? Or does it help you to plan out every day so you stay on track? Your answers to these questions will vary depending on the course, the complexity of your schedule, and your own personal preferences.

Your schedule will also vary depending on the course you're taking. So pull out your syllabus and try to determine the rhythm of the class by looking at the following factors:

How often does your instructor expect discussion board contributions? When are initial discussion board contributions due?
Will you have tests or exams in this course? When are those scheduled?
Are there assignments and papers? When are those due?
Are there any group or collaborative assignments? You'll want to pay particular attention to the timing of any assignment that requires you to work with others: they take a longer time to complete when you are learning online because it can be more complicated to schedule times to get together.

You can find many useful resources online that will help you keep track of your schedule. Some are basic, cloud-based calendars (like Google calendar, iCal, Outlook), and some (like iHomework) are specialized for students.

We all have exactly 168 hours per week. How do you spend yours? And now that you're a student, how much time will be willing to devote to your studies?

Q & A

Ok, let's switch gears here and spend a little time with a time management Q&A. Here are some of the questions most frequently asked by students:

Student 1: Do I really need to create a study schedule when I'm taking an online course? I can honestly keep track of all of this in my head.

Answer: Yes, you really should. When you take a face-to-face course, you are expected to attend class on a regular basis. There an instructor will give you reminders about assignment due dates, exam times In an online class, you don't have this built-in structure. You're going to have to take responsibility for tracking class requirements yourself.

Student 2: Realistically, how much time should I spend studying for this class?

Answer: This is a good question, and a tough one to answer. Each hour of class (per week) is equal to one unit of credit, which means that you can think of each credit as an hour. A good rule of thumb for studying is to study two hours for every hour of class. So if you are enrolled in twelve units, your schedule should give you twenty-four hours of study time every week.

Student 3: Ok, so aside from class time requirements, should I account for anything else as I draw up my schedule?

Answer: This depends on how detailed you want your schedule to be. Is it a calendar of important dates, or do you need a clear picture of how to organize your entire day? We think the latter is more successful, as long as you stick with it. This is also where it will be helpful to determine when you are most productive and efficient. When are you the most focused and ready to learn new things, in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Check the Quest for Online Success course site for online tools that can help you plan your time.

Student 4: My life and school requirements change on a week-to-week basis. How can I possibly account for this when making a schedule?

Answer: Try creating a variable schedule in case an event comes up or you need to take a day or two off.

Student 5: The way you've talked about scheduling and time management makes it sound like a good idea, but it's also totally unrealistic. What's wrong with cramming? (It's what I'll probably end up doing anyway…)

Answer: Cramming, or studying immediately before an exam without much preparation beforehand, has many disadvantages. Trying to learn any subject or memorize facts in a brief but intense period of time is basically fruitless. You simply forget what you have learned much faster when you cram. Instead, study in smaller increments on a regular basis: your brain will absorb complex course material in a lasting and more profound way because it's how our brain functions

Prioritizing Time

Finally, Step 3: Get better at prioritizing.

Due dates are important. Set your short and long-term goals accordingly. Ask yourself:

What needs to get done today?
What needs to get done this week?
What needs to get done by the end the 1st month of the semester?
What needs to get done by the end the 2nd month of the semester?
What needs to get done by the end of the semester?

Your time is valuable. Treat it accordingly by getting the most you can out of it.

Above all: avoid PROCRASTINATION.

Procrastination is the kiss of death to the online learner because it's incredibly difficult to catch up once you've fallen behind. Do you have a problem procrastinating? We're going to ask you a few questions in this final segment and if you find yourself saying, "Sounds like me," more often than you say, "No way," you'll really want to be on your guard so that procrastination doesn't become an issue for you.

Procrastination Check List

Consider the following issues:

My paper is due in two days and I haven't really started writing it yet.
I've had to pull an all-nighter to get an assignment done on time.
I've turned in an assignment late or asked for an extension when I really didn't have a good excuse not to get it done on time.
I've worked right up to the minute an assignment was due.
I've underestimated how long a reading assignment would take and didn't finish it in time for class.
I've relied on the internet for information (like a summary of a concept or a book) because I didn't finish the reading on time.

If these sound like issues you've struggled with in the past, you might want to think seriously about whether you have the tendency to procrastinate, and how you want to deal with it in your future classes. You're already spending a lot of time, energy, and money on the online classes you're taking—don't let all of that go to waste!

Procrastination Pie

But don't worry! We are here to help. The following five pieces of our "procrastination pie" provide some strategies for overcoming these challenges:

Keep your studying "bite-sized": when confronted with 150 pages of reading or 50 problems to solve, you may understandably feel overwhelmed. What if you decide that you will read for 45 minutes, or that you will solve 10 problems? That sounds much more manageable.
Turn off your phone, close your chat windows, and block distracting websites. The best advice we've ever heard is to treat your studying as if you're in a movie theater—just turn it off!
Set up a reward system: if you read for 40 minutes, you can check your phone for 5 minutes. But keep in mind that reward-based systems only work if you stick to a code of self-honor.
Study in a place reserved for study ONLY. Your bedroom may have too many distractions (or the ever-present temptation of a quick nap…), so stay out of there when working on school assignments.
Use checklists: Make your incremental accomplishments visible. Some people get great satisfaction and motivation from checking items off a "to do" list. Be very specific when creating this list, and clearly describe each task one step at a time.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You're well on your way through this Quest for Online Success course. In this module we've provided many ideas for time management, assignment organization, and avoiding procrastination, but there are still hundreds of additional resources online. Seek out some of these for further help – you're sure to find tools and strategies that will work well for your individual style.