The first thing that you should do when you're enrolled in a new class is look at the course schedule to find out what your responsibilities and the important dates are (e.g., assignment deadlines, online quiz dates, etc.).

To organize your time effectively, create a master schedule that includes your course deadlines, as well as all of your other commitments (e.g., classes, labs, extracurricular activities). Also, remember to schedule time to work through the course (the expectation for most courses is 10 hours of work per week). This schedule should be referenced regularly and kept up to date.

Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar are great resources for keeping track of your schedule.

More information about making a master schedule here: Creating a Master Schedule

Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in your classes. To get the most out of the goals that you are aiming to achieve, use the SMART framework. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. For example, you can improve a starting goal of "I want to study more this term" using the SMART goal framework

Consider using checklists, as well as your calendar, to keep track of course tasks (e.g., readings, assignments, etc.). This will make it easier to determine what you have already completed, what you need to complete, and where you might be falling behind.

Ideally, you should login to your course once a day. This doesn't mean that you have to be on the course page for an extended period of time, it can even be for as little as 5 minutes to check whether there are new announcements on the home page or posts on the discussion boards. Most importantly, avoid unnecessary stress by sticking to the schedule that you've outlined for yourself and by not trying to do too much at once!

For helpful time management tips, more information about time management skills, or to participate in a time management workshop, visit the Student Academic Success Service page on Time Management.

Chances are that you study by highlighting, underlining, copying, and/or rereading your notes and your textbook, since these are the strategies used most often by learners.

It might seem like these are the best approaches to learning, but research has shown that using only active strategies (we'll get to what these are in the next section) leads to better learning outcomes than using only passive strategies (for example, rereading and copying).

Passive strategies might make it feel like you've mastered your course content, but these are actually some of the least effective approaches to studying

Critical thinking involves going beyond simple comprehension and memorization of content. Like the best study techniques, critical thinking means actively engaging with content instead of passively taking in information.

To think critically about material, you need to extend what you're presented with by applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

The reader extends on what's written in the text and generates their own expectations based on the content. In other words, the reader goes beyond the surface features of the text and elaborates on what they're reading.

Succeeding as a learner involves more than solely engaging in critical thinking as you work through material. In many cases, you'll also be required to present your ideas through critical writing.

This will give you an idea of what the instructor is looking for when grading your assignment, and what you should focus on when you're writing it

Creating an outline will help you organize your thoughts, and provide structure for your assignment. Try creating headings and subheadings as placeholders for the content you're going to add.

The University of Ottawa library page is a good place to look for books, journal articles, and other sources.

Fill in the outline that you've created. The first draft doesn't need to be perfectly worded. You can always edit what you've written. Just start writing.

Resources can be found on the University of Ottawa Academic Writing Help Centre page.

You might think that editing your assignment is the same as proofreading. However, as the Academic Writing Help Centre says:

‘’The types of mistakes that are usually present in a first draft risk affecting not only the clarity of your ideas, but also your credibility as a writer. Make a good impression by taking the time to think. Allow at least one day for editing before submitting your paper. Every time you read it, concentrate on a specific aspect, such as content, structure, language, and references’’

For helpful strategies and tips related to revising your work, visit the Academic Writing Help Centre

Once you've edited your assignment, it's time for the last step in your writing: proofreading. Before looking over your assignment a final time, take a break and step away from your work. This will make it easier to find mistakes in your writing.

Visit the Academic Writing Help Centre page on Proofreading for more proofreading strategies.

Discussions are a great place to start! Actively posting in discussion threads can offer more meaningful interactions with other students than you would get in some face-to-face classes. This active engagement with your classmates can improve your learning experience and your performance in your online courses.

To make the most of online discussions, it's important that you:

• Subscribe to discussion topics to stay up-to-date on discussion threads
• Learn more about online discussion skills (Online Discussions: Tips for Students).
• Engage in respectful discussions with your classmates.

Take some time to read the pages about making the most of online discussions, and to watch the following video for tips about how to best use online discussion boards.

• Focus on one or two key points. Posts should be clear and concise.
• Elaborate on main points and back up criticism with evidence.
• Use course content and/or external resources to support the argument being made.
• Make sure that a professional tone is used throughout the post.
• Ask more open-ended questions to promote discussion with peers.