Online Learning & Videos

Library Videos

Peer Tutoring Videos

Success Strategies

Six Strategies for Success in Online Courses

 

Taking online courses is a new experience for many students. You have a lot of flexibility in where and when you do your coursework. However, you'll have to create the structure of face-to-face learning on your own.

Here are our tips to help you develop the skills needed for online learning.

 

Treat Online Courses the Same as In-Person Courses

Online courses have the same academic expectations as face-to-face courses. It is up to you to decide when you are going to sit down and work, and then have the dedication to follow through. This is the biggest challenge we all face when working from home. 

One of the easiest ways to ensure you follow through is to set up a regular time for each class. (Your normal class schedule will work well for this!) This way, you will "show up" for class, just as you're use to, and you'll be off to the right start.

 

Create a Regular Study Space that Works for You

Whether it's a dedicated desk, a spot at your kitchen table or a comfy corner of your home, a regular work space will boost your productivity and help you stay organized. Try to always work in the same space, that way, when you sit down, your brain knows it's time to work. 

Try to find a study space that is quiet, and has the following:

  • a good internet connection
  • access to power/outlets nearby 
  • no distractions

**If working in a shared space, have headphones on hand for listening to lectures**

 

Stay Organized

Staying organized is key to success in any course, but especially for an online one. Organize all of your files, documents and workspace in a way that makes sense to you. Keep a copy of any work you do on your computer in case of any tech problems that require you to resubmit assignments. Don’t forget to take notes for readings and lectures just as you would in any other class.

 

Improve Time Management Skills

With an online course, your schedule is up to you. Strong time management skills will help you keep track of weekly classes, upcoming assignments and future tests/quizzes. Exactly how you manage your time will depend on your course load, assignments for a particular week, and learning style.

The following are some basic options you can use:
 

  • Make notes of upcoming assignments and tests on a calendar. You'll be able to visualize what's coming up and give yourself appropriate time to complete assignments.
  • Create a weekly schedule for classes. Some professors are choosing to do virtual classes on MS Teams, or Zoom. Keep track of when you need to log in by creating a schedule. (If your professor is posting videos, or moving to a more "independent study" version of online learning - a solid schedule can still help!) 
    • Follow your in-class schedule to block out learning time, and use it to complete readings, watch lectures, and participate in class discussions. Remember - as with in-person classes, you will also need to schedule time for proper studying and completing assignments outside of class time.
  • Create "check-in" points. Throughout online courses, you should check in with your schedule and calendar and make sure you are on track. Reflecting and adjusting will stop you from cramming at the end of the course!

 

 

Stay Connected with your Professor and Classmates

You are not alone! All of your classmates are taking the same online courses with you, and your professors are here to help. Many courses will feature discussions on LMS, just as they did for in-person classes. If your course lacks this, be sure to reach out and keep in touch in other ways - emails to your professor or attending remote Peer Tutoring sessions. 

Don’t be afraid to reach out and say “hi”—stay in touch, we're in this together!

 

Find Resources, and Use Them

The college has moved its resources online for students. College departments can be reached by email, learning modules are available on The Learning Portal, and the entire library website is dedicated to online support. Send us an email or use our online chat.

The following is a list of additional help offered to students:  

 

  1. Email your instructor 
    • Your instructor can help clarify assignments and instruction. Email them as soon as you need assistance.

  2. Peer Tutoring
    • Attend a virtual session led by other students. Peer tutors will work with you to review course content and work through problems together.
    • Visit our Peer Tutoring Page for more information and the schedule

  3. Student Success Learning Modules
    • These modules are available on the College Services tab of the Student Portal.
    • Learning modules and quizzes are available to help students understand different learning styles, stress management techniques, and note taking/reading textbook strategies. 

  4. The Write Place
    • A faculty-led tutorial for students wanting help with grammar, sentence structure, essays, reports, resumes, research, and documentation.

      thewriteplace@saultcollege.ca


  5. Informal Study Group
    • Form an informal study group within your class or program to support each other and your learning activities. Group chats, email lists and video calls are some of the ways you can keep in touch. 

Study Tips

Study Tips

 

Studying for an online course is different than in a traditional, face-to-face class. Time flexibility and working independently are two of the advantages of online courses, however, you'll need to manage your time properly to be successful. Try using the following tips to adapt to studying online and by yourself.

 

Make a Plan


 A good study plan is the key to studying online. Your study plan should include time for:
 

  • Online Classes: readings, lectures, slide shows and anything else your professor posts on LMS

  • Assignments: estimate how long you need to work on each assignment, and give yourself plenty of time before the due dates.

  • Review: start studying material well before quizzes and tests to make sure you're prepared.

  • Tests/Quizzes: these will be scheduled by your professor. Mark their dates and times so you don't forget.

 

Schedules and calendars can be a good way to keep everything organized. Dates for assignments, tests and quizzes will be determined by your professor. Marking these down in an accessible location will help you keep track of them. Both physical calendars and electronic ones are good options, you'll just need to find what works best for you.
 

While you're writing in due dates, try scheduling your class time.  Much like normal in-person classes, a consistent time to learn will help you stay on track. If you liked your schedule before, keep using that! If not, you can make a new one, but be sure to dedicate the same amount of time to each course as your former schedule had.
 

You can be flexible with your time for assignments and review, just as you would be during regular classes. Remember to refer back to your calendar to be sure that you have enough time to complete everything. 

 

Take Notes by Hand

 
Writing your notes with pen and paper can help you better remember the information, as opposed to typing. This also allows you to dedicate your entire computer screen to just lectures or readings - no space needed for a word document!
 

If you want to have an easily searchable document of your notes, try typing them up later as review. The repetition will help you better learn the material!

 

Make Flashcards

 
One of the issues to studying by yourself is how to prepare for quizzes and tests. Flashcards can solve this problem. 
 

Making flashcards yourself is very easy. You don't need any fancy cardstock paper - whatever you have will work. On the front of each card, write a question or a term, and on the back, write the answer or definition. If you're worried about seeing the answer through your paper, use pencil - it's much lighter than pen and will be harder to see from the wrong side. Physically writing out the cards will help you remember the information, much like writing out your notes does. 
 

When studying with flashcards, you'll get a clear view of what you know and what you need to focus on, based on which cards you can answer quickly, and which ones you need to think about.

 

Take Breaks and Change Topics

 
Burn out is very real - your brain can only stay focused for so long. To help keep that focus, you should do two things: take regular breaks, and change up your study topics.
 

Change Topics:
 

Instead of dedicating one day to each course, do work from each course every day. You'll remember more material, and you won't get as bored as you would cramming one topic. 
 

Take Breaks:
 

Remember to take a five minute break every hour: stand up, walk around, stretch, etc. Be aware of how long your break is, though: five minutes is enough to feel refreshed, going to watch a tv episode might be too much.

Resources

Online Resources

 

College Resources:

 

Email your Instructor 

  • Your instructor can help clarify assignments and instruction. Email them as soon as you need assistance.

 

Student Success Learning Modules

  • These modules are available on the College Services tab of the Student Portal.
  • Learning modules and quizzes are available to help students understand different learning styles, stress management techniques, and note taking/reading textbook strategies. 

 

The Write Place

  • A faculty-led tutorial for students wanting help with grammar, sentence structure, essays, reports, resumes, research, and documentation.

    thewriteplace@saultcollege.ca​

 

 

Library Resources:

Program Guides

 

  • Program Guides are built for specific programs or areas of study, and contain all relevant library resources. You can find databases for your program, websites, journals/magazines and much more.

Here is the full list of Program Guides. 
 

  • Please Note: Some programs are listed under their subject area, for example, Office Administration is under Business. If you don't see your program or subject area, let us know how we can help.

 

Peer Tutoring

 

  • Peer Tutoring is being set up for remote sessions. Check back for more information!

Visit the Peer Tutoring page for updates. 
 

 

Library Research Help

 

  • The Research Help section of our website shows students how to work with our different databases, start research and prepare citations. We also have a section about copyright as it applies to students and assignments.

Visit Research Help here. 
 

The Learning Portal

 

  • The Learning Portal, available to all Ontario college students, provides help with studying, research, writing, digital skills and much more.