Communicating with your instructor
Learning from a distance can be a challenging new experience for students who are accustomed to face-to-face interactions with instructors. So it is important to consider how you will communicate with your distance learning instructor.

In a classroom setting, you might ask questions during a class discussion, you might see the instructor before or after class or during office hours to ask questions. Learning at a distance changes how you communicate but not necessarily what you communicate. Students who take the opportunity to ask questions of their instructors via email find a high level of quality interaction is available to them.

Remember that your instructor does have other students and a personal life. But in most cases, you should hear a response to your email within one school day.

Frequent and regular contact with your instructor will help ensure that you are keeping on the right track with your study and getting the most value for your learning investment.

If for any reason you encounter problems that make it difficult to complete your course within the allotted time frame, contact both your instructor and the registrar at the school offering your course to discuss options you might have. Early consultation allows you the best chance of completing your course and getting a good grade.

Communicating with Classmates
Some distance classes encourage collaborative learning by providing learning opportunities that involve working with other members of your distance class.

You may be asked to collaborate in a group project where you will share email and project drafts with other students. You may also be involved in a chat room or discussion board. A chat room is a website that allows you to communicate with your instructor and other class members while you are all online at the same time. A discussion board allows you to post comments and reactions to comments posted earlier by other students and your instructor.

Students who engage in collaborative learning projects are amazed at how quickly distance becomes unimportant and they can focus on completing shared projects with classmates in other parts of the world using the tools of online learning.

Time Demands
As you consider distance learning, you’ll need to recognize some of the differing expectations of distance learning. To ensure your success, you’ll want to plan a study time into your daily and weekly schedule in a place where you can work uninterrupted for periods of time. Distance courses don’t require your time to travel or listen to lectures in class, but they do require additional time for reading, writing, and submitting assignments to your instructor. A commitment on your part to regular study will help you succeed.

Self-motivation
Another key factor in the success of distance learning students is their motivation for success. Students who are more highly self-motivated, who can organize their study time and complete assignments on deadline, will generally find greater success in distance courses than students who are not self-motivated. Your motivation may come from a desire to complete a degree or just to learn more about a subject, but whatever the case, you will want to assess honestly your level of self-motivation to determine whether a distance class is right for you.

Comfort Level with Internet Technologies
And finally, students who are comfortable working with the tools of the Internet generally have fewer frustrations in accessing distance course materials. The more quickly you can master web skills like transferring files, downloading software, and other routine web activities, the more likely you are to avoid wasting time and becoming frustrated.