Online learning can be convenient, engaging and fun but you must be able to take charge of your own learning by:

• understanding your own preferred learning style;
• welcoming the opportunity to engage with your classmates and your instructor in meaningful dialogue via a variety of technologies;
• effectively managing your school, work and personal time;
• finding a quiet place to do your work; and,
• ensuring that you have the support of family and friends when taking on this program of study.

Research in the fields of adult and distributed learning and our experiences here at RRU indicate that as a successful online learner you will understand that an online program takes about the same amount of time and effort as a classroom course but may present a number of additional challenges.

The asynchronous nature of much of the online communication is convenient (you can work on your course and contribute to your class discussions at any time of the day or night). It can also be challenging to communicate without the usual visual or auditory clues you would have when working together in a face-to-face situation. Good written communication skills are important in this setting in order to get your point across clearly and respectfully and to avoid misunderstandings.

Because there are seldom any set times for classroom attendance, you will need to be self-motivated and organized in order to ensure that you complete and submit your activities and assignments by the due dates.

At RRU, teamwork is an important part of all our programs. You will need to be cooperative and flexible when working with teammates to complete online activities and assignments.

We believe that online learning is great way to learn and we hope to welcome you soon into the RRU online learning community!