Web- Enhanced Reading

Online reading tends to differ from traditional reading in several different ways. With traditional reading, readings usually takes place within a group or classroom, while online reading can be whenever the student is near a computer. Also, with traditional reading, the readings are focused on one page at a time while online readings are interactive and one can decided what to read.  Since there is huge differences between web-enhanced reading and traditional reading, one needs to acquire some new strategies when first starting to read online. Some of these strategies that are important to increase your comprehension when reading online are:

Before Reading:

1. Review. Review the syllabus and make a list of all the readings you need to accomplish.

2. Create a good environment. Reading involves your full attention, so get rid of any distractions that you may face. Turn off the TV, silence your phone, go on a website that will block all social networks that usually distract you while you are studying. Since online reading, obviously involves reading on a tablet or computer, make sure to select a spot to read where you have good lighting.

3. Make sure you have all the required software. With traditional reading all that matters is that you have the book, but with online reading you need to make sure you have the right software to view the readings. So make sure all the required software is downloaded before you commit yourself to reading.

While Reading:

1. Scan the reading. Scan throughout the reading, to let yourself know what exactly you will be reading and to determine what your goals are for the provided reading.  Your goals might  include things that you need to understand and comprehend the most or the practical application that can be used.

2. Become an active learner. Ask yourself questions about the key points of the reading, so that you comprehend the material better. Also take notes of the material as you read through the material. I find it very helpful to summarize each section after reading, so that you can identify the key points of each section.

3. Use the features available. A bonus to reading online is that you can pretty much do everything you do in traditional reading plus more in a faster amount of time. You can highlight and take notes right onto the reading, making it easier to go back through the reading and find important information. Also, with many online readings you can search a specific section that you may feel that you need to learn about a little bit more.

4. Take breaks. If you read everything straight through, you might not comprehend everything as much as you should. By reading straight through you just worry about getting the reading done rather than comprehending the material. Also, since you are reading off a monitor your eyes can start to bother you, so make sure you give your mind and eyes a break every 30-45 minutes.

After Reading:

1. Review Your Notes and Questions. Make sure your notes and questions are helpful enough, that you don’t have to go back to the reading to study.

Study Strategies

The great thing about modern technology is that there are an endless amount of websites and apps you can use to help you improve your studying. If you have a problem with staying organized and staying on track with your tasks, create a Google calendar that has all your due dates and meetings scheduled into it. If you like studying with note cards but hate making them, there are several different websites that may have the note cards you need already or make it easier on you to make, a great an example of this is Study blue. There are an endless amount of websites that can improve your studying skills, all you have to do is Google whatever issue you may have, and there’s probably a 99% that you will find something that can help you! All you have to do is be creative and find studying skills that are the most helpful to you!

Technology is the basis of everything we do in the world now-a-days –whether it be to check e-mails, contact family or friends, or doing school work– we are always using some type of technology to accomplish our tasks for the day. Since technology is used so much it is important to know how to properly communicate to fellow students, teachers, or future employers.

Communicating Online

When communicating online with your classmates it is important to remember:

1. First impressions still matter. Making a good impression with your classmates online is just as important as making a good impression with people in a classroom. The more friends you make throughout the course, the more advantage you will have. Making friends in a course is so helpful because you now have someone you can contact to study with, ask questions, and so on. In order to make a good impression make sure you take the time to personalize any e-mails you send. Adding personalization allows you to show them that you actually care for what they say and how they are doing, instead of them thinking you are just “using” them to get things for that class.

2. Make sure to check your spelling and grammar. Make sure to not include any abbreviations or slang terms in any of your communication. Some abbreviations can cause miscommunications due to having several different meanings. Slang terms can cause you to look unprofessional or seem as though you do not care enough to give your full attention to the classwork. So remember when writing e-mails to your fellow students to write everything out and re-read it a few times!

3. Be sure to be specific. If you are asking a classmate for lecture notes for a class you missed, make sure to give as much detail as possible. For example, include the date of the lecture you missed and what it was about, so that they do not have to go out of their way to help you out.

When communicating online with your professor make sure to:

1. Don’t wait till the end of the semester. As soon as the semester starts, make sure to go out of your way and e-mail your professor about how you are looking forward to their class and ask any questions you may have. Throughout the semester, e-mail your professor with any questions you may have about the lectures or the assignments. Professors are there to help us, after all!

2. Always communicate through a professional style. Always make sure to refer to your instructor by their titles, never by their first name. Make sure to write everything out in full sentences and paragraphs, and thank them for their time.

Collaborating Online

There’s a good chance sometime throughout your academic career you are going to have to do some type of group assignment. With everyone having different schedules and obligations, it is likely that must of the collaborating for the assignment will be done online. Or you may be involved in some type of study group designed by the instructor.  So when you face this type situation make sure to:

1. Provide feedback for your peers. Always give kind feedback and never just completely shoot down a peer’s idea. Just because you think they are wrong, doesn’t mean everyone else does too. Make sure to actually think about their idea, and then possibly come up with another suggestion that works off of their idea.

2. Participate! Don’t let everyone else do the work for you, always make sure to add your input to the assignment and always put just as much effort into the group as everyone else.
3. Stay organized. Make sure each member of the group is completing their tasks on time, schedule meetings for the group, schedule due dates for each task. An easy way to stay on top of all these things is creating a calendar on Google that is shared between each group member.