How to Manage the Work Load
of a Web-Enhanced Class
Plan Accordingly
Familiarize yourself with due dates:
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| each class has certain requirements that you must meet in order to complete the course;
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| calendars are provided with daily, weekly, and monthly tasks;
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| your class homepage also has notices of due dates;
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| use both to help you keep track of assignments;
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| just as you would attend class, attend to these tools.
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Organize early:
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| set up a large ringed binder for course material;
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| label each section accordingly;
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| prioritize tasks;
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| print out assignments as reminders;
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| keep a copy of everything you send.
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Work Offline:
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| download new messages, browse for new assignments, then log off;
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| read through your email while off-line;
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| messages can be read, created, replied to (to be sent later), printed mail and deleted
while off-line.
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The Unbearable Heaviness of Email:
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| read your email then attend to it right away--read it, print it, reply to it (if you
need to), save what's important and then delete the rest--if you let it pile up, it can
become too daunting to handle;
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| later is too late; putting email off until later leads to feeling overwhelmed.
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Use Virtual Time
Program Your Day:
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| plan to devote at least two hours a day for class work;
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| tell friends and family that you are in class during that time;
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| set up a "study" environment, with your books and utensils in easy reach;
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| work ahead of schedule.
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Program Your Head:
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| most students who fail web-enhanced classes, do so because they think they have 'tomorrow' to
do the assignment;
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| there is no tomorrow--there is only Now;
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| reward yourself after you have completed an assignment;
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| when not busy on a class assignment, have fun visiting other sites on the Web or taking
a walk.
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Own Your Online Destiny:
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| if you don't understand an assignment, ask questions;
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| your instructor checks her email many times during the day, so jot a note to her, but
don't stop there;
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| write a note to one of the other members of the class;
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| if that still doesn't help, contact one of the online writing labs -- for writing
questions at least;
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| no-one but you knows what you understand, so you must be vocal;
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| your success depends entirely upon you!
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Use Your Tools
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