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In March 2004, I began a full-time, online doctoral program in higher
education leadership, and I am currently completing the comprehensives
examination phase of the program. I would like to share some survival
tips for anyone who is considering pursuing an advanced degree online,
while continuing a full-time job.
- Think fit, function, and fun when choosing and pursuing
your degree program.
Be sure that online learning is going to work for you before you invest
a lot of time and money. Take a free trial course if the institution
offers one. Consider whether you will like a program that offers little
to no "face time" with coursemates or instructor, whether
you will like the mode of written discussions, and whether you have
the personal discipline to work independently and asynchronously.
Be sure that the program is accredited by a regional accreditation
agency; if your career path has licensure requirements, be sure the
program meets those as well. An online degree that doesn't help you
meet your personal and career goals is useless.
If you can choose a program that dovetails with your job, great! Projects
for school that help with your work serve double duty; what a great
time-saver that can be, and your workplace immediately benefits from
your professional development.
Last but certainly not least, be sure that you are going to enjoy
what you are studying. Completing an advanced degree takes tons of
time and energy; choose a program that feeds, rather than drains,
your soul. Strive to develop friendly online relationships and a sense
of community with your coursemates as well. Posting often and to all
of your coursemates, using a friendly tone (and "smileys"
if they are allowed by the instructor), and sharing personal examples
and stories are ways of "making friends" in the courseroom.
Courseroom interactions that are comfortable and fun for the participants
are most effective for learning.
- Write out a degree completion plan that keeps you focused on
the light at the end of the tunnel.
It is important to write out a degree completion plan with
your academic advisor that includes your goals, the courses you need
to take, and a timeline for completion, and update it regularly. Then
post it in your study area! Seeing it keeps your goal of degree
completion in the forefront of your mind, helps you stay organized
and focused, and reminds you which courses you should register for,
and when. The most rewarding part of keeping a written plan, however,
is the great feeling of accomplishment you get each time you check
off the courses you have just completed and see your progress toward
your goal of earning your degree!
- Make the word "no" a part of your working vocabulary.
Practice saying it in front of the mirror if necessary.
Determine how many hours per week you can realistically dedicate to
the online program, and plan accordingly. You will have to
cut some of your present activities to find enough hours, you will
have to delegate some of your household tasks to others, and
you will have to say "no" to requests that cut into
your study time! You may have to pare back your work schedule as well,
particularly during times when papers are due, during examinations,
or during the dissertation phase. Realize that you are an advanced
degree candidate, not superhuman, and defend your study time with
a vengeance.
If you have never said no to anyone before, you will probably shock
a few people with your new tactic. You won't be believed at first.
You may be challenged more than once. Stand your ground! It's YOUR
degree. This is one of the ways that you will prove to yourself and
others that YOU REALLY WANT IT.
Set a study schedule, write it out, and stick to it. Log in
to your course(s) every day you study to check email, assignments,
and postings. Print your assignments and post them near your desk,
noting the due dates. Estimate the amount of time it will take to
complete them on time, and schedule the proper amount of time. Check
off the assignments as you complete them, and reward yourself with
chocolate every time you say no to things that threaten to lure you
away from your degree goal!
- Sleep your way to success.
Plan your study time for times when you are alert, and avoid skipping
sleep to study. This rule is not just for the students we advise!
Many online students I know report to work early and study at their
desks before their colleagues and students arrive, to take full advantage
of their "alert" time. I arrive at work early so I can leave
at 3:30 or 4:00 p.m., and once I arrive home, I eat dinner, and study
until NO LATER THAN 8:00 p.m. Late-night studying when you are tired
is generally slower and less productive, and chronic sleep deprivation
hinders your ability to learn and retain information.
It's also important to get plenty of rest in addition to sleep. "Rest"
means taking planned periodic breaks throughout the day to refresh
your thinking and restore your energy.
It also means resting your eyes periodically throughout the day. Reading
on a computer monitor is harder on the eyes than reading text on paper,
in part because the eyes do not blink as often while reading on-screen
as they do while reading paper text, and they dry out more quickly
as a result. Reserve some eye power for your evening coursework by
pacing yourself in your daily activities on-screen.
- "All or nothing" mentality accomplishes nothing.
Sometimes you will arrive home from work too tired to post to discussion
boards or write papers. Choose to read others' posts and plan to respond
later, download useful articles from the internet for sources for
your papers, or scan your textbook assignments at least for an hour.
Then go to bed early, knowing that you have made some progress, and
plan to respond to postings or write the next day. Total exhaustion,
of course, is a different story; in that case, get some rest, and
resolve to pace yourself better the next day.
- There is no PhD for good housekeeping.
Because to me becoming a PhD is more important than dusting and laundry,
I plan my activities accordingly. I found soon after I began my doctoral
program that I am more productive if I study first and do housework
and chores afterward. I limit my weekend study to eight hours per
day, early in the day, and pursue other activities later. I also find
that I work more productively if I set an eight-hour time limit for
study each day. That bit of time-limit "pressure" helps
me to stay focused. Another discovery I made of necessity is that
many chores can be delegated, or simply done less often.
- All work and no play makes Jack a burnout.
Be sure to schedule regular recreational activities with family and
friends. Avoid burnout; balance work with play. This is not easy to
accomplish, but it is an important part of maintaining your relationships
and your sanity during your degree program.
- Get off the academic treadmill once a week.
Give yourself one day off from your studies each week for recovery,
relaxation, and reflection. For me, Monday is my "day off"
from school: I do not log in, I do not read assignments, and I do
not write. Do what works best for your schedule.
- Assemble your cheerleading squad and bring them on deck often.
Your personal support network should include family, friends, colleagues,
other students in your program, faculty, and your advisor. Share your
goals and your needs with these people. They will not only offer encouragement
and help you get what you need to complete the program, they will
hold you accountable to your goals. Keep in frequent contact with
them.
- Study smarter, not harder.
In order to maximize your learning experience, practice the same study
strategies that you teach. You will be a more effective learner, and
at the same time, you can share with your students how the study strategies
you suggest for them also work for you in your concurrent pursuit
of an advanced degree and a fulltime career.
If you have questions about online study, or just want to share war
stories, please email me at ym5330@usma.edu.
Questions or comments? Contact the author at Mona.Pelkey@usma.edu.
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