What Makes a Successful Online Student? Advice From PA Virtual Teachers

Success is something that all students should strive for, but what does success look like for an online student? As every new school year begins, students are encouraged to stay on track, follow guidelines, and be successful in their academic pursuits. As many students make the transition to online learning, academic success can seem a bit daunting with the challenges of virtual education. However, at PA Virtual Charter School, students have an advantage and clearly defined path to achieving their academic goals. PA Virtual teachers have firsthand insight into the habits and qualities that help students thrive. In this article, PA Virtual teachers share their advice and strategies they utilize to help students meet their academic goals, and thrive in the virtual world of education at PA Virtual Charter School. Check out these tips that can help you become a successful online student, let’s get started!

Teacher Tip #1: Time Management

Time management is essential to success and helps students by allowing them to seamlessly stay organized, meet deadlines, and minimize stress. Sometimes students may start to feel overwhelmed with several assignments, activities, and other responsibilities all at the same time. Learning to prioritize tasks helps them to decide what to complete first and what is most important. Essentially, the student becomes the director of their schedule, managing time to prevent feeling overwhelmed by everything they need to accomplish. Utilizing time well can lead to reduced stress, allowing the student to have a clear idea of what needs to be done and when they need to work on it. Instead of waiting until the night before, planning ahead will break the work down into manageable chunks, accomplishing both meeting deadlines and reducing the stress of the workload. Knowing that a plan is in place for schoolwork and that the finish line is ahead allows the student to feel accomplished and fosters a sense of independence, taking ownership in their work.

Here’s an example of how time management could work in a virtual setting:

Meet Max, a virtual 9th grade student. Max has 3 assignments due this week:

1. Geography Article Packet-due Tuesday

2. Math: IXL Practice problems-due Wednesday

3. ELA-Vocabulary practice assignment-due Friday

Max does not wait for the night before each assignment is due to complete, instead Max has a plan.

• - Monday-Complete Geography assignment and start IXL for math

• - Tuesday-Finish math and double check Geography

• - Wednesday-Complete vocabulary practice

• - Thursday-Review ELA vocabulary and finish any missing work

• - Friday-Check Blackboard, and make sure all work is submitted

In this scenario, we can see that Max is actively checking assignments every day, and prioritizing work based on the date that they are due. By breaking down the assignments into manageable chunks, and scheduling times to complete assignments, Max is practicing good time management skills to get his work done without racing to finish it at the deadline.

Time management is also important to teach students how to balance and manage responsibilities. This balance can include learning how to make important decisions about daily tasks outside of their school workload. As students become more comfortable with managing their time, they may start to notice the quality of their work is improving, and even their focus. As all of the different pieces start to fall together, instead of trying to just finish the work, students will have the chance to produce their best possible work. Practicing time management is not just about getting your work done, but it's about creating the best possible path to success in life. With a solid time management practice, students will feel organized, stress will diminish, and quality of work will be greatly improved!

Teacher Tip #2: Staying Organized

For an online student, staying organized is key to success, as they often take on more responsibility for keeping track of their assignments, deadlines, and learning materials. At PA Virtual, students are provided many tools to utilize, allowing them to see their upcoming assignments and meet expectations as a virtual learner. Online students may have 5 to 6 different classes to keep track of along with the assignments, notes, and lesson plans. Staying organized helps them know what is due, when it's due, and where to submit the assignments.

Students can stay organized by creating a daily routine. Maybe it's logging in, checking the calendar, checking the lesson plans, and making sure assignments are submitted for that day. Having a consistent routine helps students keep a smoother flow in their workday. Another way to stay organized is to keep learning materials in a consistent dependable location. Working in a virtual environment has its challenges, however if you can locate things easily, it’s a win!

Some ways to stay organized with your materials include using the various Google apps such as: Google Calendars plus Google Tasks which helps with daily simple organization such as due dates, reminders and recurring tasks. If you are a student at PA Virtual, using Google Calendar is already a part of your account. If students connect Google Tasks it will sync with your calendar, it could look something like this:

Monday:

• 9:10–2nd period Geography class

• 10:10-3rd period ELA

• 11:05–lunch break (Student Council Meeting)

• 11:55-Study hall-complete discussion post and notes

Students can even plug in assignment deadlines into Google Calendars and use Tasks for the individual steps that they need to complete.

At PA Virtual, many teachers provide assignment trackers and built-in reminders within their virtual classroom. For example, Mrs. Gibbs’s Geography classes, students may see an announcement like this:

WEEK 5 REMINDERS:

• - Complete Unit 1 Study Guide

• - Take Unit 1 Exam

• - Discussion post-due Friday

• - Benchmark assignment-due Monday

Along with lesson plans that span out 2 weeks ahead, reminders, announcements, and assignment trackers are just a few of the ways students stay organized at PA Virtual. Maintaining organization and keeping track of assignments is a great way to ensure student success online.

Teacher Tip #3- Being an Active Learner

A critical part of success in any academic setting is taking ownership of your learning, and one way to do this is by being an active learner. Active learners don’t just log into class and sit there, they participate. Whether the student is jotting down notes, answering a poll question or bell-ringer, raising their hand and answering a question-the student is an active learner. When students are engaged in class, the material connects better and they can really start to build connections to the material they are studying. When you are actively participating in class, your focus increases and your brain is charged.

What does an active virtual student do? Active learners at PA Virtual take part in polls, class discussions, activities, and lessons. For example, in Geography-students will answer a poll question at the start of class, and follow up with a brief discussion of the answer. How can you be an active learner?

#1 Participation:

Participation and discussion reinforces the material in that conversation. Active learners also think about the material more deeply, rather than just taking notes-they ask themselves, why, how, and what does this mean?

#2 Questions, Questions, Questions:

Active learners ask questions! Successful students speak up and ask questions for clarification when they don’t understand a concept, an active virtual student may send a message to the teacher or raise their hand to speak in class.

#3 Making Connections

An active learner makes connections between the lessons and things they already know about the world around them. When students make those connections, they are more likely to understand and remember what they learn.

As a student, you can ask yourself, “Where do I see this happening in the real world?”

#4 Engaging with Classmates

Students can learn from each other through a variety of ways in a virtual setting, whether through discussions, group activities or collaborative projects.

#5 Reflect on a Feedback

Students who reflect on teacher feedback, often show improvement faster than those who do not review comments. They can use this feedback to sharpen their skills and improve results after correcting or adjusting their responses.

An easy formula for actively learning virtual students’:

Show up→Participate→Think→Ask Questions→Practice→Reflect

An active learner springs into action and doesn’t wait for things to happen. They tackle it head-on by asking questions, thinking beyond the material, and making real-life connections. Students who are actively learning are taking charge of their academic career and taking ownership in what they do in the classroom. It is a great way to promote continued academic success in the virtual classroom.

Teacher Tip #4 Takeaways for Students and Learning Coaches

The old adage it takes a village to raise a child is very applicable in the virtual learning setting. A good working partnership between the student, teacher, and learning coach is vital for student success in the virtual classroom. Communication is important not only for the student to understand what is happening in the class, but also the learning coach as well. Creating a consistent routine for learning,allows students to separate school time from their free time. Establishing those routines early on is most effective but its never too late to start a routine! Taking ownership of your learning, and completing work independently builds responsibility and independence. Students who reflect and learn from their mistakes give themselves a greater edge in improving skills and academic grades. Staying connected with each other allows relationships to develop, and opportunities to develop with other classmates, making virtual learning feel less isolating. Here are some ideas for both students and learning coaches:

#1 Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Students:

• Successful students communicate early, and don’t wait until they are weeks behind or missing multiple assignments before asking for help.

• Check emails, and announcements daily!

• Ask questions when you are confused, or something is unclear

Learning Coaches:

• Remind your students and encourage them to communicate directly with teachers.

• Rather than immediately solving the problems for them, help your student identify where they need support.

#2 Consistant Routines

Students:

• Be on time (or even early) every single day!

• Have your computer charged and materials ready the night before.

• Check your calendars and to do lists, lesson plans, etc.

Learning Coaches:

• Help your student create an organized and quiet space for learning.

• Check in with your student throughout the day.

• Encourage breaks, making sure students have a balanced day between school work and free time.

#3 Build Independence

Students:

• Keep track of your own assignments, deadlines, and missing work.

• Always check your grades for accuracy and to make sure you aren’t missing an assignment.

• Contact your teacher when in doubt and create a plan when you fall behind.

Learning Coaches:

• Don’t do everything for your student! Make them accountable for their responsibilities.

• Ask them questions that could prompt your student into action, such as, “What is your plan look like today?”

#4 Learning is an Ongoing Process

Students:

• Always read teacher feedback and correct mistakes when possible.

• Use that feedback to improve results on future work.

Learning Coaches:

• Celebrate victories together and focus on growth!

• Be your student's cheerleader and encourage them to keep going even when it gets tough!

Remember: Be present, stay organized, stay active, ask questions, take ownership, and above all–NEVER GIVE UP! Keep trying even when it seems impossible.

In the virtual classroom, success is more than just getting the work done and maintaining good grades. It is about developing good habits, and polishing the skills that help students become independent and responsible learners. Successful online students practice many of these tips and tricks, like managing their time well, being organized, being an active learner, communicating well, and taking ownership in the learning process. The world of virtual education requires a learning partnership between students, learning coaches, and teachers. As students take ownership of their learning, teachers provide guidance, and learning coaches encourage independence-the path to success is clear. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in one day, and success doesn’t happen all at once, but with the right habits, perseverance, support, and mindset, every student has the opportunity to succeed in the virtual classroom. At PA Virtual, teachers and learning coaches work together to support student success.