TROY Online: Cyber classroom There is a very common misconception about distance learning claiming that online courses are easy. This is not the case at Troy University. Our online courses and programs adhere to the same standards, lead to the same degrees, and many are taught by the same faculty as their on-campus counterparts. Therefore, it is very important to learn about the Troy online classroom structure, the basic techniques to help you succeed online, as well as the most common blunders to avoid while being an online learner.

Online Classroom Structure and Communication TROY online uses Blackboard as the main delivery channel for online courses. Your course is available as early as a week before the start of the term and as late as the Friday before the start of the term. The following information recap some items that will help you succeed in your course. Announcements are the first thing you will see when you enter your course and should be read each time you log in. The “Ask the Instructor” forum allows students to post general questions about the course content that other students may need to know about. Classroom introductions should be brief, but full of substance. Responses to fellow introductions should be meaningful and don’t forget to respond to the instructor. Blogs, Wikis and Journals are use for communication and collaboration in online learning. All email correspondence with the instructor should include your course name and section and a subject for your email.

Basic Techniques to Help you Succeed Online Success in online classes depends on some basic skills and good study habits, as well as certain behavioral qualities. The following information summarizes these items which will help in your online success. Each student is responsible for managing their own time. It is not the professor’s responsibility to manage your time. Commitment and dedication are required to be successful online. Some online students suffer from fatigue during the course. You’ll need to remain committed and dedicated to make it through those tough times. Emergencies happen to all of us. Professors usually make exceptions for deadlines and the acceptance of late work in an emergency situation. You must remember though to alert your professor during this time. It’s a good idea to develop a daily and course calendar for your online courses. This helps balance the responsibilities of your daily schedule. Reading ahead, completing assignments early and planning ahead are all good behaviors to demonstrate during an online course.

Avoid the Most Common Online Blunders It is important to understand the challenges of online education and know what kind of student you want to be: Use the University’s abundant resources to help you succeed online to include student training page, Smarthinking tutoring service, Help desk ticket for technical problems you might encounter with the course, Orientation course to familiarize you with TROY online setting. Be prepared to start the first day of the term and make sure to set up your email address ahead of time, log in to blackboard to confirm you have the correct credentials and you are ready to access the course when available, Purchase the textbook when you register and don’t wait until the first week of the term, as well as let your instructor know if you registered late and inquire about the first few chapters of the book. Stay involved in the course throughout the term by asking questions, following instructions, Abiding by the deadlines and due dates, as well as review instructor's feedback Avoid plagiarism and cheating when completing course requirements Never ask for extra credit assignments in the last couple of weeks when you have a failing grade. Find ways to get the job done: be persistent and find ways to work through personal difficulties that arise outside of the course. Make it a priority in time of emergency to contact your professor as quickly as possible