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Is Online Education For You?

Online Education is not for everyone. Successful Online-learning students need to be self-directed and have the following attributes:

  • Have a sincere desire to learn and participate in class activities
  • Maintain self-discipline and avoid procrastination
  • Communicate effectively in writing
  • Are self-directed and self-motivated in their approach to learning
  • Have effective study skills and habits
  • Enjoy working independently and pacing their own learning
  • Fulfill course requirements in a timely manner
  • Read carefully and follow written instructions

Besides having these characteristics successful Online education students must possess a certain comfort level with technology. Need more help to prepare for taking an online course? Take the Cuesta College Canvas Tutorial (self paced).

In order to succeed at a Online education course one should be able to answer "yes" to the following questions:

Comfort Level With Computers

  • Can you run the applications you need to use on a computer? This should include any specific applications which may be required as part of this course.
  • Can you create, save and manage files on your computer?
  • Do you know how to install software on your computer if you need to?

Internet Access

  • Can you access Internet email and the World Wide Web (WWW) at least twice a week?
  • If you do not have your own computer, can you get to campus to use the computer labs or arrange to use some other computer at least twice a week?

Internet Skills

  • Do you currently have an email address?
  • Do you know how to send and receive email messages?
  • Do you know how to attach a file to an email message?
  • Do you know how to "paste" text from a word processor into an email message?
  • Do you know how to receive a file attachment from an incoming email message?
  • Are you familiar with navigating the World Wide Web?
  • Do you know how to download something from the World Wide Web?

The more "yes" answers you gave to the above questions the better chance you have at succeeding at an online course.

Prospective students considering enrolling in a Online-learning course are encouraged to complete the Quest for Success online Module and discover if they have the necessary academic characteristics to be successful Online learners.

Online Student Readiness Tutorials

The Online Student Readiness Tutorials developed by the California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative are a series of interactive multimedia tutorials designed to assist students with developing the skills required to be successful in an online course.  If you are taking or thinking about taking an online course, please review the tutorials by clicking the banner. 

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