Evergreen Internet Academy

Tips for Success

Contact
Keeping in contact with the EIA staff is very important. In fact, we have found that it is the best indicator of a successful student! Students should be in contact through email or phone with their teachers at least once a week. We also encourage students to spend some time each week in the lab. This gives them a perfect opportunity to ask questions and work with their teachers. Students should be working on a daily basis in their courses in order to complete them on schedule. If you are having difficulties with your courses or are having technical problems, don't wait! Call or e-mail us right away so we can help you get back to work!

Save and Backup
Save your work at every opportunity. You never know when you may have computer problems, accidentally hit the delete button, or your teacher's computer loses the assignment. Try to keep a separate disk for all of your EIA work that way you will know where your saved assignments are located.

Complete Work Sequentially
It is recommended that you start with the first assignment in the course and work through each assignment in order. Courses are designed to build on knowledge. That means that each unit, module, lesson, and assignment may use information you learned from previous units, modules, lessons and assignments. Skipping around doing assignments out of sequence will not necessarily improve your grade. In fact, it may decrease the value of the grade you receive because you may miss the background information to do the assignment correctly.

Time Management
One of the greatest advantages of online learning is flexibility of schedule. Morning people can log on in the mornings and night owls at night. However, it is important not to let this feature cause you to be lax in setting and following a planned schedule for study. Even in online learning, assignments and other requirements of the course still count and due dates are still firm. Following the steps below will help you manage your time and so help you be successful:

Each course has a weekly assignment schedule which can be used as a guide for due dates. Print out a copy and check this schedule weekly to keep yourself on track.
Deadlines are important. Getting into the habit of setting and meeting deadlines is a productive life skill. Anyone who sets deadlines for you and holds you to them is actually preparing you for the challenges of the real world.
Schedule your time and be realistic about how long you will need. The general rule of thumb is that you will work at least 5 hours per week per course.
Establish a routine. This will help you avoid distractions.
Schedule regular breaks and relax. Planning social activities, exercise and fun in moderation are essential to maintain a healthy balance.
Expect the unexpected. Do you have a back up in case your computer crashes or your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is down? Always plan ahead for unexpected obstacles.
Find a quiet area to study without distractions. Scheduling a study time is a great idea, but make the most of your time by eliminating distractions. Research shows that one to two hours of uninterrupted study time is more productive than three or four hours with interruptions.
Set goals. They will motivate you and keep you from distractions.

Quality Work
Creating quality work is a great habit to develop. Employers will love you for it well after school is behind you; teachers will love you for it now! Your goal should be to always do the best that you can - and maybe to try to do even better. Here are some steps to follow that will help you achieve this goal:

Read the assignment directions carefully and ask questions before you begin working if there is anything at all you don't understand.
Complete your assignments using a word processor, whenever possible. Make use of the spelling and grammar check.
Review and proofread your own work carefully.
Consider having a parent or friend who is a good writer take a look at your work.
Always submit assignments as "Request for Review" before submitting them for a final grade.
Take a few minutes after revising to do a final proofread and edit. You may want to Request for Review again.
Your teacher will often make comments on your graded assignments as well. Read these comments, since they may help you improve future assignments.
Be proud of yourself for putting the effort into creating a quality assignment.

Have Fun!
Courses are designed for your education and enjoyment. If you stay on schedule, complete all of the tasks and get them in on time, you will not only be rewarded by a good grade and lots of knowledge but you will also own the feeling of pride and enjoyment that comes with being the best you can be at whatever you strive to do.