It is always a good idea to set goals or objectives before you begin any task. It can help you stay focused and set your expectations for your experience. Goals might include things like wanting to study for the same number of hours as the lessons are expected to take each week. For instance, a three credit-hour course each week should require about three hours of outside-of-class work, reading, writing or studying. If you have a tendency to procrastinate, set an objective to always turn in assignments 24 hours before they are due or to start working on them with ample time to complete them without ever getting down to the wire.
Since you won't have to attend class at a certain time for many online courses, it is a good idea to set a schedule for yourself before the course starts. Look at your schedule and see when you will have regular open windows of time to set aside. Treat your coursework like a job, and block out time in your calendar for it. If you know you have "class" at a certain time, you will be less likely to accept invitations that conflict with your class time. During your designated study and class time, go somewhere quiet -- where you can be uninterrupted -- and truly focus on your school work. Stick to the schedule you set and you will be less likely to fall behind. The self-discipline involved in distance learning is the most difficult challenge students face, so be prepared to adhere to the schedule you set.
The Journal of Agricultural Education did an analysis of distance learning techniques and strategies using various studies and determined that no single strategy seemed to improve the success of students in distance learning courses other than note taking. Students who diligently take notes and review these notes are more likely to remember the material than those students who expect to simply retain the information given during lectures or discussions by memory alone. One of the benefits of taking notes during a distance learning course is that any lectures may be posted online in video or audio format, allowing you to replay those parts that you may have missed or would like to hear again, which is not an option in live learning situations.
Many distance learning courses have instructors who make themselves available over the phone during designated office hours. Take advantage of this resource to ask any questions you have or to discuss any issues that may come up during the course. Students who call their instructor are more likely to earn an "A" in videotaped distance education courses, according to a 1997 study at Texas A&M University. While you may never meet your instructor in person, it can help you feel like you have some personal connection to him or her if you speak over the phone.
Telling people that you are taking a distance learning course can be helpful for a variety of reasons. Warning friends and family that you are taking on a new commitment will keep them from wondering why you may have become more scarce or why you seem less available. It will also help them to understand why you may have to turn down invitations. Another good reason to tell people what you are doing is so that they can help hold you accountable. Your family and friends will want you to succeed, and so they may help keep you on track if they see you deviate from your study plans. If the course you are taking will apply to your job, it is a good idea to tell your boss or human resources representative about your educational undertaking since they presumably will be pleased that you are pursuing additional education in your field. They may even have a financial incentive available to you for continuing education.