HOW TO LEARN ONLINE - edX

I- ONLINE LEARNING

During this difficult time when millions of us around the world are caring for our
communities by social distancing and working and learning from home, edX has
created this course to help you achieve your learning goals.
You may find that learning online is more flexible than learning in face-to-face
environments.
Often in online courses, you can move at your own pace, reviewing material that is
difficult or skipping things you have already mastered.
I remember when I was a student in college, when the professor was going too
fast, I would usually lose the professor around the five minute mark.
And then I was struggling to catch up and I would lose the whole lecture.
Imagine if I could have hit the pause button at that time, so that I could pause the
professor, and maybe even rewind the professor.
You can do that online.
Online learning environments can also increase opportunities to connect with
your peers and instructors through synchronous video conferencing and
asynchronous discussion forums.
More than 25 million learners and 6000 instructors connect on the edX platform
to learn together.
To be a successful online learner requires commitment and planning.
But don’t be daunted.
This brief course from the team at edX will help you prepare for learning online,
giving
you practical advice and strategies informed by the science of learning.
II- WHAT IS SELF-CARE?
One observation that I would say is universally true is that self-care is critical for
successful learning.
A healthy mind (and body) is a mind ready to learn.
Self-care means taking an active role in preserving and protecting your well-being, and it
is especially important during times of stress and change.
What is self-care?
Self-care is any activity or practice done deliberately to nurture your emotional, mental,
and physical health.
While self-care is a rather broad topic, in this module we will highlight self-care
techniques
that support your ability to learn.
1. STRESS AND LEARNING
You might be wondering why we are beginning this course on learning with the topic
of self-care and stress management. Stress can have a significant impact on learning,
particularly on memory. While stress can improve attention and alertness and thus
help with memory formation (encoding), too much stress can impair our cognitive
function by negatively impacting our brain's ability to retrieve information or update
existing information. Retrieval of information is critical during exams of course, but is
also important when we need to recall and put into action newly acquired skills. Our
ability to update existing information is important when learning complex concepts
that build or change over time. Learning to manage stress in turns helps our brain to
learn.

To help you establish healthy self-care routines to support your learning, download
our Checklist for Managing Self-Care [PDF].

2. THE ROLE OF MEMORY IN LEARNING

Learning and memory are two sides of the same coin. Learning refers to the
process of acquiring new skills or knowledge. Memory is the expression of
what you have learned. For example, consider the effort it takes for a child to
learn how to tie their shoe. They need to watch the movement and listen to
instruction from someone who knows how to tie a shoe. The child must also
practice many times, going through each step, feeling the movement of the
laces and coordinations of their fingers. This effort is learning. Eventually, the
child can recall the steps without being shown or told, and finally tie their shoe
quickly from memory.
And when you forget something, you have to relearn it, encoding the skill or
knowledge again to memory.
Throughout this course we will reference the role of memory to learning, and
in the Additional Resources section of this module, we have listed several
sources for further understanding how memory and learning works.
3. SLEEP AND MEMORY

An active and awake brain is necessary for encoding new memories, such as
learning new concepts and skills. But during sleep our brain is also actively
consolidating our memories. According to the book, Learning and Memory: A
Comprehensive Reference, memory consolidation is the process by which recently
learned experiences are transformed into long-term memory. During sleep, our
brain takes advantage of less awake-time activity to make the structural and
chemical changes in the nervous system needed for long-term memory.
What is your sleep number?
While everyone’s sleep number - the hours of sleep you need each night - can vary,
according to the US National Sleep Foundation, adults between the ages of 18 and
64 should get between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. The Sleep Foundation
 offers tips for healthy sleeping, and you may also consider keeping a sleep diary
[PDF] to track your sleep and find ways you can improve your sleep.
1. Keep regular bedtimes and wake up times, even on the weekends.
2. Plan time to wind down before bedtime. Minimize exposure to blue light from
devices like your phone or laptop.
3. Your sleep environment should be cool, free from disturbing noises, and any light.
You might want to use things like blackout curtains, an eye mask, ear plugs, and a
white noise machine (or another appliance like a fan or humidifier to mask noise).
4. Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and heavy meals in the evening.
5. Anything related to work and entertainment (computers, TVs, etc) should be
removed from the bedroom.
* In his book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, author Daniel Pink offers
a 5-step guide [PDF] to taking a "nappuccino" which involves drinking a small cup of coffee
before settling down for a 20 minute nap.

4. HEALTHY ROUTINES
In order for you to be fully available to your family, friends and coworkers, you need
to put your well-being first. This means maintaining healthy habits like getting
enough sleep, staying hydrated and eating well, getting regular physical exercise, and
taking breaks. You might explore wellness apps that can help you create and manage
healthy habits.
It can be difficult to give ourselves the timeout we need as the pace and demands of
the day push us forward. To help you take a moment for yourself, consider scheduling
your breaks. Later in this course we will cover time management strategies and
setting a study schedule. Add breaks directly to your study schedule and honor that
time as you would an appointment with a doctor or meeting with a friend.
Ideas for Quick Breaks
 Sunlight and fresh air. This can go hand-in-hand with getting some exercise or
walking your dog.
 Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises.
 Connecting with friends and family.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
For more information and resources about self-care for learning, visit the links
listed below.
 How Memory Works (Harvard University)
 9 self-care tips for online students (University of Essex)
 Healthy sleep tips (National Sleep Foundation)
 Learning and memory under stress: implications for the
classroom (Science of Learning Journal)
 Learning while you sleep (Harvard Medical School)
III- PLANNING TO LEARNING ONLINE
Learning online can be challenging, especially if you are working and learning at home.
The responsibilities we carry of family and work and the endless distractions that surround
us, can present obstacles to our learning goals.
In this module we help you identify the challenges and provide strategies for overcoming
the most common obstacles.
We will cover: setting up your learning environment, planning your study schedule, and
gathering the tools and technology you will need to learn effectively.
1. A LOCATION FOR LEARNING
Try to find a location for learning that is as free from distractions as you can manage. In
your home, identify a distinct space for learning that is not used for other activities, such as
sleeping or watching television. As best you can, the space should be for study only. In
small living spaces or where you may share space with family members or roommates, this
can be difficult. If your choices are limited and you must set up your learning space in a
common area, such as a kitchen, try to arrange a schedule with others so that you are able
to use the space uninterrupted during your learning time.
When you are learning, keep water handy to stay hydrated, have healthy snacks nearby,
and be sure to get up to stretch as often as you need. Work in an area that has good
lighting. If you are working on a computer or tablet, give your eyes a break. Use the 20-20-
20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and focus your eyes on something at
least 20 feet away.
Minimize distractions in both your physical environment and your digital environment.
Close web browser windows not relevant to your learning, turn off notifications from your
phone such as email and social media, and keep the TV off.
 Create your learning space. Identify a distinct space for learning. Avoid areas used for
sleeping or common, high-traffic areas.
 Take regular breaks. Stand up to stretch. Rest your eyes every 20 minutes.
 Minimize distractions. Close browser tabs and windows not relevant to your learning.
Turn off all phone notifications.
* To help you set up your learning environment and required technology,
download this Logistics Checklist for Learning Online [PDF]. Next up, we will
be covering strategies for effectively managing your time.
2. CREATE A SCHEDULE
A benefit of online learning is flexibility, but that can also create challenges. Without the
structure of an on campus course schedule or in person learning sessions, it can be easy to
procrastinate learning tasks or lose track of assignment deadlines. When we are learning
while also working and caring for family members, we often deprioritize our learner goals
in the face of other demands.
To help you stay on track, find ways to structure and optimize your time for when you
learn best. This might mean waking up an hour earlier than usual, before children are
awake, in order to complete reading and video lectures. Or, you may need to save the latest
 episode of your favorite television show for another evening, as you finish an important
project or study for an upcoming exam.
Review the learning activities and determine how much time you expect each will take,
then make a plan that works for you. You might be tempted to “binge learn” and move
through course materials too quickly. Pace yourself. When you set aside time for learning,
this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to find four-hour uninterrupted blocks, several days
a week. You may find 15 minutes to watch a short video lecture and write a three-sentence
reflection post. But of course, other learning activities will require more time. In fact, it’s a
good rule of thumb to overestimate the amount of time you expect to take for a task and
factor that into your schedule.
Create a schedule for your work, especially if a course is set up to let you learn at your own
pace. Add important due dates to a calendar so you do not miss deadlines. Track tasks and
assignment deadlines on your phone, in a day planner notebook, or with whatever
calendaring tool works best for you.
 Set a schedule and follow a routine. Get up and get ready for the day, follow a regular
morning routine (wash up, dress, have some food, coffee/tea, brush your teeth, etc).
Having a regular structure to your day will help you keep on track.
 Stay organized. Keep a calendar of tasks and deadlines. Have your course materials and
notes in one place so you use your time for learning, not searching for course materials.
 Be kind to yourself. If you find yourself suddenly thrust into a remote learning situation,
expecting high productivity is expecting too much of yourself and can exacerbate stress.
Set reasonable goals and communicate with your instructors about your progress and
challenges.
Keeping on Task
For keeping on task, try the pomodoro technique. This time management technique is
especially useful if you find yourself easily distracted. The technique was created by
Francesco Cirillo when he was a university student.
Pomodoro sets aside time for focusing on a specific task and rewards you with small
chunks of time to be used for short breaks. There are six steps in the original technique:
1. Decide on the task to be done.
2. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task.
4. End work when the timer rings and put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
5. If you have fewer than four checkmarks, take a short break (3–5 mins), then go to step 2.
6. After four pomodoros, take a longer break (15–30 minutes), reset your checkmark count to
zero, then go to step 1.
Weekly Study Plan
 To help you organize your time download our Weekly Study Plan Worksheet [PDF]. In the
next section we cover important consideration for managing the tools and technology you
will need to learn online.
3. GATHER YOUR ACCOUNT
Ideally before you begin an online course, organize all the technology required. This
information should be provided to you in the course syllabus or other materials provided
by the instructor or institution where you are learning.
 Accounts and Applications. You may need to download and install video
conferencing software for live lectures, such as Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans or
Shindig. Do this well before the first lecture so you have enough time to create an
account (if necessary) and test the software. Course assignments may need to be
uploaded to a cloud service, such as Google Drive, Dropbox or Microsoft
OneDrive. Make sure you have the required account details (username and
password) or access information in advance of an assignment deadline. Your
university or employer may also use a learning management system (LMS) for
delivering online learning, such as Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, or Sakai. Make
sure you have the required account details (username and password) and that you
are enrolled in the correct title and section of the course or courses.
 Hardware. Collect and keep handy any power cords, USB cables and extra devices
like a computer mouse, keyboard you may need. If possible, store these items in the
same place you have designating for studying.
 WiFi vs Wired. If possible, minimize your reliance on wifi by using an ethernet
cable. It is also good practice to download course materials to work on assignments
offline in case you lose your internet connection or have limited bandwidth. Many
online courses and platforms work on mobile (i.e. phone, tablet), too, but others do
not. Have a plan for Internet access.
Additional Resources
 The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo [PDF]
 18 Best Time Management Apps and Tools (LifeHack)
IV- THE LEARNING LANDSCAPE
Today, with the advancements in computing technology and networks, the learning landscape
has exploded.
We have at our fingertips vast amounts of digital content about virtually any topic to watch,
read or listen to.
With a quick web search, we can instantly check a fact, remember a name or date, or know the
answer to most questions.
But knowing about something is different from being able to do or create something.
And in this age of rapid technological change, when the knowledge and skills required to
succeed are continuously evolving, you want to be at the top of your learning game.
To get the most out of online learning, you need to develop new knowledge and skills in
a way that you can retain, apply, and adapt into new contexts.
1. METACOGNITIVES STRATEGIES
As we have previously discussed, staying motivated and on task while learning online can
be difficult without the structure of an on campus course schedule or regular, live
interaction with peers and instructors. Perhaps even more so than in traditional, in-person
learning environments, to achieve your goals in an online learning environment you need
to employ strong self-regulation learning strategies.
Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate one’s thinking and actions. We demonstrate
self-regulation when we consider our thought processes and behaviors, and adjust our
thinking and actions to achieve desired outcomes.
Self-regulation is a broad topic, but in this module we will focus on three processes you
can apply to improve learning: metacognitive, motivational and behavioral. These are key
components not only for successful learning, but can apply to any goal or challenge you
face in life.
Metacognition is an awareness and understanding of one's own thought process. Applied to
learning, it means being aware of and intentional about how you think and learn,
and involves planning, monitoring and evaluating your learning progress.
The process starts by assessing what you know and what you don’t know, planning for
how you are going to do to learn what you don’t know, and then evaluating your learning
progress and making necessary adjustments.
When you are learning a new topic or skill, ask yourself the following questions. You
might consider writing down your answers.
 What tasks do I need to complete or topics do I need to cover? (Try: Review the
assignment, scan the chapter, read through the quiz before answering.)
 What do I already know about this topic? (Try: Write down familiar terms, review
a previously completed assignment about the topic.)
 What is new to me or, based on past experience, what will be difficult for me to
learn? (Try: Formulate questions to answer as you read, plan extra time to spend on
difficult topics.)
 What approach will I use to learn this material? (Try: Choose a note-taking
technique, make flash-cards, draw a mind map.)
 How will I assess if I have learned the material? (Try: Teach a friend, take a
practice quiz.)
For more ideas about how to stay actively engaged in learning through metacognition
strategies, read this blog post from Dr. David Handel "The Power of Metacognition in
Everyday Life".
2. MOTIVATIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES
Staying motivated, especially through challenging tasks, is difficult for everyone. But part
of building strong self-regulation skills is practicing motivational techniques. Below are
several strategies to try to keep yourself motivated and moving forward.
 Be SMART. We all know that making goals is a good thing, but we also know that
reaching our goals is hard. A common reason why goals are often not achieved is
because the goal itself was too vague or too big. A popular technique for making
goals we can reach is called SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based.
o Be as specific as possible when making a goal.
o Have a way to measure your goal so you can track progress.
o Create a goal you can reasonably attain with the resources you have today.
o Keep the goal relevant to your overall values or aligned with the direction
you wish to go.
o Set the time or date at which you hope to accomplish your goal.
 Effort not ability. We often get in the way of our own progress and success by
giving up because we believe we don't have the natural talent or inherent ability to
learn a new skill or concept. Stanford University physiologist Dr. Carol Dweck
calls this way of thinking a fixed mindset and it is contrary to the reality for most
human beings. Success, for even the best athlete, musician or scientist, requires
effort and practice. Believing that we can improve through trial and error, through
effort and practice is called a growth mindset. When you feel like quitting, put in a
few more minutes or a bit more effort and see if you can push past the desire to
give up.
 Hardest thing first. When we are rested and have an alert, fresh mind, we are more
likely to push through challenging tasks than when we are tired and spent. Given
this, it is better to start with a hard task than to save it for last. You have more
energy to devote to the thing that needs it most. And when you complete it, you
will feel accomplished, perhaps even exhilarated. This good feeling can propel you
to keep going on to the next, less difficult, task.
 Little rewards. You may recall from the previous modules about self-care and time
management, taking breaks is important to staying motivated and energized.
Consider sweetening your breaks by treating yourself to something you really
enjoy; a small reward for putting in a strong effort. For example, eat a piece of
chocolate, turn up the music and sing along to your favorite song, or spend a few
minutes on social media (but set a timer so you don't fall down the rabbit hole!).
Has someone ever said any of the following statements to you?
  You are what you do, not what you say
 Actions speak louder than words
 Get our act together
 Show, don't tell
As harsh as it may be to hear, there is truth in those statements about the power of
behavior. We can aspire to accomplish many things, set goals and create plans, but until we
start actually working on achieving our goals, putting our plans into action, we will never
leave the starting line.
The final strategy for building self-regulation skills is to be aware of and, when needed,
change our behavior in order to achieve our learning goals. But it can be difficult in the
moment when we are focused on learning new and challenging material, to be cognizant of
our actions. Below are a few techniques to bring mindfulness and intention to our learning
behaviors so that we keep doing what works and change what doesn't.
Keep a study log. In addition to tracking when and for how long you study, consider
tracking how you study. For example, if you plan a 30 minute study session, stop after 25
minutes and dedicate 90 seconds to taking notes in a study journal on what you did. While
you were watching a recorded lecture, did your mind wander? Did you check social
media? Did you rewind the video once, twice or several times because you missed or didn't
understand something.
Try it a different way. If you use a highlighter while reading a textbook, try instead to
focus on only reading and then write a summary of the pages you read. If you usually
watch the lecture first and then try the practice problems, reverse the order. Did you
concentrate more or less on the lecture when you knew what you needed to look for after
reviewing the practice problems?
Never miss twice. A popular mantra for building good habits and behaviors is the "never
miss twice" rule. The underlying concept here acknowledges that we are not perfect, but
that doesn't mean we should give up entirely. Sometimes we are going to skip a planned
study session or miss an assignment deadline. That is okay. To stay on track, don't focus on
what you missed. Instead, focus on NOT missing the next study session or assignment
deadline.
3. PRACTICE, APPLICATION, REFLECTION
To ensure that your newly learned knowledge and skills endure, it is important to
repeatedly practice new skills, apply knowledge in different contexts, and reflect on what
you have learned. A well-designed learning experience will provide you with opportunities
to practice, apply, and reflect, but you can reinforce your learning outside of a class by
connecting it to your everyday life and work.
Here’s a selection of valuable learning strategies to try:
  Keep a learning journal. Regularly reflect on our learning by writing down thoughts
and questions that arise. Write daily or weekly summarizing of what you are
learning, perhaps like you are writing a letter or text to a friend.
 Retrieval practice. Every time you have to remember something, you deepen your
memory of that something, which makes it easier and quicker to recall later. This is
especially important with new information or knowledge that is early in the
encoding process. Create opportunities to recall newly learned concepts or skills.
Flashcards are a popular method of retrieval practice.
 Ask yourself why. It is common in online learning environments that instructors
allow you to try to answer questions multiple times. These practice problems or
formative quizzes and knowledge checks are good at providing instant feedback if
you are right or wrong. But a lucky guess won't be easily remembered. Even if you
get the answer right on the first try, make sure you understand why your answer is
correct.Share with us learning and study strategies that you find useful. Is there a
specific practice that’s especially challenging or especially rewarding?
 Make connections. Drawing connections between new material you’re learning and
your prior knowledge or experiences is an effective way to deepen learning. For
examples, identify real life examples of concepts from your course; recall related
concepts from prior learning materials; review your notes from previous sessions
before you learn new material; or summarize main ideas and concepts using
examples not provided in the learning materials, but that you imagine.
In the discussion forum below, share with us learning and study strategies that you find
useful. Is there a specific practice that’s especially challenging or especially rewarding?
4. EFFECTIVE READING COMPREHENSION
One enduring technique developed by Francis P. Robinson, an American education
philosopher in his 1946 book Effective Study, is call SQ3R. This acronym stands
for Survey, Question, Read, Recall, and Review. It may require practice to use effectively,
but it is well worth the effort. The steps for SQ3R are as follows:
1. First, skim or survey through your material to get a high level idea of the content.
2. List out several questions you have about the content.
3. Go back and read thoroughly, but this time try to answer the questions you listed.
4. Next, recall from your memory what you just learned. Pretend you are telling someone
about what you have just read.
5. Review the material with a closer focus. Were you able to answer your questions? Did new
questions arise? If so, repeat the process to try answering your new questions.
Another method for boosting comprehension and knowledge retention is to make
annotations to the learning material while reading. Add notes, mark down thoughts and
comments, list out questions, and make connections as you are reading. Using this
 technique will help you make sense of complicated materials, but will also organize your
notes for reviewing later.
1. Read the material once through and mark unfamiliar concepts or words, and identify the
key ideas. Pose questions.
2. Read the material again, making more detailed notes this time. Mark ideas you agree and
disagree with.
3. Make connections to other things you have read, studied or experienced. Highlight key
phrases and ideas and rewrite them in your own words. Add personal comments.
5. VIDEO COMPREHENSION TECHNIQUES
The reading comprehension and retention techniques we just reviewed can also apply to
recorded video lectures, which you can rewatch, slow down or speed up as you take notes.
Below are additional tips for getting the most out of online learning videos.
Recorded Video Lectures
For recorded video, pause and write a brief summary of what you have heard every few
minutes. You can pause the video or review as many times as you want. If the instructor
has provided PowerPoint slides along with the video, consider downloading or printing
them out, and take notes directly on the slides.
It may be helpful to turn video captions on, to read along and help with your note taking.
(And if you’re listening to an audio only recording, follow along with the transcript.) Both
captions and a transcript will help provide details that may be missed with just watching or
listening.
Live Video Lectures
For live video lectures delivered in video conferencing software like Zoom, avoid taking
notes. Pay attention to what you are hearing and participate in the live discussion to help
keep your focus. Raise your virtual hand or ask a question in the chat. Ask if the video
lecture is being recorded so you can review and take detailed notes later.
Take advantage of video conference break-out groups, if offered. These live, small group
discussions will give you a chance to hear other perspectives or review challenging
material as a group.
Additional Resources
 Effective Note-Taking (University of North Carolina)
 How Humans Learn: The Science and Stories Behind Effective College Teaching (Joshua
Eyler)
 Mastering Metacognition: The What, Why, and How (Actively Learn)
V- SOCIAL LEARNING
Online learning can facilitate connections to world-class professors and a global community of
passionate classmates.
Learning online can also make you feel isolated and disconnected from others, especially in
asynchronous courses.
But you are not alone!
From participating in discussion forums and finding a study buddy, to communicating
frequently with your instructor and collaborating with peers on group projects, the online
learning environment can be a rich social experience!
In this module, we demonstrate how connecting with your peers and instructors can improve
your online learning experience and, in fact, boost your learning outcomes.
1. FIND LEARNING PEERS
Recall in the Self-Care for Learning module we discussed the importance of making time
for family and friends to keep us grounded and energized. Fostering social connection with
your instructor and classmates is also important to your learning.
Your experiences may vary with synchronous or asynchronous instruction in your courses,
but in any context, online learning can be incredibly vibrant when learners connect with
one another. Ways to connect will depend on the structure and technology used in the
course, but a few common methods for connection include:
 introducing yourself in the discussion boards, like we asked you to do for this course
 providing constructive comments on peer and group assignments
 participating in live lectures and discussions via video conferencing applications (e.g.
Zoom, Webex, BlueJeans, Shindig, Google Hangouts)
There are also many opportunities to connect beyond the learning management system
(LMS) used for your course. See if your instructor has created a private group on social
media sites like Facebook or LinkedIn. Perhaps there is a Twitter hashtag for continued
conversation outside of the course. You might also consider finding a study buddy or a
study group to help build connections and community in your course. This will not only
alleviate isolation, but also promote collaborative learning.
2. COMMUNICATION
When learning online, particularly in an asynchronous course that does not include regular,
live interaction with your instructor or peers, it is a good practice to over communicate.
This may mean regular email checkins with your instructor, reading and responding to
discussion forum posts, or text chatting with study buddies. No matter how you
communicate, it is important to be kind and patient to yourself and others. Give and expect
respect, especially during asynchronous communication like discussion boards and email
since it can be easy to misconstrue someone’s meaning. Like you, your peers are real
people. Do your part to foster a respectful, supportive community.
Tips for Keeping in Touch:
 Keep your instructor informed. Self-advocate by asking your instructor for help when
you need it. Let them know if you are ill, unable to log on, need an extension on an
assignment, etc.
 Reflect and chat with peers. Share your learning goals, study tips, additional resources
relevant to the course, something that makes you laugh, music you love, etc.
 Assume good intent. Everyone is trying their best. Emails and text-based discussions do
not have the verbal and visual cues you’re used to seeing to inform your reaction and
interpretation.
 3. COLLABORATION
Collaboration and group work in an online learning environment can be a very rewarding
experience. Working together helps you improve communication skills and strengthen
your knowledge of a topic by incorporating others’ points of view. Learning to manage
tasks as a group and collaborate efficiently and effectively are also important workplace
skills.
Getting Started. If group work assignments are a component of your course, start by
carefully reviewing the assignment details to make note of major tasks and requirements.
Take time to get acquainted with your teammates, whether your team is determined by
your instructor or you are tasked with finding a team. Discuss the project with your team
and make sure everyone in the group understands the assignment fully.
Planning. As with anything, have a solid plan.
o List out the tasks required and the steps to achieve those tasks.
o Assign roles and tasks. Decide upon a leader to keep the group members on schedule and
accountable to deadlines.
o Create a schedule. Work backwards from the project due date to determine realistic
deadlines for milestones and associated tasks.
o Choose technology for collaboration. You and your team should choose technology and
tools that allow easy communication and collaboration for all team members. Be sensitive
to the limitations team members might have, including Internet access, video and audio
capabilities, cloud services that may require a subscription fee, and privacy concerns.
There are a range of free or paid options. Your instructor may have suggestions or
requirements as to what you and your team should use.
Communicating. Practice active listening and supportive communication with your
teammates. Offer constructive and actionable feedback, not just criticism and negative
comments. Make suggestions to group members that may need help, but resist doing their
tasks for them. Address issues within the group early, and communicate any issues that
can’t be resolved by the group to your instructor.
Additional Resources
For more information and resources about communicating and working collaboratively in
online learning and working environments, visit the links listed below.
 Virtual Team Building and Icebreaker Ideas (Career Contessa)
 Seth Godin's Zoom and Skype Call Tips
 How to Collaborate Effectively If Your Team Is Remote (Harvard Business Review)