Whether you are new to online learning or you are a pro, every course has its own structure, pace, and types of activities. The following are some tips or strategies that will help you be successful in this course:

Establish a Routine

Look through the syllabus, calendar and module layout, and establish a routine. Take time to get familiar with the routine of the class, and schedule your own work time accordingly - ideally multiple times during the week.

Each week, you should allow:

3-4 hours to read the assigned texts and/or articles. Be sure to read actively, take notes, and regularly review your notes before joining the Live Sessions.
1-2 hours to watch video lectures and take notes.
3-4 hours to complete the readings summaries/reflections, exercises, and post discussion board questions.
2 hours to participate in the weekly Live Sessions and/or Office Hours on Zoom.

You should allow a total of 10-12 hours per week (or about 2 hours per day). Please note that you will be required to submit all reading summaries/reflections, exercises, and discussion board contributions before midnight on Sundays (11:59 PM Central). Submitting the discussion board contributions on Sunday will allow your instructor time to review your submissions ahead of the Live Session.

Don't wait until the last minute to finish (and upload) everything. Pace yourself and allow time for solving unexpected technical difficulties (e.g., limited submission file type, slow internet). Research indicates that distributing your study throughout the week, and regularly reviewing learning materials, can lead to better recall and improved learning gains over students who opted for fewer, more intensive study sessions.

Course Expectations

General Expectations

The instructor expects all course participants to engage in course activities, participate in the discussions, and take responsibility for their learning.

Netiquette Guidelines

Since this course is delivered online, it is important to adhere to the following guidelines for communicating in an electronic environment:

1. REFRAIN FROM USING ALL CAPS. IT IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING when communicating online.
2. Respect other’s opinions. If you disagree with what another has said, post your thoughts in an objective, respectful manner. Do not make remarks that can be taken personally.
3. Reflect upon the text you have entered before posting.
4. Keep the discussion within the scope of the course material.
5. Communication should be grammatically correct. Adhere to correct sentence structure, grammar, and spelling conventions.
6. Before you respond to a threaded message, read all the messages related to that message so that you understand the background of the message.

Etiquette and Preparation for Live Sessions

Attendance of the live sessions is strongly encouraged and will be tracked (but is not part of the grade). Please make an effort to join the sessions on time. While there is no requirement to use a webcam, the use of a webcam can make the live sessions more interactive and is encouraged.

Study Paths

Spatial data management and data-enabled research are rapidly evolving fields. Rather than focusing on memorizing facts and definitions, this course aims to provide the students with a theoretical foundation of spatial data concepts and the skills to search for, find, and apply information and support online. This means that almost all assessments are open-book and encourage the use of online resources. However, unless stated otherwise, all assessments are individual work.

Tips and Strategies

If you are new to online learning, check out these tips: Course Management for Online Students.