By Allyson Donohue & Stephanie Kennedy
Assessment Specialists, Academic Advising at American Public
university we have all heard how important planning and tracking our
progress is to reach our goals, but this can be especially important
in an online environment. How do some students reach their goals more
efficiently, or seem to have it "easier" than others? Many students
focus on goal planning and track their progress throughout their
online program, and this includes creating and achieving short-term
and long-term goals. Short-term goals can include getting at least a
'B' in your next two classes, while a long-term goal could be
graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Short-term goals can be
created and crossed off a list as they are completed, while long-term
goals can be revisited at specified time intervals.
Some critical steps to remember when making goals and tracking your
academic success include:
*.Analyze your strengths.
Goals that are made while focusing on your strengths will be easier
and more enjoyable to obtain. For example, adding a certificate to
your program in a subject area you enjoy will help complete your
elective credits in lieu of taking random classes from a variety of
unrelated degree subjects.
*.Set small and realistic goals.
Setting small goals along the way to achieving your ultimate goal will
help you stay focused and motivated.
*.Monitor your progress.
Create a helpful spreadsheet, check your grades within your online
classroom, and keep track of your GPA. These are just some of the ways
you can monitor your progress in your classes and program. Use the
tools you find most useful when tracking your progress!
*.Self-reflection. Take time to self-reflect throughout your academic
experience. This is an important step both before and after setting
goals for yourself, as self-reflection will help you to create
attainable goals, efficiently work towards those goals, and evaluate
your success after completing the goals. Make time throughout your
program to reflect on your past successes and challenges, and
determine how to best move forward.
*.Seek help when needed.Use all the resources available to you,
including your instructors and academic advisor. Contact your
instructor if you have any concerns about your progress in the course
or are seeking feedback. Your advisor can assist with goal-planning,
policy and procedure questions, and course selection. Other resources
includeClearPath, theonline library, andtutoring services.Having good
time management skills andtracking participation within the classroom
can help ensure overall success in each course. For example, youcould
set a goal of logging into your online classroom at least once
every-other day to catch up on new forum postings, check for messages
from your instructor, and review the current and upcoming assignments.
Being more engaged in the classroom this way can keep the momentum
that most students feel the first week of the course going until the
last week. Also, creating an assignment schedule for each course
showing when and what is due can help ensure your assignments are not
left untilthe last minute or forgotten all together.Tracking your
success is an important part of your academic experience, as it helps
you to define your goals and take the steps needed to obtain those
goals. You can use the above guide to help start your goal making, and
if you are interested in learning more about definingyour personal
goals and tracking your progress, make sure to contact your Academic
Advising team!
Assessment Specialists, Academic Advising at American Public
university we have all heard how important planning and tracking our
progress is to reach our goals, but this can be especially important
in an online environment. How do some students reach their goals more
efficiently, or seem to have it "easier" than others? Many students
focus on goal planning and track their progress throughout their
online program, and this includes creating and achieving short-term
and long-term goals. Short-term goals can include getting at least a
'B' in your next two classes, while a long-term goal could be
graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Short-term goals can be
created and crossed off a list as they are completed, while long-term
goals can be revisited at specified time intervals.
Some critical steps to remember when making goals and tracking your
academic success include:
*.Analyze your strengths.
Goals that are made while focusing on your strengths will be easier
and more enjoyable to obtain. For example, adding a certificate to
your program in a subject area you enjoy will help complete your
elective credits in lieu of taking random classes from a variety of
unrelated degree subjects.
*.Set small and realistic goals.
Setting small goals along the way to achieving your ultimate goal will
help you stay focused and motivated.
*.Monitor your progress.
Create a helpful spreadsheet, check your grades within your online
classroom, and keep track of your GPA. These are just some of the ways
you can monitor your progress in your classes and program. Use the
tools you find most useful when tracking your progress!
*.Self-reflection. Take time to self-reflect throughout your academic
experience. This is an important step both before and after setting
goals for yourself, as self-reflection will help you to create
attainable goals, efficiently work towards those goals, and evaluate
your success after completing the goals. Make time throughout your
program to reflect on your past successes and challenges, and
determine how to best move forward.
*.Seek help when needed.Use all the resources available to you,
including your instructors and academic advisor. Contact your
instructor if you have any concerns about your progress in the course
or are seeking feedback. Your advisor can assist with goal-planning,
policy and procedure questions, and course selection. Other resources
includeClearPath, theonline library, andtutoring services.Having good
time management skills andtracking participation within the classroom
can help ensure overall success in each course. For example, youcould
set a goal of logging into your online classroom at least once
every-other day to catch up on new forum postings, check for messages
from your instructor, and review the current and upcoming assignments.
Being more engaged in the classroom this way can keep the momentum
that most students feel the first week of the course going until the
last week. Also, creating an assignment schedule for each course
showing when and what is due can help ensure your assignments are not
left untilthe last minute or forgotten all together.Tracking your
success is an important part of your academic experience, as it helps
you to define your goals and take the steps needed to obtain those
goals. You can use the above guide to help start your goal making, and
if you are interested in learning more about definingyour personal
goals and tracking your progress, make sure to contact your Academic
Advising team!
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