The Problems Faced by Beginning Online Learners

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Introduction

Based on findings from research and classroom discussion, three main problems faced by beginning online learners and their own logical and practical suggestions on ways to reduce and eliminate the problems are detected. In an editorial of Nursing Times (1984a) that, 'The Open University approach is just what the profession will be looking for in continuing education'.

Distance online learners have to play the lead role, to manage their own learning, indicate the learning preference to tutor and strategise to be a successful open and distance learners. However, there are some problems pops out when learners are expected to be able to study independently or via group-learning methodology.

As a self-managed learner, its essential to make the learning experience being able to cope with the daily routine as planned. No matter what, especially for working student, who are having full-time job and a part-time study, will have a greater responsibility towards programme of study.

Three of the main problems faced by beginning online learners to cope with their learning will be managing stress, time management, and the concentration or the personal learning style that learners adopted. There are several methods to reduce and eliminate the problems are being discussed via classroom discussion.

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OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

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Stress

Stress can be either positive or negative, current life of hassle, deadline, demand and frustration. But maybe its just procrastination. Positive stress helps to keep us alert, in small doses can helps motivate us to face challenges, and push us to solve problems. Low level of stress are actually useful and manageable when dealing with normal stimulation.

On the other hand, negative stress results when over-reacts to events that makes us feel threatened and upset our balance. When dangers are detected by the body, it leads to an autonomic process known as fight and flight reaction, or the stress response.

Some of the most common causes of stress that one self-managed learner would encounter include those related to academic performance, major lifestyle changes, financial problems, health, social relationships difficulties, family and friends.

2.1 Impact and symptoms of feeling stress on daily routine

Whether its physical and psychological threats, when were eating on a run over a packed schedule, an argument with friend, losing sleep worrying about assignments, tests and schoolworks, a heavy jam, a loads of bills, our body reacts as if faced with life or death situations. As stated by Holmes-Rahe Life Stress
Inventory, top ten stressful life events comprised of spouses death, divorce,

marriage separation, jail term, death of a close relative, injury or illness, marriage, fired from job, marriage reconciliation and lastly retirement.

Ongoing exposure to stressful situations can produce a lasting, low-level stress thats hard on people. Also, stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke,
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OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Thus, stress must not be ignored. Early warnings, like any significant change in usual pattern of behavior need to be detected for a better learning and a healthier lifestyle. Some symptoms of stress are:a) Outbursts of anger b) Loss of efficiency in studies c) Restlessness and/or uneasiness at being alone d) Withdrawal from friends and social situations e) A lack of joy, spontaneity, happiness or enthusiasm f) Preoccupation with certain thoughts, especially negative ones g) Difficulty in concentrating and/or making minor decisions h) Intolerance of people, and irritability, especially during discussions or disagreements.

2.2 Ways to Managing Stress

There are ways to minimize stress and manage stress that is unavoidable. To cure and manage the stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of our thought, emotions, schedule, environment, and the way we face the problems. When we feel like the stress in our life is beyond of our control, but actually we can just deal it with control the way we response.

Sometimes, it isnt easy to trace the source of stress in our life, the true source of stress arent obvious, thus, its quite common that people overlook ones own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Nevertheless, by starting a Stress Journal can helps to identify the stressors in life and the way to deal them. When feel stressed, try to keep tract of it and shape the pattern and common themes. From Stress Journal, identify or make a rough guess:a) What cause your stress? How you acted to response?
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OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

b) How you felt, both physically and emotionally? What you did to help yourself feel better? We cant possible completely eliminate stress from our life, but can control how much it affect us. 3.0 Time Management

Often, time is said to be cruel as it never halt for anything, under any circumstances. People always complain that they do not have sufficient time, saying that 24 hours in a day is not enough for daily encounters. Time is a unique and precious resource that you need in order to do your work, accomplish your goals, spend time with your loved ones, and enjoy everything that life has to offer.

Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together help to get more value out limited time with the aim of improving the life quality. Instead of trying all stuff that not anyone could possibly accomplish, time managers should stay alert on how to spend the time.

Time management strategies are often jointed with the recommendation to set personal goals. These goals are written down and may be broken down into a project, an action plan, or a simple task list. Most enrolled students in open distance learning are committed to life which apart from school such as a family to care of, a necessary full-time job to pay the bills, or some aspect which occupy most of their time.

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Impact of poor time management on study

A traditional style of formal education and an open distance learning education are difference. In the last few year, time management skills of beginning online learners has been a problem faced in such new learning environment. Poor time management cause far less productive than it could be and get a lot of things less
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OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

done. Improper management of time is topping the list of poor study habits. Poor time management cause constant rushing between meeting and tasks, frequently be late for meeting or deadline, low productivity, motivation and energy, frustration, impatience and procrastination. When we are not having good time management skill well find it hard to be happy and enjoy the small things in life. If we failed to have proper time management skills, when we monitor our time used, its not difficult to find at least one, or even more, time wasters. A time waster is something that occurs in the day that is not necessary. A time waster prevents us from accomplishing some goal. Its essential to understand how much time we spent on sleeping, eating, studying, traveling to class, watching television, talking on the phone, running errands, exercising, etc. Once the time wasters are recognized, we have to figure out why is it so, and search for remedies to shorten the time wasters.

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Ways to improve time management skill

Time management is the way you regulate or schedule your time. The key to successful time management is allowing enough time to complete your work while still finding time to complete other responsibilities. All successful time management begins with planning. Some of the benefits of effective time management are that it helps you to:(a) plan ahead; (b) evaluate your progress; (c) spend more productive time; (d) take control of your own activity; (e) prioritizes by listing the most important things to do first; and (f) avoid time conflict like getting caught with 2 assignments with the same deadline.
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OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

Its not necessary to getting everything done, but make sure that is working on the right thing, the things that truly need to be done on time. Setting priority without let others or their interests distract us from our goal as a learner. By then can to have a To Do list, list the things that need to be done, the priority in our own way of thinking, and the deadline to get it done. When we having such organized plan and schedule, we become aware of how we spend time, be able to manage and achieve goals set and a last-minute rush to meet deadline could be avoid. 4.0 Attitude and Personal Learning Styles

The public are all given a equally chance to pursue the dream of achieve quality tertiary education. To become a graduate is no longer a dream, it can be fulfill with strong will. Set an effective goal that we want to achieve, to motivate us run all out for that goal. Blended approach to learning employs multi-mode strategies which provide lifelong learning to working adult. Blending learning combines online learning, or more technological advanced forms of learning methods. As stated by Shih & Gamon Volume 42, Issue 4, 2001, Student learning styles, attitude toward web-based instruction and types of students as off-campus or on-campus students, whether or not they were university students, number of previous courses taken in the subject area, limited or unlimited computer access, study and work hours per week, and genderwere not associated with their web-based learning achievement.

4.1

Causes of poor concentration and unsuitable learning style on study

Students motivation seemed to have played an important role in distance learning so as to enhance student achievement. It affects how we do our work, when to do the work, how long to spend on a task, how well we concentrate on work, and which study strategies used. Environmental distractions, these include the TV, chair that are too comfortable,
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snacks, noise from other peoples conversations, music and songs brings down work done. Besides that, physical distractions like hunger, drowsiness and tiredness makes less alert and energetic. By adapting poor concentration and wrong learning style, anxiety over studies would be arouse, should be trying to pick up crucial skills and put the course in proper perspective. Everyone got their own personal worries, if being able to separate daydreaming from study, we will be ready to study for anytime.

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Ways to instill and improve the concentration on study

Concentration is important in order to sustain learning. Self-managed learners should make preparation for lifelong learning, trying out the ability to make effective use of new technology, learn to be an independent learner on our own and via group-learning methodologies, continuing motivate ourselves and develop our own learning strategies. We should held a neutral attitude about web-based learning. Learners are all stay positive about the convenience web-based instruction and the ability to control the pace of learning. For improving concentration for effective learning, we should identify the causes of poor concentration, and try to reduce the difficulties concentrating on learning and coping with distraction occurs. Discovering our learning style can help improve our learning, I believe that my learning style is unique and is only useful to me alone, not to others. Personal learning style defines the way to acquire and process information and it got nothing to do with smart. Eventually, having a proper study area varies according to personal preferences and mood helps in concentrating on studies.

OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

Conclusion As a conclusion, in todays world, is a fast changing, more modern models of learning are being introduced. Open University Malaysia adopt self-managed learning, face-to-face interactions and online learning.

Facilities provided by Open University Malaysia like Learning Service Centre, Digital Library, Open University Malaysia website and Local Learning Centre had create a platform for working adult and the public to enjoy lifelong education. In order to cope with learning, techniques have to be practiced such as managing stress, goal setting, motivational strategies, time management, and concentration. By understanding ourselves better, we know what we desire, and where is the right path to achieve our dream. Regardless of races, age, gender, and etc, Open University Malaysias courses are flexible entry requirements and are learner-friendly academic system. It tooks into consideration the needs and constraints faced by working adults, learning mode which involved online learning and self-study as well. Learning is a lifelong process and we need to nurture a culture that embrace this value.

As learner of Open University Malaysia, even though there are several problems faced by especially beginning online learner, we should constantly try to reduce and eliminate problems arouse and in the meanwhile motivate ourselves to study, to do our best and go as far as we can, otherwise, we wont know what could be achieve.

OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

2184 words Reference Module provided by OUM, OUMH 1103-Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners.

D'Arcy Lyness, PhD, (2011). Feelings & Emotions.[Online] Available: http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/stress.html [2011, February 14]

Melinda Smith, M.A., (2010). Stress Management: How to Reduce, prevent, and Cope with Stress. [Online] Available:http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm [2011, February 14]

Jones, K. (1998). Poor Time Management. [Online] Available: http://www.timemanagementgoals.com/poortimemanagement.htm [2011,February 14]

Pamela Rice-Linn, (Jan 22, 2011). Problems Faced by Open Distance Learners [Online] Available: http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/104046.aspx [2011, February 14]

OUMH1103 Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners

Appendix (i)
WEB-BASED LEARNING: RELATIONSHIPS AMONG STUDENT MOTIVATION, ATTITUDE, LEARNING STYLES, AND ACHIEVEMENT
Julia Gamon, Professor Emeritus Lowa State University

The relationships between student achievement and the following variables: attitude, motivation, learning styles, and selected demographics. Over two-thirds of the students taking the web-based courses were field-independent learners. However, there were no significant differences in achievement between field-dependent and field-independent students. Also, students with different learning styles and backgrounds learned equally well in web-based courses. The students enjoyed the convenience and self-controlled learning pace and were motivated by competition and high expectations in web-based learning. Motivation was the only significant factor that explained more than one-fourth of student achievement measured by class grade. Based on this literature review, student learning styles, motivation, and attitude seem to be associated with achievement. Student learning styles, attitude toward web-based instruction, and student characteristics --web-based courses students were taking, types of students as off-campus or on-campus students, whether or not they were university students, number of previous courses taken in the subject area, limited or unlimited computer access, study and work hours per week, and genderwere not associated with their web-based learning achievement. Moreover, field-independent students did not differ from field-dependent students in motivation and attitude toward web-based learning. The researchers concluded that students with different types of learning styles, motivation, attitudes, and backgrounds learned equally well in Web-based courses. This study found that students held a neutral attitude about webbased instruction. Students were most positive about the convenience of web-based instruction and the ability to control their pace of learning, Student motivation seemed to play a very important role in web-based learning. In this study, motivation was the only significant factor in web-based learning that accounted for more than one fourth of student achievement. Several researchers believed that students should monitor
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their learning motivation, regulate emotions, and use motivational strategies for active involvement in learning. Motivational strategies are those strategies students use to cope with the stress and emotions that are generated when they try to overcome failures and become good learners. It was recommended that students should examine their motivations, and use motivational strategies to be successful in web-based courses. Appendix (ii)
Helpguide.org, Melinda Smith, M.A.

Online Learning
Amongst the blessings of technology in the modern age is the ability to receive an education hundreds or thousands of miles away from a classroom in a convenient and efficient manner. A vast majority of universities offer open distance learning for students all around the world which, on the surface, seems like a great opportunity to receive an education without the hassle of dealing with overflowing parking lots, rushing to classes, or fitting classes into the current work schedule. However, open distance classes might not be an ideal scenario for every interested person. What are the problems faced by open distance learners? Theyre numerous enough to mull over before enrolling in an on-line program.

Juggling Life
When asked what are the problems faced by open distance learners, life and its ensuing complications seems to be the number one response. Most enrolled students in open distance learning are committed to their life in some other fashion apart from school such as a family to care for, a necessary full-time job to pay the bills, or some aspect which occupies the majority of their time. Unless the students make a personal commitment to complete the course of study, odds are life will find a way to distract and tear them away from accomplishing their goal of continuing their education. Poor time management If you were to monitor your time for a day you would be sure to find at least one, or maybe even more, time waster. A time waster is something that occurs in the day that is not necessary to your day, and if it did not occur, you could have quite possibly gotten something else done in its place. A time waster prevents you from accomplishing some goal. You need to monitor how much time you spend sleeping, eating, studying, traveling to class, watching television, talking on the phone, running errands, exercising, etc. The two main time wasters in the previous list are watching television and talking on the phone. Time wasters need to be recognized and then one needs to figure out why it occurs and if the situation can be remedied. The following exercise should help you to identify and eliminate time wasters, which would give you more time in your day.

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Stress Management Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. You may feel like the stress in your life is out of your control, but you can always control the way you respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you cant, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation.

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