If you don't have the skills listed below, you may have difficulties with portions of your online course. Ask your instructor for sources you can use to improve your skills.

The successful online student knows how to:
  • Start, shut down, and reboot a computer appropriately.
  • Use a keyboard and mouse gracefully.
  • Use his or her Internet Service Provider or otherwise gain access to the Internet.
  • Access URLs (addresses) on the Internet.
  • Use online search tools to locate materials on the web.
  • Navigate forward and backward on web sites with links, frames, imagemaps, and other elements.
  • Troubleshoot a URL or link that is not working.
  • Recognize when a "plug-in" is needed to view a particular web page.
  • Print pages in the programs he or she uses, especially web browsers.
  • Send, receive, reply to, and forward email.
  • Send and receive email attachments.
  • Use a word processor.
  • Copy and paste text across documents and software applications.
  • Save a document or other file to a particular location.
  • Find a file or document previously saved.
Other skills may be needed for specific online courses or instructor practices, but mastering the skills above should be enough to provide a strong base for academic success.