Studying Online;Succeeding through Distance Learning at University

96 Studying online 
shown to help individuals develop their cognitive skills (Topping 
et al., 2017). Consequently it is a good idea to take part in these 
forums. 
Tere is another reason why you should participate, and that is it 
contributes to the knowledge that your lecturers have about you. 
If they can see that you are participating and contributing well, the 
lecturer for that module will know that you are coping with your 
studies. However, if you don’t participate, the module leader will 
have no way of knowing how you are getting on until your fnal 
assessments – and by then it is too late to do anything about it. If 
I see a student is not contributing to the forums, I can ask them 
why that is the case. I could also talk to their Personal Tutor about 
the lack of participation so that they could discuss it with the 
student informally. Also, if you participate and get things wrong, 
then the lecturer can help clarify things for you. If the only place 
you show a lack of understanding is in the exam, it is too late ...! 
Participating in general class forums is therefore of real help to 
you. It enables increased learning, and it assists you in putting 
things right before assessments take place. 
QUICK TIP:Take part in formal class forums even if you think 
you will make a mistake or ask a silly question. It is a safe area 
to improve your knowledge and understanding, and in doing so, 
you’ll be able to avoid losing marks in your assignments. 
Informal topic forums 
Sometimes you will fnd that lecturers add informal forums to dis-
cuss the topic generally, without linking them to anything specifc 
in the lectures. Tese forums are also used to allow students to 
chat with one another and even have a bit of fun with their learn-
ing. Generally, you will fnd that lecturers do not get involved with 
such forums. Tese discussion groups are seen mainly as a student 
place. In a sense, they are a replacement for discussing things with 
your mates in the cofee shop or in the bar, with the proviso that 

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