So you are embarking on a different way of learning — an online course. Good for you!

Distance learning is a great (and convenient) way to advance your career and education. In fact, online courses are much like face-to-face courses in that they must meet the highest standards of quality design and instruction. But that also means they come with the same fears of "can I handle the coursework," etc.

Here are a few tips that will help with your online classes.

Locate the login and password for your course and the directions for logging in. Most of the time, your login and password for class will match your login and password for the school. (Hint: you don't want to find yourself without this essential information when the help desk is unavailable and you have your first assignment is due, so make sure you can log in, even if you can't access your course right away.)

Check out the course Web site by logging into your course (or a demo course if your course is not available) and familiarize yourself with the space. Think of the space as a classroom. Click on all the links, check out the discussion board, the assignments page, the e-mail system, and anything else you can access just as if you were checking out the physical space of a classroom. Every online course is built in a course management system (WebCT, Blackboard, Angel, Desire2Learn, Sakai, etc. - some schools have proprietary systems). It is to your advantage to learn how to navigate the course before you begin class. (Hint: nothing adds to frustration more than having to learn how to do something or where to find something when you face a deadline.)

The first online learning experience can be a little intimidating for anyone, but once you get the hang of it, you will do fine. Colleges and universities spend lots of time and money developing online courses and the Web site — much more than they do for classroom-based courses —just so online students will have a great experience. Remember to ask questions, enjoy the experience and most of all, remember to relax and breathe!