A Distance Learning Survival Guide for Students at USF

Being a distance student can be both a rewarding and a frustrating experience. This survival guide is meant to make things a little easier and hopefully add to the experience you will have with distance learning at the University of South Florida. In this guide, we have collected many of the resources available to you as a distance learner here at USF that you, and even your instructor may not be aware of. We will also continue to add resources found on the Web that might be useful. Please be sure to check this guide whenever you have a question about where to find a resource to help you with your studies from a distance. Good Luck!

The very first question we should all ask ourselves when thinking about taking a Distance Course is are you ready to be a distance learner? A distance learner needs to have or gain certain characteristics to be successful. There are many self assessment that you can take to give you an idea if you will be successful as a Distance Learner. Below you will find an article that talks about what it takes to be a distance learner and a couple of assessments you might want to take to see where you might need help to be successful.

  1. Are distance-learning courses for me?
  2. Is Online Learning for me?
  3. How to Succeed in Distance Learning Courses
  4. The OnlineLearning.net Self-Assessment Quiz
  5. Self Evaluation for Potential Online Students
  6. Tips for Online Success

Now that you have determined that you are going to succeed as a distance learner, you will need some important information about how to get started here at USF. Below you will find links to documents that will help you do just that.

  1. What options for distance learning courses do I have?
  2. How do I register for a distance course?
  3. Do I need a student ID card? How do I get one?
  4. I have registered for a class, and have my USF card, now what?
  5. How do I get my free USF e-mail account?
  6. How do I get my NetID to login to the campus portal?
  7. How will I know where to go when classes begin?
  8. How do I pay my tuition and fees?
  9. Is there an extra cost for distance courses?
  10. Where do I get support as a distance student?
  11. Who are the important entities on campus for distance learners?

Now that you are registered and beginning to take your courses through the distance learning program, you might have some general questions about what is available to you as a distance learner. Here are some links that may help.

  1. What discounts are available for me for connecting to the Internet? How do I connect to USF?
  2. How can I use the USF LIbary (Tips for using the library from a distance)?
  3. Where do I find information on computing at USF?
  4. I need assistance with writing a research paper, where can I get this?
  5. Is there someway to get tutoring if you are a distance student?
  6. How are distance courses evaluated? Can I voice my opinion?