ONLINE LEARNER TYPES

Four Types of Online LearnersACCORDING TO PHIL DARG, ADJUNCT ONLINE INSTRUCTOR AT LAKE SUPERIOR COLLEGE

Achievers

Taskers

Ball-droppers

Ghosts

ACHIEVERS

We all know the achievers. They have excellent academic skills, and we all wish we had more of them in our classes.

Online learning is the achiever’s godsend. They can continue their usually busy life and add an online course or two, taking it well in stride and performing well.

Achievers generally make up between 10 percent and 20 percent of our class.

TASKERS

The tasker is a hard worker, but perhaps college doesn’t come so easily as it would to an achiever.Taskers have moderate to high academic skills; they may or may not have taken an online course before.Taskers generally want to know when things are due and need structure.Taskers make up approximately 40 to 50 percent of our online class.

BALL-DROPPERS

The ball-dropper is the student who may be academically challenged or have moderate skills. Many may have not taken an online course.Ball-droppers are motivated after the fact (missed that test, missed that deadline, etc.)Ball-droppers are not checking in on the class as they should.Ball-droppers make up approximately 20 to 25 percent of our online class.

GHOSTS

We have all had ghosts in our class. They’re registered for the class but nothing is registering in their brain about it.

Ghosts generally have poor academic skills.

Many are inexperienced to online courses and not really motivated.

Ghosts make up approximately 5 to 10 percent of our online course.

How Do We Motivate Each of the Four Types of Online Students?