Study Strategies of Online Learners

The number of institutions providing online (virtual) learning is increasing day by day. The increasing number of institution leads to the increase of the students numbers obtaining education using this method. Technological, especially interactional and communicational, developments provide many opportunities to students studying by the method of online learning. Distance education students, who mainly used printed instructional materials in the past, now benefit from the diversity of educational environments (such as flash demonstrations, videos, forums... etc.) that have high interaction levels. Thus, the main aim of this study is to investigate of the online learners study strategies and preferences. The study is designed as a qualitative research. Interview technique was used as a tool for collecting data. Data gathered as a result of the study was dissolved with descriptive analysis. At the end of the research, the student's studying strategies and preferences have tried to be deducted. In consequence of the study, it has been determined that online learners (students) have some difficulties to constitute effective study strategies. In addition, the initial learning resources (instructional materials) that the students prefer while studying have tried to be determined.