The first thing that occurred to me when it comes to taking classes on the Internet is that the assignments are spelled out on day one of class and normally will not change during the course of the class.  Studying can be a challenge when life, kids, and life get in the way.  Here are some common sense tips to help you study.

1. Complete the online reading materials before starting class
2. Dedicate specific days to study.  This should mirror the deadline for your assignments.
3. Know what your assignment deadlines are
4. Try to study between 6-8 hours a week
5. Do not devote more than 2 hours at a time to studying
6. Study at your local library if at home is not a good study spot
7. Reading the material in the textbook is more important than taking notes as you go
8. Pay close attention to sidebars in the textbook.  This material frequently ends up on a test
9. Print hard copies of articles for reading later
10. Discuss your reading material with others even if they have no clue what you are studying

As you can see studing for online classes is a bit different from the way one would study for traditional classes.  The main difference is that your professor normally does not give a lecture.  Though there are a few schools that instructors offer podcasts this is not common enough at this point and time to be a factor in how you study.  Following these simple tips can greatly contribute to smooth sailing in your online education experience.