There is no shortage of tips and hints being circulated on the web that are designed to provide students insight with the skills necessary to succeed in the hybrid 'brick-and-mortar/virtual' setting we find ourselves in.
Generally speaking, most such tips aren't that different from those found at Northeastern University's page about taking on-line courses. That page includes all the standard fare of suggestions involving goal-setting, creating dedicated study spaces, etc...
Two key suggestions that have stood the test of time include the essential need to remove distractions, and the need to find one's own study style.
But one suggestion which this life-long learner thinks is missing from many of these lists is..... never try to study when tired.
There is no amount of goal setting, networking, or creative space design that can overcome the impediments caused by a mind that is just too whipped to try to manage the repeated cycle of try-fail-learn when it comes to mastering any problem solving skill. A tired mind gets easily frustrated, lacks the endurance to evaluate alternate problem solving approaches, and most importantly, wastes time that could better be spent recharging the batteries behind one's neurons.
The reasons why students try to study when tired are varied - there may be part-time jobs on the schedule, the academic workload may be overly stressful, or family responsibilities may be taking a toll on one's ability to stay mentally sharp.
Regardless of the cause of fatigue, developing study skills requires a mind that is rested, attentive, and open to the task of learning new stuff. That may require flexibility in one's study schedule. During my college years, I developed the habit of taking a nap after my part-time job before beginning my 9 pm - 2 am study shift (I needed a lot of study time). But one should never dismiss the value of a good old fashioned power nap as suggested at onlineschools.org .
So regardless of which list of 'must-haves' you follow when mapping out your on-line study regimen, remember, if you sometimes find yourself mindlessly staring an an unsolvable equation, you're probably already sleeping - but just too tired to know it!
Stay rested. Stay sharp!