Learning no longer has to be within the walls of a classroom and the global pandemic has caused a fast adoption of the buzz word- online learning.
Online learning has been a thing for some years now but was looked at as for people in faraway countries or for busy executives. Today, even if your school is one kilometre away, you’re told to connect with your class/ course mates online. Although, some experts project that the physical classroom will never be done without, we see it’s essence depleting, giving way to virtual platforms.
Yet, people (pupils and students too) find it challenging getting the best out of the classrooms from the comfort of their homes. If you are in this category, then keep scrolling.
Let’s take a look at seven tips to help you get the best out of online learning;
1: Set daily goals for studying:
Begin by asking yourself what you hope to accomplish in your course each day. Setting a clear goal this way can help you stay motivated and defeat procrastination. Ensure your goals are specific and easy to measure. Here’s an example; “I will watch all the videos in Module 2 and complete the first assignment.”
2: Create a dedicated study space:
This is so underrated but having a dedicated space at home to take your online courses can make your learning more effective. Remove distractions from the space such as a couch, blanket, dishes. A clear distinction between where you study and where you take breaks can help you focus.
3: Schedule time to study on your calendar:
Take it seriously as you would a physical classroom. Log your online learning schedules in your calendar. Ensure you choose a time that you can dedicate to watching lectures and completing assignments. This helps ensure that your courses won’t become the last thing on your to-do list. If you don’t take your learning ad a priority, you won’t finish with the rest of your class. You can add these deadlines to your Google calendar, Apple calendar, or another calendar app on your mobile devices with a reminder.
4: Get accountable:
Tell reliable family and friends about the courses you’re taking. If you know any reputable online learning community and support network, please join. This is for those who find it hard to get it done alone. Moreover, seeing other people succeed will spur you to do better.
5: Actively take notes:
Taking notes does promote active thinking, boost comprehension, and extend attention span. It’s a good strategy to retain knowledge be it online or in the classroom. So, grab a physical notebook or download a digital note app that works best for you and start synthesizing key points. Some examples are Evernote, Gnote, KeepNotes, Google Keep and others. These are available on ios, android or Windows store.
In addition to that, some online learning platforms provide sections where you can note your points and save for future references.
6: Join the classroom discussion:
Course discussion platforms are a great place to learn, especially what you might have missed in the major class. You can ask questions about assignments, discuss topics, share resources, and make new friends. One cours aera research shows that learners who participate in the discussion forums are 37 per cent more likely to complete a course. So, don’t just learn and walk away.
7: Do one thing at a time:
Recent research shows that multitasking is less productive than focusing on a single task at a time. It’s more challenging this time around as the same device that bombarded you with tweets and posts is your learning tool. Yet, it is possible to stay focused on one thing at a time. Mute notifications and log off social media while you’re studying. You’ll see that you absorb more information and complete assignments with greater productivity and ease than if you were trying to do many things at once.
Let’s add one more tip;
Extra tip- Take breaks:
Learning is never a sprint. Resting your brain after learning is a key to high performance. If you find yourself working on a challenging problem without much progress for an hour, take a break! Walking outside, taking a shower, or talking with a friend can re-energize you and even give you new ideas on how to tackle that project. Do not fall into the trap of turning on the TV or going to social media. That might be the end of that course for that day.
All the best in your online learning journey.
What has been your online learning experience so far? Do share with us in the comment section.
