With the recent coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, governments are taking extreme measures to contain the spread of this disease. Schools are closing their doors as they want to keep their students, faculty, and community safe from the illness. As a result, educational institutions are switching to digital learning to ensure they can take classes, despite the global shutdown of services. If you want to know about the benefits of this type of education, check out our recent article.
While this is a blessing in disguise, we are aware of several challenges students can face, if they don’t prepare themselves for the new age style of receiving education. Use the five tips highlighted below to make sure you or your child can get the most from every online class:
1. Connect with your peers
When we ask students about their online class experience, they often tell us that they feel alone while learning. Fortunately, there are simple and effective techniques you can use to overcome this issue.
For starters, you can become an active participant in discussion boards and online portals. When you receive assignments, collaborate with your peers, instead of completing them by yourself. Ask other students about their opinions on various topics, as it becomes easier to understand complex subjects.
Another tip for excelling in an online class is to become a member of a study group. When you are with like-minded students, it becomes easier to focus on your academics. Also, you can ask your group for help before your exams so that you know what to study.
2. Create a study space
One reason why students struggle with digital learning is due to the lack of a proper study space. You need to find a place in your house, where you can take an online class without any distractions. Make sure you test out all the spaces to identify which room is the best for learning.
If you want to focus on the online class, you should pick a quiet place. We also recommend organizing your study space. Categorize your learning material and store the files in appropriate folders, such as textbooks and assignments. Not only will this save you time, but you also won’t have to deal with the stress of not being able to find essential files when you need them.
3. Learn how to manage your time
You should create a schedule and follow it every day, without fail. A routine will help you make the most of the time you have on your hands. Make sure you set aside a couple of hours every day for online education, as you did for school.
Spread out your day, so that you can learn at a pace that is productive and stress-free. Understand how much time you will need to study and create a schedule around it. Make sure you inform your friends and family about your routine so that they can help you follow it.
We suggest you create a new study plan every week, depending on the homework and assignments you receive. You can allocate appropriate time for every task, avoiding a common habit among students – cramming everything they can, one day before the deadline.
4. Keep distractions away
Ah, there isn’t anything like not having to go to school. COVID-19 is forcing every student to be at home. While digital learning is a game-changer, you should also remember that it can be counterproductive, if you don’t focus during the online class.
You should minimize distractions as much as possible. Something as simple as spending five minutes on Instagram or watching one video on Tik Tok can end up taking hours of your precious time. Keep your smartphone away from your study space. Also, spend five minutes in silence, before starting your online class. Use this time to overcome distractive thoughts in your mind, so that you can focus.
5. It is a real class
The key to taking an online class is to remember that it is the same as going to school. Sure, your teacher isn’t there in front of you, to keep tabs on you. While this allows you to be flexible, you can also end up in the never-ending procrastination loop.
Make sure you remind yourself that this is a real class so that you can make the most of it. Create a daily checklist and monthly goals, so that you can keep track of your progress. Being responsible will go a long way, as you can get the most from every class. If you are finding it challenging to be accountable, ask your friend or classmate to help you out.
With digital learning, you can continue to receive education, even after COVID-19 closed your school temporarily. With the five tips highlighted above, you can make every online class count. Although there is a lot of chaos at the moment, you can always be successful with the right steps!
Sources:
- https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/tips-for-taking-online-classes/
- https://goodcolleges.online/study-tips-for-success/
- https://www.collegeraptor.com/getting-in/articles/online-colleges/tips-for-surviving-your-online-classes/
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