Unlike in the past, learning has now been made easier. Today, you don’t have to attend a physical class to graduate. Whether working or not, you can join online courses such as those offered by sweetstudy tutors besides your busy schedules and still earn your dream career, thanks to technological advancement. However, the sudden shift of learning from in-person to online classes during the COVID-19 fixed many students in a corner. Online courses have numerous advantages, including the flexibility to study from any part of the world, at any time, and in your best mode. It has made it easier for you to balance your professional, family, and academic commitments. And most importantly, it saves them time and money spent during their stay at school.
Despite all the benefits that come with online classes, it has its challenges. For instance, most students found themselves in a fixed corner after the COVID-19 outbreak sent everyone home. Some had no idea how to undertake the process, while others failed to meet their scheduled deadlines. With that said, here are some of the proven strategies to help you navigate the process of online learning successfully and avoid most of the challenges associated with online studies.
1. Set a major Aim
One of the most repeated pieces of advice for anyone doing online learning is to focus on the task. With online studies, you are likely to be distracted by external happenings. However important the distraction is, prioritize your online classes. People with personal goals will always manage their time to accomplish them. It would help if you were passionate about the course; this is the drive that makes you disciplined to persevere all the obstacles that are likely to slow your goal achievement. Remember all the reasons that took you to school and why you must finish the course in time.
2. Draft a study plan to guide you throughout the term
Every successful project had a plan. Ensure you have a reasonable goal for your readings, assignments, and work. Where necessary, adjust the program in favor of your classes. The plan should be 95% achievable to create a little room for uncertainties. The plan should be divided into three major parts, the semester plan to cover all your units according to their complexity, the study plan to guide you on the prescribed hours per unit, and the time management plan for every session.
3. Identify a conducive learning environment
Things and people around you can easily influence the success of your class. Establish a comfortable and silent spot for your online sessions with no distractions such as Netflix and social media to be productive. However, it is not recommended for you to take your classes from a couch; that’s so comfortable for you to forget that you are in class. Instead, identify one corner of the house as the workplace and dedicate it to learning.
4. Create a virtual interaction platform with your coursemates
You can use platforms such as Microsoft Teams or GroupMe, where you can seek clarifications and discuss some of the hard topics with them for easy understanding. Still, on the same platforms, you may test each other to see how much you understand the unit.
When possible, you can use the media to plan physical meetings at the library or suggest the best course books to your peers. In the event that there are no study partners for you, install the Focusmate app to help you find an accountability partner who can engage you in an online room for moral support.
5. Use the recommended resources by your instructor
Irrespective of the learning platform, success in every academic work calls for more than just reading a book or sitting for a class. To master the information to be tested, strictly use the recommended resources by your institution. For example, instructors who offer virtual classes during office hours are likely to test what they teach. On such platforms, you can raise your questions about the assignments or the upcoming exams.
6. Create notes
It is so tempting not to note down the important points you encounter in your live classes since you can easily access them when you need it. The goal is not to reproduce the information from your online sources but to give you an easy time accessing it. Also, writing short notes helps you to engage with content and phrase it in your own words.
7. Look out for the sneaky deadlines
Unlike the case in an in-person class where the lecturer keeps reminding you about the upcoming tests and assignment deadlines, if you are not careful with the online courses, some of these dates can easily pass without your notice, which means fail. Ensure you have carefully reviewed your syllabus at the start of every unit and mastered all the important dates on your calendar for reference.
8. Keep on checking your email
Most of the information from your instructors will be communicated through emails. To remain updated with the assignment guidelines or change of dates, you need to open the email before every session.
9. Avoid procrastination
It is easy to procrastinate and get away with the online classes as there are no class meetings to keep you accountable. With every procrastination, you attract unnecessary pressure towards the end of the semester with too much to do in a limited time. To avoid such a situation, create a well-organized schedule that will help to distribute your course work across the semester with deadlines for every task.
10. Seek help when you are falling behind
Sometimes it becomes hard to pass all your inquiries to the professors since you may not be in a position to access their offices, but this should not be a challenge to hold you behind. Seek additional help from other sources, including the online homework experts or other approved sites in your field of study. This way, you can access the necessary help as soon as you need it.
From all the above strategies identify the one that works best to motivate you when taking an online course.
