Written by Collisor on Nov 10, 2020
2020 has been the year of online learning. Midst COVID-19, online learning has boomed to both overcome the spread of the pandemic and maintain the academic calendar. But it hasn’t just been schools, tertiary and professional education to move towards remote learning – individuals and businesses have used the increased access to online learning modules to upskill themselves like never before. Flexible, interactive, self-paced and widely available: online learning gives everyone the benefit of studying on their own schedule.
Here are 8 tips to how you can succeed while studying online.
1. Research Platforms and Course Loads
There are thousands of online courses available so make sure you’re choosing the best online platform for you. There are lots of different types of study so whether you want to do short online courses or are planning to study online long-term, it’s worth researching your options. You’re much less likely to be disappointed by your course if you keep your expectations realistic during your initial research phase so determine which skill or qualification you need, and your availability and use that as your guide. Collisor has made this step easy, collating over 250,000 courses for you to search, review, compare and select the course that fits your educational needs.
2. Identify Your Learning Objectives and Goals
Depending on the type of study you’re doing, online learning can have a lot more freedom than traditional study. Before you dive in, make sure you identify what your obligations are to your selected course, and whether or not it’s the best match for you. Reviewing the courses learning objectives give you a guide of what the institution will expect of you and how you have to study to achieve the best results. Make sure you’re fully aware of what the course objectives and goals are and make sure you’re choosing the subject that best matches your own learning style.
3. Find a Dedicated Study Space
Where you study matters. Having the option to study from your bed or the lounge is tempting but it is rarely where you’re most productive. By mixing your work and study spaces you could confuse yourself subconsciously whether you’re studying or relaxing which is likely to make you less motivated and focused.
To properly focus on your subject, find a regular space and time where you can expect peace, quietness, and solitude. Treat your online study like you’re working on campus and get rid of distractions, find yourself a comfortable seating area and get to work!
4. Confirm Your Course’s Required Resources
Online learning will require a computer and good internet connection, which you can often find at coffee shops, libraries, or similar public space when you can’t rely on your home’s connection. But different courses can require different resources which may be harder to come by. Before you commit to a course make sure you’re aware of what resources you will need. Check with your institution’s online portal for updates on classes and for any study tools that they are providing to help you and make sure you’re making the most of them. Lots of institutions provide various online resources to better your study experience so also keep a lookout for things such as eBooks, journals, videos, recorded lectures, quizzes, forums, Q&A sessions, and interviews which could assist you in your study.
5. Build a Study Plan
Online learning has a much more flexible delivery than traditional study, however, the self-paced features mean that strong self-motivation and time management skills are necessary for success. Much like finding a dedicated study space, we recommend creating a study schedule which fit in your day to day life. Start by scheduling the parts of your day which have set times (work, sporting commitments, weekly appointments etc.) and then identify the hours you are most productive and centre your study around them. A fantastic part of online study is the ability to do little blocks of work throughout the day so whether you’d prefer to study late at night or early in the morning, choose what fits best with your day. Make sure you’re holding yourself accountable for the work you need to complete but don’t forget to take breaks and stop yourself from getting burnt out.
6. Write Notes
When all of your work is online it may seem easier to refer to the provided resources rather than actively take notes however this often leads to poor retention. Taking notes promotes active thinking, boosts comprehension, and extends your attention span. Treat your online courses like you would traditional courses and make sure you’re actively engaging with concepts.
Also, because everything is online it’s important to save your work frequently. Where possible we recommend working on databases that automatically save.
7. Contact Your Instructor
Just because you’re learning online doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep in contact with your instructor. Building relationships early ensures you’re clarifying things you don’t understand and accessing all of the relevant resources, rather than waiting to fall behind.
This helps not only you, but your peers who are struggling with similar concepts and your instructor who gets an understanding of where they need to spend more time.
8. Connect with Your Peers
It’s just as important to foster connections with your peers online as it is offline. They can be a valuable resource in terms of exam preparation or asking for feedback on assignments. Creating group chats with other students is a fantastic way to keep each other accountable and allows you to spend some time discussing ideas, analysing texts, and swapping study tips. Maintaining the collaborative aspects of your course is important and chances are they will appreciate it just as much as you will, not only for study purposes but also for making online learning less isolating.
Use our free, online search engine to search over 250,000 online learning programs. Start your online learning journey today!