Students and educators everywhere are making the transition to an online learning format to finish out the rest of the school year. Whether you are at home by yourself, quarantined along with your partner or entire family, study preparations will need adjustments to allow you to fully focus. To help students navigate school amid the coronavirus outbreak, here are some online learning tips and ways to study effectively at home as we adjust to this new normal.
Online Learning Tips
Working from home and taking all online classes might seem like a break, but in reality, online courses often require more self-discipline and self-learning compared to in person-classes. It’s tempting to sleep in, stay in your pajamas all day, and “skip out” on online lectures. Instead, focus on staying organized to avoid academic mishaps. Below is a mix of physical and mental online learning tips that will help you foster success in your transition to virtual classes.
Know Your Online Tools
Get comfortable with the online format by checking technical requirements for browsers and plug-ins. Familiarize yourself with Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and other similar video conferencing platforms. Technology will vary by school, but learning how to use your school’s platform of choice beforehand can save you from a big headache later. Use relevant products to help you stay organized with your tech and schedule. Explore vote products and other items relevant to 2020 to stay on top of meetings and calls. Host a Zoom meeting with friends so you can test your computer’s audio and video capabilities as well as your internet connection. There are also plenty of video tutorials out there to walk you through each video conference platform.
Engage In Good Communication
Stay engaged with professors for regular updates and be transparent about any personal needs or limitations. Your teachers are also a great source for online learning tips. If you are nearing a deadline and can’t submit the assignment or project because of technical problems, don’t forget to email your instructor to let them know what’s going on. Be sure to include the file/homework/project as proof it was done on time. Screenshots are also useful tools when communicating technology problems.
Stay Organized
Form good habits now, and take them forward with you. Manage your schedule with a monthly planner if you prefer physically writing things down or with a virtual calendar for time management hacks. Regardless of what you use, create a schedule that incorporates your new online classes and use it to stay on track.
Eliminate Distractions
Put devices on Do Not Disturb mode so you can focus on staying on task throughout the day. If you are trying to watch an online lecture or study for an important exam, do yourself a favor and turn off the notifications on your devices for a bit. Close out any non-relevant tabs in your browser and take away any temptation to check social media or online shop.
Create Virtual Study Groups
Scheduled video chats are a great forum for you to engage with friends and classmates. There is strength in numbers so fire up a group to study with and help each other out. The same goes for engagement with any student organizations or sports teams you may be involved in. Just because it’s off-campus, doesn’t mean you can’t pick up right where you left off in a virtual setting and maintain those relationships.
How To Study At Home
For students who are suddenly entering the world of studying from home for the first time, you may find yourself easily distracted by your pet, family members, the fridge, the TV, roommates, or even your bed. Studying from home will require stronger willpower than usual to stay focused and adapt those tried and true strategies in this new learning environment. Get motivated and productive with these study tips for college and high school students who are looking for efficient ways to study and work from home.
Establish A Functional Work Space
Creating a physical boundary between your study area and your relaxation area could be very helpful to stay focused when studying from home. Determine what space lends yourself to greater productivity and the least distractions. Organizing your workspace also helps save you time, improve creativity, and reach your full work potential. Desk caddies offer many options to store desktop items without taking up too much space. Level up and store your phone, pens, or office supplies in a custom desk caddy.
Use Calendars, Post-It Notes, And Reminders
Online learning from home needs requires a lot of structure. Create a study calendar that will help you remember all the important exam dates or deadlines for submitting your assignments. Save your calendar on your computer or if you are a more visual type of person, create a wall calendar that you can park up and check every time you study. Using custom Post-It notes will not only help yourself stay organized, but you can also stick them on your laptop or wall for quick, easy reminders.
Create A Routine
It’s important to establish a sense of structure and daily routines as if you were going to classes. Include a simple morning ritual, such as getting dressed, eating breakfast, and taking a little time for yourself to have a morning workout, read a book, or listen to a podcast. By starting each day with good habits, you’ll find it so much easier to stay on track. Creating routines for yourself will give you a sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning, and getting out of your pajamas definitely helps to change your mindset.
Communicate With Housemates
Communicate with others in your home that you will be studying. It’s crucial to let anyone else in your home know when you’ll be studying, whether it is a set time each day or a block of hours on certain days. This will give you quiet time to focus and hopefully ensure that you are not disturbed.
Practice Self-Care
Physically and mentally, take care of yourself. Remember to take regular breaks from studying from home and use your free time for the things that make you smile and lift your mood. Taking breaks will also help keep you engaged and alert. It can be anything from cooking, playing video games, finishing an online course, you name it. There are a lot of things you can do during quarantine, so make this an excellent time for your development on all levels.
Closing Thoughts
Though there is a lot of uncertainty at the moment, your ability to embrace new ways of learning and push onward will pay off. Focus on being as productive as you can by applying these online learning tips, study from home tips, and using your extra time wisely to take control of your future.
Additional resources:
