LIFESTYLE

5 Tips for Successful Online Learning

Learning online is a great way to increase your knowledge and skills in a flexible environment. Beyond that, virtual classrooms can offer educational opportunities you would otherwise not have access to.

Whether you’re trying online classes for the first time or looking for ways to strengthen your current habits, there are a few key strategies that can set you up for success to reap the full benefits of online learning.

1. Utilize Different Learning Strategies

To get the most out of online learning, you need to take a fresh approach to absorbing knowledge and skills. It is key to take a slightly different approach to retaining information and repeatedly adapting those skills to new contexts.

• Reinforce your newfound skills. To ensure your newly learned knowledge and skills stick with you, repeatedly practice what you’ve learned in different contexts. Reinforce your learning outside of class by connecting it to your everyday life and work.
• Leverage video content. When learning via pre-recorded videos, pause and write brief summaries every few minutes. For live videos, especially those that will be made available to watch later, avoid taking notes. Pay attention to what you are hearing and participate in the discussion to help keep your focus. Raise your virtual hand or ask a question in the chat.
• Make the most of virtual break-out groups. If offered, these live, small-group discussions will give you a chance to hear other perspectives or review challenging material as a group.

2. Practice Time Management

One of the biggest benefits of online learning is flexibility, but too much freedom can pose new challenges. Find ways to structure and optimize your time to stay on track.

• Track deadlines. Add important due dates to a calendar so you don’t miss deadlines.
• Minimize distractions. As much as you can, minimize distractions both in your physical and digital environments. Close web browser windows not relevant to your learning and keep the TV off.
• Set aside time for learning. This doesn’t mean you need to find four-hour blocks, three days a week. Online learning is designed to be modular and flexible. You may find 15 minutes to watch a short video lecture and write a three-sentence reflection post. Other learning activities, however, will require more time. Be mindful when planning.

3. Embrace Community and Social Learning

There is a misconception that virtual learning has to be solitary. Online learning comes with connections to both world-class professors and a global community of passionate classmates. Find ways to interact with these rich learning communities, from participating in forums to networking with peers.

• Keep your instructor informed. Ask your instructor for help when you need it—let them know if you are ill, unable to log on, etc.
• Virtually meet and interact with your learning peers. Introduce yourself, answer questions posted by the instructor in the discussion forums and respond to your peers’ posts.
• Create a social network group. In addition to forums, create a distinct space, such as a Facebook group or a Whatsapp chat, for you and your fellow students to connect, share interests and support one another.
• Create virtual study groups. Keep the line open and find ways to connect with your learning peers in small study groups. Video chat apps are a great way to do this.
• Give and expect respect. Especially during asynchronous communication like discussion boards and email, it can be easy to misconstrue someone’s meaning. Like you, your peers are real people. Do your part to foster a respectful, supportive community.

4. Conquer Logistics

Nailing the logistics of your learning experience can pay back dividends. Like a live class, be prepared with the right technology and resources in advance of the first lesson.

• Make relevant information easily accessible. Collect the phone numbers, email addresses and support links for your institution in one place. For example, who are the Teaching Assistants for the course and how do you contact them? If you have technical issues, which department do you contact?
• Gather your tech. If the course requires video conferencing software, download the app and test it well before a live lecture begins. If assignments are uploaded to a Cloud service (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox), make sure you have the required account details or access information in advance of a deadline.
• Minimize reliance on WiFi. If possible, use an ethernet cable and download course materials to work offline. Many online courses work on mobile, but some may not. Have a plan for Internet access.
• Always save your work. Save your work locally on your computer and/or in the Cloud where you can easily access it. For example, draft essays in a word processing application or in an email to yourself, then cut and paste your work into the course learning management system to turn in your assignment.

5. Get Started

Looking for more strategies for online learning success? Learn about online education while experiencing it: Take a course on “How to Learn Online,” where you’ll dive into some of the most powerful, science-backed techniques that you can start using right away and on any learning platform.

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