5 Useful Tips to Get The Most out of Online Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down with countries going into a state of extended lockdown. In an effort to control the spread of the virus, social-distancing measures and quarantine protocols have been put into place.

Many events were cancelled, from the NBA, to the Kentucky Derby horse race.

Schools, colleges and universities have also been forced to shut down for the foreseeable future. Because of this, online learning programs have taken off with classes and tutorials being conducted remotely.

While this may seem to be a rather radical idea, online learning has actually been around for much longer than many of us care to think about. From math or IT tutorials on Youtube to Skillshare’s hydroponic growing tips and tricks, the connectivity of the internet has made it possible for just about anyone to learn anything with just a few clicks.

While some may have doubted over the effectiveness of online learning, the COVID-19 pandemic may just be the tipping point for the future of learning. In this article, we’ll take a look at how you can make the best out of your online learning experience.

Keep to a Routine

With many of us being confined to our homes for longer than expected, many have found themselves struggling to adapt to this new “normal.” Whether you’re working from home or taking online classes, it’s always best to keep to a routine.

Here’s a useful tip for staying productive when learning online; start your day like how you normally would when you’re attending classes on campus. This helps your mind make a mental association with getting ready for a day of learning thus helping you stay focused.

As an added benefit, daily routines provide you with a sense of control and can work wonders for your mental health – something especially important nowadays.

Minimize Distractions

Losing your train of thought can be disastrous when you’re trying to concentrate on the finer aspects of advanced Chemistry of the principles of Macroeconomics. So when you’re getting into “class” switch off your phone, keep pets in another room and put up a sign requesting not be disturbed for the next few hours.

The lack of distractions helps you get into the zone and ensures a conducive learning environment. Being distracted every few minutes is annoying and makes absorbing information that much more difficult.

Be Comfortable

Get ready for a day at class by showering and getting dressed but do yourself a favor and keep yourself comfortable. Most of us undoubtedly want to look good when on campus, but now that you’re home, it’s better to stay comfortable.

While dressing and looking good does have it’s fair share of benefits, studies have shown that wearing comfortable clothes have been proven to improve test score results – probably because your mind is better focused on performing then feeling uncomfortable.

Ensure That You Have Good Internet Access

This is something that should come as no surprise to just about anyone. You’ll likely be struggling to get anything done if you keep getting dropped from the lecture room. And chances are nobody likes waiting around for 5 minutes to buffer a video.

Besides upgrading your internet, you can also work out an arrangement of sorts with your family or housemates to stay off the internet when class is in session to help reduce bandwidth consumption.

Set Up a Dedicated Study Space

Yes, you may be studying from home, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a “home classroom”. Besides being a haven of quiet where you can learn in peace, a dedicated study area gets you in the right frame of mind to study and boost learning.

Ideally, your space should be free of clutter and distractions and located in a private space in your home. This allows you to focus on the task at hand and make the most of your learning experience.

The new normal doesn’t mean the end of things as we know it. Instead, it should be used as an opportunity to change up the way we think and get things done.

Featured Image: Allie, Unsplash.