8 Tips for online learning.
Want to get the most out of your online learning? Read on!
“Hello? Can you hear me?”
**Why isn’t this working??**
“Ahhh sorry, I accidentally had myself on mute!”
If that wasn’t the most used sentences throughout 2020, I don’t know what was!
In all seriousness, the world has changed dramatically since the COVID19 pandemic begun. Some industries had the most profitable years on record, some industries may never recover, and some industries needed to adapt to survive. Just about all businesses and industries fell within one of those categories. Universities and other educational providers were no exception to this. Thankfully, technology and innovation enabled these institutions to survive through online learning.
Although we are all counting down the days until we can recommence face-to-face learning, we do have to put up with online learning for now. The team over at headspace has outlined the differences between online learning vs face-to-face learning, and it is pretty clear face-to-face is the better alternative. However, to get our SHA team through the next couple of months, we’ve outline 8 awesome tips that will come in handy!
1 – It’s the real deal, so take it seriously!
Just because you aren’t physically going to campus, and you may be in your dressing gown, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take this semester seriously. A lot of people joke that 2020 didn’t count. It’s a year we should all forget. That shouldn’t be the case for 2021. If this is your first semester ever at uni, or if it’s your last year, it’s a great opportunity to knuckle down and boost your WAM and GPA. Plus, if you can create some positive habits now, it’ll help throughout the remainder of your studies and working career.
2 – Turn your camera on!
This may sound like a bit of a strange one, but having your camera on when interacting with teachers and fellow students is critical for the overall enjoyment of the course. There is a range of benefits for everyone when you have your camera on, including accountability, social interaction and a better online learning experience. With the camera on, lecturers and tutors are able to see your facial expression, making sure the message they are sending is being received and interpreted correctly.
It’s not always comfortable saying “I don’t understand this,” in a lot of circumstances, you won’t need to say this, as a good lecturer will be able to pick up on this purely from the dumbfounded look on your face!
Plus, online learning isn’t going to last forever. We’re going to be back on campus eventually, so recognise the faces that you are sharing your online classes with, as you’ll bump into them at lectures – side note, it’s easier to remember peoples names when it’s their zoom profile name!!
3 – Set a Routine around your online learning
THe COVID pandemic threw everyone’s routines into a complete spiral. Gyms were shut, cafes closed and libraries were not open. You wouldn’t have been the only one to stop exercising and letting your grades slip a little bit. However! Victoria is the place to be right now. We have little to no COVID cases, and with restrictions eased, we can get back to normal again. So just because your course is online learning, doesn’t mean you can just roll out of bed, flick open the laptop and get down to business. Treat the online learning aspect like it’s regular learning. Wake up a little bit earlier, go for a walk around the block. Get a takeaway coffee. Get some fresh air and sunlight, then log-on and smash your study goals.
Because you will be spending more time at home, continue to write out a weekly schedule. It is now more important than ever to stick to this schedule so you can physically and mentally switch off from uni work and focus on some personal time.
4 – Get focused
One advantage of online learning is the ability to get the most out of your space. How often have you felt trapped inside a lecture theatre or a tutorial classroom? No natural light, the temperature is always too hot or too cold, and there is always someone with an annoying cough. Now you can tailor your space to your needs. Thankfully the majority of Student Housing Australia’s apartments have plenty of natural light, windows for fresh air, and the ability to control the temperature.
5 – Eliminate Distractions
Now that you are focused, don’t let silly distractions get in the way of online LEARNING. That’s essentially what you should be doing, learning. It’s not called online procrastination. Get your phone out of sight, turn the TV off, and don’t even think of opening up Netflix. You can vege out as much as you like in your designated free time outlined in your weekly schedule.
6 – Get Organised
Being organised is a key to success. You’ve established your routine and you’ve destroyed distractions, so to get the best results from online learning, you need to treat it like anything else that you deem important. Get your desk set up correctly. Make sure you have your seat at the right height, and you’re comfortable enough to spend a couple of hours in the same position. Get your computer screen at the right height. There’s nothing worse than having all your hard work undone by having a sore neck at the end of the day.
Once your desk is set up correctly, hunt down any pens and notepads that you may want to use to take notes. Finally, have some water and snacks within arms reach. It’s important to remain hydrated and fueled for those online learning sessions that seem to last forever! Just don’t forget to mute your mic! No one wants to hear a trash compacter munching away in their ear.
7 – Break it up!
When you do decide to take a break, don’t just switch tabs to your Amazon cart. Don’t scroll mindlessly through Instagram reels. Go out and take a break, get some fresh air, go see a friend and grab a beer. You need to give your eyes and brain a break. If you keep staring at a screen all day and confining yourself to the same room, you won’t want to partake in online learning for very long.
8 -Get involved!
Nobody wants to sit in a dead quiet classroom for hours on end. This rule applies to online learning as well. When a tutor asks you to break into groups and discuss the topic, do exactly that. The more you put in, the more you will get out of it. Have some fun, form friendships and discuss all the important topics that you suspect will be on the exam.
Harry Calder
Digital Marketing Coordinator & Melbourne Local
