How to prepare for online learning

Schools, colleges, tuition centres, and universities across the world are taking their taking their courses online due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. For many institutions, it is the first time to consider how to adjust their classes to digital format.

However, these institutions aren’t the only ones that are unprepared; there are numerous students that also need to prepare themselves to adapt to the new online environment in which they have now found themselves. Fortunately, distance learning is not a new form of education and hence, there are many strategies to make it work for you. Even medical courses like PALS, are done this way for quite some time now. Following are some of the key tips that will help you prepare for and succeed with your online course work:

Stick to the Same Classroom Schedule

You have probably already worked out a routine according to your work responsibility, class schedule, and other activities. Now that your classes have gone online, your schedule will be relatively more flexible. However, it is recommended that you stick to the same classroom schedule as before. This will allow you to save the time you generally used for studying and homework as you will be doing both of those things.

Stay Organized

When all of your classes are online, it can be easy to lose track of deadlines. Fortunately, staying organized is easy thanks to the many on paper and online tools. Different methods work for different people.

Most students prefer digital solutions.

When it comes to such tools, Google Calendar is a great choice as it allows you to color-code all of your deadlines by class and set individual reminders for specific assignments. Many students call it a lifesaver so it is definitely worth a try.

Set Goals

Many institutions providing JC economics tuition in Singapore, suggest students to set goals as setting concrete goals encourages productivity. Not to mention it feels great to be able to check something off a to-do list. Start by breaking challenging assignments into smaller ‘chunks’. This will help keep your focus on the assignments while making you work more efficiently.

Take Breaks

Now that you are learning at home, it can be easy to find yourself studying or working for long periods of time and losing concentration.

To prevent this from happening, it is recommended that you take breaks. Following are some suggestions that will help you in this regard:

• Get up and move every hour. Even if you are simply walking across your hallway.
• Take short breaks instead of the longer ones whenever you can. Concentration is key.
• Plan short phone breaks. If you have your breaks planned, then you will less likely to get tempted to check your phone while studying.

Create a Separate Space for Study

A separate space for study is important – not just in terms of having enough space to take notes and access to your computer – but also in terms of minimizing distractions. It’s generally less productive if you do your homework and relax in the same space. Separating your study and leisure spaces will help boost your productivity.

Communicate

Now that you won’t see your classmates and teachers in person, it is crucial to make sure that you are communicating with them.

If you realize that a point in a lecture needs to be explained in a different way, reach out to your teacher. It may also be a good idea to check-in with friends from class first since teachers are now receiving more emails than they were before. If all have the same question, contact the teacher.

Preparing for online learning and adapting to the new form of classes may seem challenging. That being said, following the above-listed tips will help you quickly get back on track.