For many people, online learning has several practical advantages over traditional classroom instruction. You get to choose your school schedule, there is no commute, and you may learn on any connected device.
As a result, you must also excel at time management and concentration. While there are numerous advantages to online learning, for students to succeed it necessitates motivation and self-discipline.
Academically, students face several difficulties that occasionally obstruct their path to achievement (BAW, 2022).
You might already be accustomed to online learning, like more than a third of college students who took at least one online course during the 2018–19 academic year. Or, you might be unfamiliar with it entirely or require a refresher course on how to use it. We asked Wharton Online students for their advice on how to succeed as online learners.
1. Make a note
Taking notes is beneficial. A good strategy to reinforce your learning is to take notes as you watch and listen to lectures and read course materials.
Try it. Pay attention and listen if you’re viewing a live lecture so you may engage and ask questions. Rewatch the lecture after that and make notes. Instead, then taking notes while a lecture is being delivered, which could result in you missing something crucial and would be a great Assignment Help in the future, view a short video first, then jot down a summary of what you’ve learned.
2. Make a study and homework schedule.
Even while online learning allows you the flexibility to learn at your own pace, it’s still vital to make a timetable so that you can set aside time to accomplish your assignments and study. Even when you are not physically required to be in class, schedule time that you will spend studying to keep on track.
Abboudy Gogo, a multi-credentialed Wharton Online student, advises scheduling your study sessions when you’re the most awake and open to learning (Rivera, 2020).
3. Slow Down
You might be tempted to skip the learning modules and head straight to the tests while taking a self-paced online course and are already familiar with the subject. Wharton Online student Achin Singh, who is studying customer analytics, cautions against doing such.
You want to make sure you do well on your exams, and if you rush through, you might miss something. Spend the time necessary to complete all the tasks necessary to reinforce all you need to know from the course.
4. Stay Concentrated
Online learning is flexible, but it also requires concentration. Ruy Perez, a Wharton Online learner with many credentials, has an idea.
In this manner, you can guarantee that you complete a specific amount of intense study before rewarding yourself with a break. You can avoid being bored or burned out, take the necessary breaks, and take in the knowledge.
Making a location just for learning and studying is another approach to concentrate. Instruct everyone who lives in your home to be considerate of your need for privacy. Avoid digital distractions as well; avoid using social media while studying. Look into social media blocking apps for when you’re studying.
5. Share What You Learn with Others
According to Perez, teaching what you’re learning to others is a good approach to assimilating and retaining what you’re learning.
The efficacy of Perez’s advice was supported by a study that was published in “Applied Cognitive Psychology.” You have to recall knowledge you previously learned while you’re teaching others. Compared to passive re-studying, this causes the material to be retained more fully and for longer.
6. Employ the Proper Tools
Perhaps you had brand-new notebooks, pens, rulers, scissors, and other learning aids in primary school. A dependable internet connection, online storage, and a computer free of viruses are necessities for online learners.
Consider that after spending several hours working on a paper, your computer fails. You failed to save your file, and you don’t have a backup. What a pain that would be!
Save your work often. Create and save documents using free cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox to keep them safe and secure and make them available from any connected device. Your saved work will still be available in the cloud if your laptop is lost or stolen.
Additionally, keep your instructor’s contact information handy so you may reach them whenever you need to, preferably on your phone.
7. Communicate with Your Students
Make meaningful connections with professors and other students while you are learning online. Introduce yourself early and get in touch with your online instructors if you have any questions or need support. They are there to assist you when you need them.
Get to know your classmates so they may be useful resources for you as well. Your classmates, who can also assist you when needed during online learning, may provide you with new perspectives or additional study advice. Even better, consider forming online study groups with other students.
Saily Sankpal, a graduate of the Wharton Online Finance & Quantitative Modeling Specialization, advises that you should also read the messages posted on discussion boards. They might contain beneficial links that make it simpler to grasp the subject matter.
Treat everyone fairly in a virtual classroom, just as you would in a traditional one. Be supportive, considerate of other people’s time, and use polite language.
8. Concentrate on Your Goal
There could be some difficulties with any sort of learning. Reminding yourself of your goals and the reason you’re enrolled in a school or program will help you stay motivated. Your motivation could be:
- You need to change employment to get the information
- to finish a course that will help you advance in your current field of employment
- to obtain the qualification needed for you to obtain the desired position
Consider including a visual indication for motivation in your study area. It might be a vision board or a motivational saying.
Reward yourself for finishing courses and performing well in school. Spend time with your loved ones.
Recognize that there will be difficult days. They are faced by all. Allow yourself to feel frustrated, and see each new day as an opportunity.
9. Keep Your Health
By placing a high priority on health and well-being, you can keep your energy levels high and your body in terrific shape while you study. Ensure you:
- Obey the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendation of 7-9 hours per night of sleep.
- Eat a healthy diet: The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services advises putting fruits and vegetables on half of your plate, emphasizing whole grains, choosing lean proteins, and limiting solid fats.
- Exercise regularly: The Mayo Clinic recommends doing strength training activities at least twice per week in addition to 75 minutes of intense or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week.
Additionally, engage in relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, hot baths, and writing. Being under a lot of stress can make it difficult to concentrate and can lead to mistakes, thus as an online learner, try to minimize stress. You can even Buy Assignment online if you are frustrated with work.
10. Build momentum
Make your first course in an area you know will interest you if you’re unsure about online learning. Your next course will be more motivating if you have some experience with virtual instruction, advises Isabel Rincon, a Wharton Online student who studied customer analytics.
