5 tips for getting the most out of online learning

One of the reasons people choose online learning style is that it’s very convenient. This advantage, however, means you have to take some extra steps to successfully learn online.

You need to dedicate a significant amount of your time, consistently take the sessions, be concentrated while studying, and fully commit to your learning process, just as you would do for a regular course.

It’s important to realize that online learning is not an easier way to learn, but rather a more convenient one. It requires commitment, self-discipline, willpower, and strong motivation. Without these, it may be challenging for you to successfully complete your online courses.

In this blog post, we’ll share five key study tips that will help you get the best value from your online course.

Effective Time Management
You must be able to manage your time well. Most online courses are not taught in real time. So there are no set times for classes – making it flexible.

This flexibility, one of the great benefits of online learning, can also be a drawback for a student who procrastinates, is unable to stick to a routine study schedule, or is not able to complete tasks without daily reminders from a teacher.

Effective time-management skills don’t just happen. They have to be learned. Once you do, they will benefit you throughout your life. Follow the tips below to develop yours:

-Review the course content details for each course.

-Develop a long-term plan for completing the course (e.g. one session a day for X number of days until course is completed).

-Set deadlines. But there would be no point in setting deadlines if you make executive decisions to always push them back. Set a deadline and try your best to stick to it.

-Make a daily “To Do” list including online learning targets. Have fun checking things off the list as you complete them.

-Reward yourself. When you accomplish something/reach a milestone, celebrate it! How you celebrate is up to you.

-Be consistent. Find a time when you assimilate best and consistently learn at that time. For example, most of our students learn for about 30 minutes every morning before work begins. It’s more effective to learn consistently in chunks of few minutes than to try to do a long stretch of hours.

Take study breaks
Your performance will decrease if your are feeling tired or frustrated while studying. Integrate some personal time into your study routine and you will be able to work more effectively on your online course goals.

When taking a break, make sure that you get away from your study space; you need to have a change of scenery. A mild physical activity, such as a walk around, will help you maintain balance, renew energy, and go back to studying with a clear mind.

Eliminate Distractions
You probably won’t be able to eliminate all interruptions. People still need your time and attention through the day and you have to respond to a crisis or unexpected need for an immediate decision.

However, for the period you’ve chosen to do your online course, don’t hesitate to block out time not to be disturbed.

Use a quiet place to work without distractions from things like television, family, or roommates. Turn off your cell phone. Turn off your email notification and instant messaging. And beware of surfing the black hole of the Internet. It is easy to lose track of the time as you wander from site to site.

Don’t skip the learning tasks or assignments
To get the best out of your online learning course, ensure you do all the learning tasks or assignments. Most online courses are interactive and will require you to think and give some response during the training. This aspect of the learning process is very important and should not be skipped. Skipping it will result to suboptimal learning outcome which also reflects as low performance score.

Take the online course seriously
Many people take online courses, because they believe them to be easier or take less time. These people either drop out or do poorly in the course. Don’t let this happen to you!