How to make the most of your virtual learning experience

VIRTUAL OR distance learning has become a thing in these COVID days, and we are dishing out just how you can make the most of your studies even from a safe social distance.

1. UNDERSTAND ONLINE LEARNING PRACTICES AND EXPECTATIONS.

The first thing you need to realise is that an online class is not an easier way to learn, but rather a more convenient and safer one given the pandemic. To successfully learn online, you need to dedicate a significant amount of your time, consistently attend the programme, concentrate while studying, and fully commit to your learning process just as you would do for a regular, face-to-face course. You should also have in mind that when you take an online course, you may be expected to:

• Fully commit yourself and participate in the virtual classroom as required.

• Be, or be willing to become, tech-savvy.

• Work with others effectively.

• Complete your learning tasks and assignments on time.

• Be self-disciplined.

If you are not able or willing to do all of the above, you will probably not be a very happy online learner.

2.ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS.

Technology glitches happen all the time. Imagine that you are working in the middle of the night and your computer crashes. To avoid mishaps, ensure that you save your work repeatedly and back up regularly, using cloud storage – for example, Dropbox or Google Documents – in order to be able to access your previous work from your smart phone or tablet if needed. Furthermore, ensure that you not only have a backup of your online course material and assignments, but also that you have saved your instructor or trainer’s contact information in your cell phone or in your email. Reliable Internet access will also give you the opportunity to check in, stay current with your eLearning course, and deal with sudden schedule changes.

3. HAVE A DEDICATED STUDY SPACE.

Whether you decide to study in your office or in your living room, ensure that this place is quiet, organised, distraction-free, and available for use at any time. Your study environment should be one of your main concerns when you are in a virtual classroom, so make sure that it enables your study routine. Furthermore, ask your friends, relatives, and colleagues to respect your ‘work mode’, and consider turning off your phone and logging off of all social networks when studying. You will want to be neither interrupted nor distracted.

4. BUILD A STUDY PLAN.

A study plan is critical to online learning. Here are some tips to help you build it:

• Plan ahead: Never wait until the day before an assignment is due date to start working on it. It will bring you stress, and stress will prevent you from effectively completing the online task.

• Have an effective calendar system: Online learning needs structure. Create a study calendar that will help you remember all important dates, like exams, or deadlines for submitting your assignments. You can save your calendar in your computer or in your mobile device, or you can even create a wall planner, which you can mark up and check every time you study.

• Create to-do lists: At the start of each week, make a to-do list of the tasks that you need to complete by the end of the week. This is an excellent way to prioritise your study plan and stay on track with your studying.

• Set time limits: Before you start studying, estimate how much time each task will take to be completed whether it is a specific assignment or simply reading a chapter. Try to stick to your time limits as this will help you develop self-discipline. Furthermore, when you realise that despite your best efforts you cannot concentrate, consider stopping for an hour or for the night. It is better to wait until you are able to start afresh than to waste your time trying to focus.

• Stay on schedule: Finally, stick to your study plan. Procrastination is the worst enemy of online learners, so make sure that you stay organised and you are not falling behind in your online class. If you are having difficulties submitting your assignments on time, contact