6 Major Success Tips for Online Education for You
Online learning is becoming more widespread at all levels of education. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 75 percent of undergraduate students were enrolled in at least one online course as of fall 2020.
While online courses offer students many benefits, including reduced costs and increased flexibility, they also come with unique challenges. To succeed in remote learning courses, students must be able to take responsibility for their own success, manage their time effectively, and learn to take care of themselves throughout the process.
Keep reading to learn our top tips for a successful journey through online education.
1. Manage Your Time
Many students choose to go with an online education learning platform because it allows them more flexibility amidst their busy schedules. To succeed in online classes, students must take responsibility for their time and set aside enough time for studying and coursework.
Most schools provide guidelines for how many hours per week you should set aside for the number of credits you are taking. Professors of specific courses may provide additional guidelines for how much time you will need to commit to the coursework.
If you are working while taking classes or have additional responsibilities, time management becomes even more critical. A weekly planner is a great tool for charting your days and ensuring that you have ample time set aside for your studies.
2. Ensure That You Are Well-Resourced
One of the challenges faced by students in online education courses is feeling isolated and disconnected from sources of support. While support does exist for remote students, finding it may take a bit more initiative.
At the beginning of any online course, make sure that you know who you can reach out to for help and how to contact them.
Most online learning platforms offer academic services for students, including tutoring. Additional services should be available for students who have disabilities that affect their engagement in the course.
Professors should list their contact information in the course syllabus, and students who have questions or concerns regarding coursework should contact their professors for help. If you are having trouble with the online learning platform itself, your institution should provide information on tech support options.
3. Stay Motivated
One aspect of online education that students may find challenging is staying motivated without the regular accountability of attending class.
To stay motivated, it is critical that you have concrete reasons for why you are attending school. Maybe you want to master the subject at hand. Perhaps you are working towards a degree that will allow you to apply for your dream job. Or maybe you are taking classes simply because you want to be more qualified for higher-paying jobs.
Whatever your reasons for attending school, a great way to stay motivated is to spend some time at the beginning of each semester writing down why you are choosing to take classes. This simple and quick writing exercise can help you to clarify your personal reasons for going to school. Try writing your reasons on sticky notes and keeping them in a visible spot on your desk or workplace so you can refer to them when you are feeling lazy about schoolwork.
4. Designate a Home Workspace
It’s common knowledge that having a home office is essential to success if you work from home—but many online students do not take the same care in designating a place to study at home.
Trying to study and complete coursework from the couch or your bed is a recipe for distractions and a lack of focus. If you have enough space in your home and the financial means for a simple desk and office chair, this investment can make a huge difference in your focus and productivity.
Try to avoid spending time on your phone or doing anything other than schoolwork while at your desk. When you take breaks, step outside or to a different area of your home to relax. This simple practice creates a connection between focused work and your home office, allowing you to settle into a concentrated mindset quickly when you sit down to work.
5. Connect With Classmates
Learning in an online environment does not mean that you must be isolated in your studies. Forming bonds with classmates is a great way to resource yourself, stay engaged with the course material, and maintain motivation.
If possible, find contact information for classmates and connect with them virtually at the start of your online education course. Students can ask one another questions about the class, share tips on what helps them with assignments, and use one another to study for tests.
Connecting with your classmates can also help you to stay positive and motivated, especially when the coursework feels challenging.
6. Take Care of Yourself
School is taxing, and many students taking online courses have additional responsibilities including work, family commitments, and more.
Succeeding in your classes will be much easier if you are properly rested and in a good place mentally and physically. Self-care is essential for students taking online education classes. Things like taking regular breaks from your computer screen, eating healthy meals, and getting enough sleep are all critical to your physical and mental well-being while in school.
