Study Tips for Online Learners

While the education sector has recently welcomed online learning in times of COVID19, the learners are finding it challenging to adapt. Further, we can’t deny that online learning has effectively placed itself in our daily lives, in the nick of time. We know that online learning has untapped benefits amidst facing challenges over its advantages. We brings here study tips for online learners that can help in adapting this advanced learning process.

This article on online learning study tips will help you strengthen your approach towards learning as a process. The tips in this article can help you keep your mind concentrated and healthy, improve time management skills, reduce distractions, improve the learning environment overall. During the course, you browse for content, complete assignments, take video and audio classes, tests and quizzes for better learning.

All this is important for effective learning but along with that applying certain skills can upgrade your learning. Are u looking for some interesting study tips that can help online learners?

We brings you ’15 Study tips for Online Learners’ which will help you for a better learning environment and achieving academic success. These tips will not only improve your academic performance but also help you build confidence to get better in life.

Tip 1 : Create your Study Space

We don’t expect you to create a classroom for your learning environment but a decent study space can help you for a better learning experience. There are important things that you need to keep in mind while creating a study space.

Light – The study space should have proper lights. Dark rooms with dim lights can create depressing environments and possibly lead to straining of eyes and headache. Consider a corner that has proper sunlight during the day and a nice study lamp for the night.

Comfort – You cannot possibly sit in every corner of the house. Sitting down or any other corner of the house can lead to joint and muscle pain. So, keep a table and chair to sit comfortably in one place and learn.

Ambience – Everyone looks for a positive place where they can learn without any distraction. We know that some of you might like to learn with noise around and some with complete silence. And some might need music and some don’t. So make sure you study according to your comfort zone. Sometimes, it is better to experiment with different learning environments.

Avoid distractions – You should not get distracted by anything around you while studying online. Keep your phones and other entertainment sources away during the learning process. It can cause distraction during the session with your teachers or learning some new technological tools for your studies.

Keep supplies – You can store a few necessary things on the study table so that learning becomes more comfortable like water bottles, coffee or tea, snacks, clock along with some stationery items.

Top 2 : Understand Online Learning Practices

You should understand that online courses are easier and convenient for learning. But it does require dedicated effort and time for an effective learning environment. You should commit yourself completely to get better results. It requires complete dedication, good time management skills and confidence. You should be passionate about learning and this will drive you to be disciplined.

You know where to learn, but now understand what to learn and how to accomplish your goal.
Ask questions related to online learning to your parents, teachers and friends so that you are mentally prepared for learning in a new environment
You must understand the learning style you prefer as everyone has different styles of learning. Some of them might prefer reading and watching. So, choose your style based on your comfort.

Tip 3 : Logistics

You should make sure that there are no technical issues with the computer and internet connection. Sometimes during online learning technical issues can occur and to avoid that you should save all the assignments, lessons and projects. Also, save all the contacts of teachers and other students for communication. Keep the following key points in mind during online learning such as –

Collect relevant information – You should collect information from teachers and other students like phone numbers, email ids and addresses. And save all the contact details and links related to communication in one folder.

Technical tools – Most of the cases only internet connection will suffice. But downloading software related to videos, apps and tests will be a better option. The software is important for learning and understanding the concept better. All the software should be upgraded in your system for better learning.

Internet connection – You should have a plan for internet access in your computers as it contributes the maximum amount of work.

Save the work – Make sure you save all the work in your computers related to assignments, projects and tests. Some classes might require headphones for listening to audio presentations or sessions.

Tip 4 : Identify your goals

It is very important to realize and understand your responsibilities and goals behind learning. You should make sure that the road map is prepared on how to go ahead and accomplish your online learning. Reviewing your goal is necessary from time to time. Take note of your goal and place it in your study area so that it can remind you about the task. If you find that you are not reaching your goals in time then try to take help of your teachers. And make sure that you understand their objectives and goals.

Tip 5 : Study Plan

Planning is a very important part of learning where you must plan your studies on an everyday basis. If you have a study plan, you are most likely to focus on effective learning.

Set a date and time – Each chapter and units should be assigned with date and time so that you can complete the lesson in the allotted time as guided by your teachers.

Scheduled dates for tasks – You should make sure there is no room for error. Suppose you can complete the task in two days then allot four days for it. So that you can keep those days in case of any emergencies

Create study-calendar – A calendar helps you to track your time and performance during the online learning. It will help you to stick to a regular schedule. Sometimes you can use a digital calendar to track your learning.

Create to-do list – You can prepare a list on an everyday basis for effective learning. And can keep checking the list after the completion of the lessons. This can give you a sense of satisfaction and build confidence to do more.

Set time duration for lessons – If you want to increase productivity, allot specific time for your studies. For example, you have set 30 minutes for a particular topic. Try to complete the topic in the allotted time and take a break. In this way, you can retain the information you learned.

Tip 6 : Participate in Online Discussions

Online learning is not only learning for academic subjects but also for the discussion and interaction with other students and teachers. It gives you an opportunity to share and discuss ideas on learning. Connecting with your other school friends on an online forum will enhance your learning experience. This is really important for the students who feel shy in the classroom and have opportunities to speak their mind virtually. Make sure that you participate in group discussions and activities for engaging in new ideas for better learning outcomes. You can also ask questions about assignments, discuss topics, share resources, etc. According to research, learners who participate in the discussion forums are 37% more likely to complete the course.

Tip 7 : Time management

As we all know online learning gives flexibility with respect to time management. But you should not take this for granted and optimize your time for when and what you will be learning. People do better when they are in a structured environment. Do not keep anything for the last minute. Also it is important for you to be on time for the lectures, virtual classes or any video and audio sessions. This way, you will not miss anything related to your learning. You can keep following things in mind in managing time such as –

Set time for learning – Make sure that you set time for your task with respect to learning, assignments and projects. Your teachers will take a class on the scheduled time and after that make time for self-learning. For that, you need to prioritize your topics. Set time for all the topics you want to cover on a daily basis. Planning and dedicated time for learning are very important. And tell your family members that these are scheduled timings are for studies and they will be supportive and helpful in your learning experience.

Keep up with deadlines – Do not take your leisure time for learning as it will be difficult for you to complete the task in time. Set a deadline for your task and make sure that you follow and complete it before the deadline.

Tip 8 : Ask for help

Sometimes you might feel shy from asking help from your teachers related to lessons, assignments or any technical issues during the learning process. But you should speak if you want to get better learning outcomes. There are possibilities of you struggling with some of the course materials or have different learning styles that might need help from your teacher. Whenever you need any clarification related to difficult concepts, approach your teachers and other friends. Teachers would have set a communication platform for you to communicate via email, video calls or text messages. Make use of these platforms for effective learning.

Tip 9 : Take regular breaks

Sometimes studying for too long can affect your mental and physical health. When you are too much addicted to the system or on the verge of completion of a task can lead to side effects. It can cause insomnia, lack of concentration, eye problems, poor retention power leading to poor performance in tests and exams.

To avoid all these problems, you need to take breaks in between your learning. Do the following activities to relax your mind and soul.

Self care – You need to take care of your health in order to get better results in learning. Take rest for the brain and body by doing regular exercises, getting proper sleep, eating nutritious food, walking outside and drinking lots of water.

Schedule breaks – You should make sure to walk around in between studies. Set some time in your study plan for breaks. Avoid looking at the screen for a long time that can lead to straining of eyes.

Stay healthy – Get adequate rest, proper nutrition and regular exercise. Be positive and confident. Schedule time for self-care and spend time with your family.

Tip 10 : Group Learning

Online learning is a platform that connects highly professional teachers and passionate classmates. You must find a way to connect with others to share and impart knowledge and skills for better learning outcomes. Keep the following points in mind for effective communication and collaboration for group learning.

Ask your teachers whenever you need any help. They should know your abilities and capabilities of learning patterns
Meet your friends virtually for discussing topics related to your learning.
Create social networking group for interaction and communication
Create virtual learning groups for effective learning
Give time and value others in group learning
Exchange and share information related to syllabus with others
Take advice and suggestions from others for any clarifications
Take part in the group activities, projects or assignments
Participate in the games for relaxation during the break

Tip 11 : Learning strategies

It is important to understand and implement strategies in online learning. We have vast resources of content in terms of texts, videos, images, e-books to read, watch and listen to. To retain what you learn, you should develop new skills to apply and adapt to the new methods.

Make use of the resources by gaining knowledge and skills with practice so that it sticks with you for the rest of your life. You should follow the science principles of practice, application and reflection that are practicing knowledge and skills, applying them in different ways and finally reflecting on what you have learned.
You can take down notes from the recorded videos and concentrate on the concept without taking down notes in the case of live videos. Make sure that you listen and ask questions for your doubts.
Participate in the live group discussion so that you get lot of knowledge and perspectives hearing others and sharing your own

Tip 12 : Use Online Resources

Online learning becomes easy and simple when there is the availability of resources for effective learning. There are abundant resources accessible for students to learn and gain knowledge. You can access these resources from various educational websites, e-textbooks, articles, scientific journals, reports etc. Initially, students were dependent only on notes provided by teachers. But now you can explore millions of books for learning. There are a lot of platforms available for the students with respect to content that can help them in learning. The contents can be in the form of texts, videos, images, documentaries etc. You should know how to access these resources online. Keep the following points in mind for accessing resources for better learning outcomes.

Browse any topic you want and check for authentic information for your topics
Discuss with teachers on the content and its information
You can download and read many resources available online
Download the videos and images related to your topics for better understanding

Tip 13 : Eliminate Distractions

You should dedicate time to your school work and eliminate distractions that can cause hindrance to your learning experience. Follow your timetable every day for effective learning. Do not indulge yourself in playing video games, watching tv or roaming around unnecessarily. As you have already set break time in your routine schedule so make use of that time other activities. The distraction can lead to a lack of concentration, confusion, anxiety and poor performance in academics. The following things you must avoid during learning process

Usage of social media
Watching tv
Playing video games
Chatting with friends on-call or messages
Playing loud music
Usage of mobile phones

Tip 14 : Review Revise and Repeat

If you want to remember what you have learned then revising is the best option. Regular revision of your lessons will not only improve your memory but also help in better understanding of what you have learned. Prepare flashcards and small notes for your lessons that can be easy to remember. Breakdown your notes into simple forms. You learn from simple to complex, as it can help in better understanding and completion of course in time.

Tip 15 : Stay Motivated

Motivation is an important factor during the online learning process. Sometimes you might feel bored and exhausted. In that case, you have to remind yourself about the objective and goal of learning. Prepare and keep your goals and objectives next to the study table so that it will remind you to be motivated.

There are times when you think lessons are too long or not very interesting to learn. Then ask your teachers to help you engage in the learning environment. It will become interesting and fun when you learn with some activities such as debates, extempore, model making, role play etc. These kinds of activities can engage you and motivate you to learn effectively. Academic success comes when there is a skill and will power. The more motivated you are, the more you will apply your skills and bring positivity to your learning. You make sure to follow these points during online learning –

Review your lessons
Attend virtual classes
Take active notes
Analyse tests and assignments
Analyse feedback from teachers and plan for improvements
Ask questions to teachers

We hope that this article on ‘Study Tips for Online Learners’ has been useful for you. In case, you have some other ideas or need other suggestions, comment in the box below. We will like to cover it in our next article.