Online Learning Study Tips

Apply everything you learn as you learn it, so it will be committed to long-term memory. Whenever possible, take the things you learn in your online course today and use them in your workplace tomorrow. Talking about what you are learning with your friends and family is a great way to solidify what you’re learning into long term memory. Also, make connections between what you are learning and what you do or will do in your job.

While it may be constructive to look for answers to your online course-related questions independently, hesitating to contact your online instructor when you are stuck may be problematic. If you don’t ask for help when necessary, you may end up falling behind, which may lower your self-esteem, as you may not be able to keep up with the online course. Build a relationship with your online instructor and avoid misunderstandings by contacting them regularly and informing them who you are, and how you could use their help.

By asking a question, you also help at the same time your virtual classmates, in case they are having similar difficulties. Keep in mind that if you don’t ask for help when you need it, your online instructor may never know that something is wrong.

Plan ahead. Never wait until the day before an assignment due date to start working on it. It will stress you and stress will prevent you from effectively completing the online task. Furthermore, knowing when all of your assignments are due until the end of the eLearning course will facilitate your time management; for instance, if you are going on vacation in the middle of the eLearning course, you can study ahead.

Carefully read your online course requirements, create notes that are closely related to your objectives, and make sure that you review them thoroughly every time you start an assignment, so that you stay focused on your goals.

Learning online requires more than just browsing the web. You'll need to know how to upload and download files, share documents, track changes, embed images and use a webcam. Look online for tutorials on how to master these skills.

Consider starting with the most difficult tasks, as this will improve both the effectiveness of your study and your performance.

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.

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

Consider having one or more study partners; working in groups will offer you alternative views of difficult concepts, motivation to achieve better results, and help in completing your online assignments more quickly by reviewing what you have learned. Share your study notes and habits with your virtual classmates and support each other throughout the online learning process.

Ask your friends, relatives, and colleagues to respect your “school 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.

Whether you decide to study in your office or in your living room, ensure that this place is quiet, organized, distraction-free, and available for use at any time. Your study environment should be one of your main concerns when you are an online learner, so make sure that it enables your study routine.

To stay on track with your online course, make sure that you always keep in mind what you hope to accomplish by the end of it. The learning objectives and goals of the eLearning course can be an excellent road map during online learning.

Make sure to check your course a minimum of 4-5 days a week. Once you get into the online discussions, you will want to see who has commented on your postings and read the instructor’s feedback. If you let too many days go by, you will get behind and find it very difficult to catch up.

Technology glitches happen all the time. Imagine you are working in the middle of the night and your computer crashes. To avoid mishaps, ensure that you save your work repeatedly and backup regularly using cloud storage, for example Dropbox or Google Documents. A reliable internet access will also give you the opportunity to check in, stay current with your eLearning course, and deal with sudden schedule changes.

1. Reward yourself every time you complete a challenging task.
2. Decorate your study space with inspirational quotes and pictures.
3. Don’t underestimate the effort needed to fully commit to your online course.
4. Make sure that you take some time for yourself from time to time.
5. Never forget the reason why you took this online course.

Regular participation is very important to a quality online experience for everyone. Your classmates have a wide variety of background experiences that will naturally come out during discussions and projects, and it’s a great way to network with future colleagues. Jump in and contribute!

Testing what you've learned will reinforce the information. Flash cards have stood the test of time as one of the best self-test tools for kids and adults alike.

Regular revisions of the things you have already studied will not only improve your memory, but they will also help you better understand what you are learning. Create your own flash cards for your key notes and quiz yourself on the key concepts of the online course.

Before you start studying, estimate how much time each task will take to complete, whether it is a specific assignment or simply reading a chapter. Try to stick to your time limits, as this will help you develop your self-discipline. Furthermore, when you realize 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.

Save your instructor’s contact information in your cell phone and in your email. This will make it easier to contact them in an emergency, and reduce the likelihood of their messages to you being blocked as spam.