Getting started with online learning
Your university has announced it’s moving to online-only teaching, so what does that mean for you and how can you make the most of this change in how you will study?
Pearson, along with other educators, are sharing advice to support academics with the rapid move to online teaching. Alongside this, we thought that it would be helpful to offer some advice from our experience of online learning to you, the learner.
We understand that this is a difficult and confusing time and hope that this blog series will provide some guidance in navigating the somewhat unfamiliar world of online learning.
You are likely to be new to fully online study and you may have assumptions about what to expect. Take a look at a few examples of assumptions and our view on them.
- Studying online is easier: Online courses comply with the same rigorous academic standards as campus-based courses and require as much, if not more, self-discipline and motivation to progress and succeed.
- I will be anonymous and isolated: While this is somewhat true and certainly more likely in the current situation, collaborative activities such as discussion forums, live sessions and regular contact with your peers and instructors can all help to reduce the feeling of studying alone.
- I can work at my own pace: Although you will have more flexibility about when you study, there will still be deadlines that you will need to meet and it is likely that instructors will plan online activities to emulate your current schedule.
In this blog series, we will explore a range of topics to help you get the most out of studying online. Topic will include how to manage your studies away from campus, how to engage with your peers and instructors online as well as how to engage in collaborative activities and succeed in your assessments.
This first blog focuses on some of the first steps you can take to get started with studying online. The very first step is to speak with your university, college or place of study to find out what support is available to you during this period, including academic, pastoral and technical support.
Once you are happy that you are familiar with what support is available, consider some of the suggestions we have set out below as they will help you to enjoy and succeed in your online studies.
1. Keep in touch
Keep in regular contact with your peers, tutors and your place of study. You don’t have to wait until you have a problem and you don’t have to wait until asked to create a discussion or to organise collaborative activities.
Utilise your online learning platform communication tools to get in touch with your peers and tutors.
Post about how you're getting on, share some interesting research or just connect with others to find out how they are doing.
Sharing with peers who are also studying will help you and others to feel connected and less isolated.
2. Create a dedicated study space
- The internet connection speed and stability
- the background you will present when using your webcam
- the potential for disruptive background noise
lighting and comfort.
It’s also recommended to take regular breaks from your study. Try not to sit still in the same position for more than 30 minutes at a time.
Take time to stand up and walk around often, exercise where possible and give yourself mental breaks as well as physical ones.
When you have completed a piece of a reading or a section of your assignment, take a break and do something completely different to re-energise your brain, even if it is just to do some household chores.
3. Be proactive
Check in to your online learning platform regularly and keep an eye out for announcements and information coming from your instructor as it will help you to keep you on track and alert you to important information.
Try to stay up to date with the weekly activities of your course and engage as fully as possible with any group work or collaborative activities. This will help your sense of connection to others and support your success by sharing insights and ideas.
Try to plan ahead, seeking out the resources you think you will need in advance, rather than following along one week at a time and finding that you don’t have access to something you need as it is not available online.
Review your module syllabus or specification to see what is planned for future weeks and contact your instructor if you are unsure about accessing learning materials.
If you are unable to study or anticipate that you will struggle to complete any aspect of your course for any reason, contact your place of study as soon as possible to identify your options and the impact of not completing the activity. The earlier you can inform your place of study, the more likely they will be able to support you.
4. Make a study schedule
Time management is an important skill for all students, but especially so for students who are studying online at home and who may be surrounded by distractions or competing demands for time and study space.
To help you identify time for study, make a schedule of all of your course activities and home activities, such as any caring responsibilities, socialising, cooking, exercising, sleeping, etc., planning them out over the course of a week.
This will help you to highlight times that you can dedicate to your study. Share your plan with your family, so that everyone knows when you are studying and ask them to respect your need for time and space to focus on your learning.
5. Reward yourself
Success in your studies will be a big reward, but you can also reward yourself when you’ve stuck to your study schedule , taken part in a webinar or completed an assignment.
Try to reward yourself with something that will help you relax. Continuing your studies requires self-discipline and motivation and rewarding yourself will help to maintain your motivation.
Your reward doesn’t have to be big or expensive.
It can be as simple as allowing yourself some phone time, reading a book chapter, playing a video game for a short period, completing a meditation or relaxation exercise, watching tv, or treating yourself to something sweet to eat.
Don’t underestimate the power of a simple reward and the motivation that it can provide.