Why Choose Online Learning?
Online learning – which can come in the form of college-level coursework, professional credentials, continuing education, etc. – is something that has exploded over the past 12 months (and will continue to become a more prominent part of our society moving forward). As Real Estate U puts it, “Learning online is flexible and affordable. You have more time to complete the coursework, study, and prepare for your exam rather than worrying about getting to class on time.” Online learning puts the student in control. You get to choose where you’re most comfortable learning, the type of coursework you like, and the pace that fits into your schedule. All of these factors combine to create a powerful environment that emphasizes actual learning over logistical details that have no bearing on the subject matter at hand.
How to Improve Your Online Learning Experience?
While online learning is almost always more beneficial for the student, there are some different techniques you can use to improve your online learning experience and maximize your investment of time and energy. Take a look:
Have the Right Expectations
Online learning isn’t easier than classroom-based learning – it’s just more convenient. In other words, the subject matter is still just as rigorous. So, make sure you have the proper expectations. “To successfully learn online, you need to dedicate a significant amount of your time, consistently attend the program, be concentrated while studying, and fully commit to your learning process, just as you would do for a regular course,” e-learning expert Christopher Pappas writes. You’ll need to fully commit yourself to online learning in order to be successful and walk away with the knowledge you need to thrive. If you don’t think you can do this in an online learning environment, you may consider other options.
Create a Study Plan
You should create a detailed study plan with dates, assignments, checkpoints, deadlines, and other key mile markers from the very start of the course. If you have access to other people in the program, you might include them in your study plan as a way of sharing knowledge and spurring each other on.
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Depending on the program, there are almost always some resources made available to students. This could include a combination of “office hours” with the instructor, “knowledge base” material, and/or online message boards and forums. Using these resources is one of the best ways to get the most out of your online learning experience.
Hold Yourself Accountable
It’s imperative that you set the right goals at the beginning of the course and hold yourself accountable throughout. Otherwise, it’s easy to fall behind. “In a traditional classroom setting, you’ll often receive verbal or visual reminders of an assignment’s upcoming due date,” Northeastern University explains. “But without a professor actively reminding you, it’s up to you to make sure you’ve allotted enough time to complete the work, so you’re not starting an assignment the day before it’s due.” Set goals, create self-imposed deadlines, and treat these dates as you would any other responsibility in your life. Avoid letting coursework slide, even if you’re the only one who knows.
Don’t Miss the Opportunity to Grow
Never before in the history of the world has learning been so accessible. It used to be that you had to enroll in a specific program, physically go to a classroom, and sit through a scheduled course that may or may not fit well into your own schedule. Today, the rise of online learning has brought flexible opportunities for education to the masses. You can learn when, where, and how you want. The question is, are you seizing this opportunity? Don’t miss this opportunity to grow personally, professionally, or academically. Now is your chance to invest in yourself. It might look and feel different than usual, but online learning is the wave of the future. Embrace it!
