Maintaining an online education, while having its many benefits, also requires specific diligence to succeed. You are not sitting in a classroom or around others who are all focusing on the topic at hand. Rather, you have the freedom to focus on whatever you set your mind to. For this reason, it is important to obtain certain skills for managing your online education. Here are a few tips:
- Create a study calendar—when you first start your online course, look through the syllabus and create a calendar with the important test or paper due dates. Also take the time to breakdown what you should be doing each week for the course.
- Check in with your online courses daily—just because you don’t have to physically go to class each week or day, does not mean you can avoid your online classes. Check in daily to make sure you are on track and are staying connected with the course.
- Create a study space—dedicate one area to your studying. This could be an area of your house, a specific coffee shop or some creative quiet place that allows you to focus on your studies.
- Avoid online distractions—it is easy to want to start searching the Internet or playing games while you are on your computer. Set limits with yourself and try setting an alarm for 20 minutes to only focus on your schoolwork. Then reward yourself with a quick study break.
- Ask for help—Do not be afraid to email your teacher and reach out for help if you are struggling at all. Not having a face to face teacher does not mean they are not available to assist you. If you need more assistance, ask!
Managing an online education can be simple, as long as you set boundaries with your time and practice. Try one or all of these to improve your online educational success!
