Education, Lead Stories

Prepare for online learning

Online classes may not be what students thought they were signing up for, but they may be what some of them are getting in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  If you’re new to online learning, it’s time to work on your game plan and think about the challenges of college-level virtual classes.

“Students do need a different mindset for online learning,” said Zack Robinson, chief geek at TestGeek.com. “Compared to a traditional classroom, online
learning environments require a much greater level of self-motivation and organization on the part of the student. Traditional classes are normally pretty simple.  A teacher is up front, and most learning happens out of a single book. Online learning typically has more components.”

Some college students reported feeling shortchanged by the online instruction they received during spring semester 2020, but safety issues may make virtual
learning essential for fall 2020.  Here are some tips to prepare:

Don’t slack off

The supposed laxity of online learning is the biggest hurdle most students face when moving into online learning formats.  “College students typically like
online learning because they often view it as being less work, but this is a faulty assumption.  While there isn’t a set three hours per week of classroom
time, the learning load doesn’t decrease, so the amount of time a student expects to spend on the material shouldn’t decrease, either,” Robinson said.

Develop a routine.  Log in on time. Read the material. Participate in classroom discussion.  Set priorities and stick with them.  “There is an initial illusion of
freedom and flexibility, but this can lead to a dangerous underestimation of the time and workload commitment,” Robinson said.

Be committed

“Successful online students are usually very organized and like to stay in front of the workload,” Robinson said.  Without the verbal and physical cues of an in-person classroom, online learners need to keep themselves accountable and practice good time management.  “These skills come more naturally to some students than others, but the good news is that anyone can improve on these things,” Robinson said. “Be realistic about your current strengths and weaknesses, and make a plan to deal with the things that don’t come easy but are still important.”

Get a partner

“Historically, online learning has lacked the casual peer-to-peer learning that happens in classrooms.  Think about a biology class where a teacher is continuing a lecture but a student whispers to the guy next to him and asks a quick question about something that was missed. That’s a vital part of learning, and it hasn’t always been built into online learning systems.  That is improving, though,” Robinson said.

Pair up with a fellow classmate or create a study group to work together. Forming a connection with others can help keep a student engaged and committed to
the class.

Teachers as facilitators

Instructors play a different role with online classes than they do in traditional classrooms.  “In many ways, online instructors are organizers and facilitators
rather than direct teachers.  Rather than giving a lecture, instructors are selecting the material students will be learning from, creating an effective course
format and making sure students are keeping up as the semester progresses,” Robinson said.  A good online learner will practice good communication reaching
out with questions, comments and concerns.