Coronavirus continues to impact billions of people around the world. The deadly virus has forced many governments to lockdown cities, regions, and in some cases, entire countries. Even in countries where citizens are not required to stay at home, many people are choosing to self-isolate to avoid catching COVID-19.
As a result, many people are stuck at home with nothing to do. For students, this could mean losing access to school and other educational resources. Fortunately, online classes offer people of all ages a chance to continue their studies from the comfort of their own home.
That said, many people may not know how to get the most out of online classes. They may know some good strategies to learn in a traditional classroom, but a virtual classroom requires a slightly different approach. In this guide, we will give you some useful tips for online learning success. So, let’s look at how to get the most out of online classes during the Coronavirus pandemic:
Check Your Internet and Hardware
What do online students need? When you’re doing anything online, you need to make sure that you have the right hardware. This doesn’t mean that you need a top-of-the-line computer or tablet; you just need a reliable device that can access the Internet and do basic computing functions related to note-taking. This brings us to the second requirement for anyone who wants to get the most out of online classes: reliable Internet.
Even if you have Wifi in your home, you may not have a reliable connection that can sustain video calls or online testing platforms for extended periods of time. This is why you will need to check your Internet speed on a regular basis. As a general rule, the recommended speed for video calls (which always require a reliable connection) is around 300 kbps for both uploading and downloading.
Treat Online Classes Like In-Person Classes
It’s easy to feel more relaxed when you’re in your own home. After all, your home is a place where you can relax, but this is the wrong mentality to have when you take online classes. Instead, treat online classes just like in-person classes.
This is very similar to how people must treat their jobs when they work from home. Rather than working in pajamas, doing chores, and generally ignoring their work responsibilities, you must do the exact opposite. Dress as if you’re going to your school (unless you wear a school uniform as this might be a little excessive).
More importantly, find a place in your home that is free of distractions. Turn the television off, close tabs that are unrelated to your studies, and (if possible) wear headphones that can block out sound. The more focused you are on your studies, the more you will get out of your online classes.
Supplement Your Classes With Free Resources
Just like traditional classwork, online classwork does the most good when it’s accompanied by additional resources. For example, if you’re taking an online English class, supplement your studies with free language applications like Duolingo. This way, you can fill in any gaps that you may have in your studies.
This will also help you fill your time with productive activities. Online classes only last for so long (generally 1-2 hours). Even if you spend an additional hour or two studying or doing homework outside of class time, this will still leave you with a few hours of free time that could be spent learning. Naturally, you won’t want to push yourself too hard, but adding some light and fun study resources to your schedule is one of the best ways to supplement online classes.
Be Diligent With Time
With online courses, being on time is of the utmost importance. If you’re late for a virtual class, you may miss vital information that will leave you playing catch up. So, taking online classes seriously also means showing up on time.
The same rule should apply to homework and other assignments. Just because you’re teacher isn’t in the same room as you doesn’t mean that deadlines don’t matter. In fact, submitting work on time is even more important in a virtual environment, since some online platforms won’t allow late submissions at all. You don’t want to fail an assignment just because you were a few minutes late!
Take Physical and Virtual Notes
Taking notes is even easier to do in a virtual class, as you can easily record a lecture and take notes directly on your computer or tablet. However, many people don’t like to wade through hours of recorded lectures. Additionally, some people learn best when they physically write things down.
So, you should try to take notes in a notebook AND on your device. You can do this by recording your lessons and transcribing your lessons onto a physical format. This will also help you in the event that your computer crashes or you lose important data due to a computer virus. With a physical copy of your notes, you’ll have nothing to worry about!
Start Taking Online Classes with Tuition Zone
Do you want to find a productive way to pass the time while you’re stuck at home? Have you ever wondered how to develop successful online learning strategies? Do you need a bit of motivation in your studies? Or do you simply need additional help to learn how to get the most out of online classes?
In any case, Tuition Zone has the staff and knowledge to help you study smarter and learn while you have limited access to more traditional educational institutions. You can learn more about our tutoring services here. So, if you or someone you know is in need of a tutor, contact Tuition Zone today!