5 Tips for Studying Online Like You're Really at School

Today I have Barbara Jolie as guest blogger. Please be sure to check out her unique guest post. Guest posts are always welcome, please contact me.

Online courses have their obvious advantages -- accessibility, cost, convenience – but it would be foolish to deny that a certain something is lost when the physical classroom is removed from the equation.

The pedagogical environment at a real college is created by many subtle factors, both deliberate and coincidental. Not all of these can be recreated at home, of course, but it's important to do one's best to try to replicate the atmosphere, and thus the mindset, of a comfortable place which yet fosters a serious devotion to learning.

Working from home in any capacity can be challenging for those without a very well-ingrained sense of self-discipline. In particular, when the goal is to absorb and retain information, the possibility of distraction can be fatal to the whole enterprise. Here are some suggestions to help you foster the type of attitude most conducive to real learning online: 

 1.      Find a place where distractions are minimal.

This should probably be a desk, although some people have good results at the dinner table or kitchen counter. Lying in bed or getting comfortable on a sofa are not recommended – it may sound nice, but I find that maintaining a clear separation between work and relaxation is vital over the long run. Alternatively, you could even go to an actual school (even if not one you're associated with), a library or a coffee shop. Once you've found a set-up that works for you, always work from that same place each day. 

2.      Spend 5 minutes before each lecture scribbling down what you remember from the last one.

This exercise will improve your cumulative ability to recall the material you're learning, and help contextualize the day's new lesson. Remember that a course is a continuum and not just an archipelago of isolated sessions. 

3.      Take notes even if the material is familiar.

For one thing, this helps you to keep yourself alert. If the material itself does not seen new or challenging, you may find yourself getting bored, and that can lead your attention to wander.  Jot down key words and leave space for yourself to fill in the blanks later as review. 

4.      Consider wearing headphones to minimize distraction.
If you're working with an audio or video lecture, this will help you close out the rest of the outside world. If not, listen to whatever music puts you in the flow (preferably something calm and nonverbal, though everyone is different and some people even like to do their calculus while blasting Pantera). 

5.      If you do get distracted, pause the recording and follow your notes back to the last place you remember understanding. Then rewatch.

This is one major advantage of learning online versus in person (the corresponding disadvantage being that generally you can't directly stop the professor to ask for clarification or elaboration), so use it. Make sure nothing passes by you uncomprehended.

With a little show of good faith and a lot of hard work, you can glean as much or more knowledge with an online class as you can at a brick-and-mortar college. Just put these tips to work and see if your results don't improve. Best of luck!

This is a guest post by freelance writer and full time blogger Barbara Jolie. Barbara enjoys sharing her knowledge on accredited online college classes and online education with her blogging community.

You can reach her at her email.

Many thanks to Barbara.
Enjoy your reading!