In the past, the only way for people to learn new skills and subjects was to visit real-world locations and brick-and-mortar buildings for in-person classes, courses, and lectures, but modern technology has changed the world of education enormously, giving birth to the concept of e-learning.
E-learning effectively allows anyone, regardless of their location or life circumstances, to be able to engage with effective educational materials and better themselves with nothing but an internet-connected device by their side. This has proven particularly important in recent times, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing more work and learning to be done digitally and remotely.
With e-learning and online, all-digital courses, it’s so easy to load up lessons in your own time, from the comfort of your own home or while on the move, in order to learn new skills and strengthen one’s knowledge of countless subjects, but adjusting to e-learning can be difficult. Here are some tips to make the most of your online educational experiences.
Make Your Own Study Space
This often comes up as one of the top tips in regard to distant learning, and it’s one that you might have heard before, but it’s worth repeating and reinforcing because it really can make all the difference.
Humans tend to work most effectively when they have clearly defined spaces for individual tasks, and it’s important to identify a study space or zone where you can go to do your e-learning at home.
This will help you separate the learning zone from the rest of your home, and it will also prevent you from getting into bad habits that could interfere with your education like trying to study in bed or failing to stick to a schedule.
Have a Schedule
Following on from the previous point, it’s also very important to have a study schedule and make sure that you stick to it when engaging with distant learning.
Again, this is an important part of human psychology. We tend to work best when we have a routine, and our brains can struggle to keep up if we’re always working and studying at totally different times.
Try to draw up a schedule each week in regard to your e-learning and do your best to stick to it, and have set bedtimes and getting-up times too to keep your body clock in order.
Play to Your Strengths
We all have different ways of learning. Some people are visual learners, for example, and learn best when seeing concepts displayed visually, while others are more auditory learners and learn well by listening.
If you’re aren’t sure which type of learner you are, try to figure this out and then adjust your e-learning strategy in order to appeal to your own personal strengths and ways of learning.
If you’re a visual learner, for example, make use of online resources like videos, infographics, and diagrams to understand tricky concepts, or if you’re an auditory learner, try to find podcasts and recordings that might help you.
Stay Focused
One of the biggest advantages of e-learning is also one of its biggest drawbacks. It’s great for students to be able to work from home, but trying to study at home can also be immensely distracting.
There are so many possible distractions around you, from your TV and home entertainment systems to other people in the house who might make noise or interfere with your studies.
Try to maintain your focus. Instruct other people in the house that you’re studying and don’t wish to be disturbed, and keep distracting items away while you work. Consider investing in some noise-canceling headphones if you really want to stay focused in a space that might get noisy.
Take Breaks and Look After Yourself
Breaks are important. They give your mind and body time to rest from the non-stop study, and they allow you to regain some focus, ready for the next lessons.
Even at schools and colleges, breaks are a key part of the daily routine, so make sure you include them in your own personal study plan too. Don’t simply try to study for hours on end without any kind of pause.
Use the pauses to stand up from your desk and stretch your muscles. Grab a drink and healthy snack to give your body some energy, and take your eyes away from the screen for a while to rest them too.
Final Word
E-learning can offer countless advantages, but you have to have the right approach in order to make the most of it. Follow these tips to get your e-learning strategy off to the best possible start.
