It's no secret that an abrupt move to online education can make students feel anxious about their academic performance.
Learning from home has its obstacles, but USF Instructional Technology faculty members James Hatten, PhD, and Sanghoon Park, PhD, have provided some advice and tactics to assist you successfully negotiate the shift to online learning.
Create a conducive learning atmosphere.
If you want to be productive, working on projects from a slouched position while watching Netflix is not a good idea. Dr. Hatten, an expert in online teaching and learning, advises students to pick a room in their house that is free of frequent distractions.
According to Dr. Hatten, “the sofa is probably not the healthiest place to be.” “Get up and find a space in your house where you may set up shop.”
Make a plan for finishing and evaluating assignments.
Working on three courses at once might generate a lot of stress, but this may be avoided if you set out particular periods to focus on each one. Dr. Hatten gave the example of working on one lesson between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. till 3 p.m. This plan enables students to establish a framework similar to that observed in traditional, face-to-face classes.
Dr. Hatten believes that most individuals end up delaying or becoming too absorbed in their work to turn off their laptops. “So make some type of schedule.”
Along with the time you set aside to accomplish projects, you should also set aside time to review the responsibilities for each of your classes so that you can plan out your week. You won't forget to turn something in if you do it this way.
Seek for opportunities to engage with your peers over the internet.
It is plainly impossible to study with a group of peers in the library or receive on-the-spot clarifications from classmates at this period. Creating virtual connections through platforms like GroupMe or Microsoft Teams, on the other hand, is a viable option for maintaining that sense of cooperation and community.
To divide work, use the ‘chunking' method.
The term "chunking" refers to breaking down a major work or a huge quantity of data into smaller chunks. Dr. Hatten recommends that students “chunk” their time by following a set pattern rather than looking at a computer screen for three hours at a time.
Dr. Hatten advises, “Work on one class, figure out a goal, and then reward yourself at the end.” “So, get up, grab some coffee, have a food, go for a run, or just go away for a half hour,” she says. Then go back and finish the following section.”
Make a plan to stay motivated.
While there are several measures you can take to establish a routine and sustain productivity, you may occasionally experience a lack of desire, making it difficult to complete the work at hand. Dr. Park, whose research focuses on generating motivating interventions for online learners, explains why this may happen.
“Essentially, online classes mean that you are studying independently of others,” he explains. “The sensation of being cut off from your friends and even your instructors—that physical and mental separation—causes a lot of motivating problems.”
Dr. Park advises people to first notice when they are lacking in drive and then figure out why. He recommends the following tactics to pupils.
Attempt to pique your attention in the work.
You may find yourself going over an assignment or work that appears to be tiresome. Instead of putting it off as the days pass, consider how you may make the project or work more interesting. Using this method requires you to use your creativity to make inventive changes to the work you'll submit.
Make the work you're doing on the internet more personal.
When you don't feel connected to an assignment or work, you may sense a lack of motivation. Dr. Park advises students who are experiencing this emotion to consider how that task can be valuable to them in the future.
Dr. Park said, "You have to find a method to tie the work to what you're already interested in." “If you're a graduate student, you might want to think about incorporating those completed assignments or activities as part of your conference presentations.”
Assume you're on your way to mastering the topic.
When you think aloud about the goals you want to achieve, you are engaging in this type of conversation. Usually, the debate with yourself starts with: What would I gain by doing this assignment?
Dr. Park gives an example of how answering this question might result in a continuous reaction that begins with the credit you receive for the assignment, continues with the grade you receive for completing the course, and eventually ends with you finding your dream job after graduation.
“Thinking like way encourages you to say: This isn't something I have to do; it's something I need to do to attain my goals,” Dr. Park explains.
Solve the Issue on Your Own
As you become used to working online, keep in mind that most questions can be solved if you read the directions attentively and thoroughly go over each lesson.
Concentrate on your own well-being.
It's entirely normal if you need to take a break from your computer for a few hours or take a day off. It is vital to take time to heal, and you should not feel guilty about it.