How To Get Ready For Online Learning
Students across the UK need to get used to the prospect of online learning. We’ve seen a huge shift to Zoom lectures and online seminars over the last year, for obvious reasons. As the world tries to return to normal, many universities are continuing with the online learning approach. It’s simply the safest and most convenient way to ensure you continue studying.
Sadly, this makes life harder for students. You don’t get the best learning experience when everything is online, making it harder for you to study. Well, here’s some advice that can help you get ready for online learning, ensuring you get the most out of it:
Improve your internet connection
Make sure you have a good internet connection to avoid stuttering Zoom meetings and lectures. There’s nothing worse than tuning in for a 9am lecture, only to see the screen frozen for half the time. If you can, try to get a wired connection instead of a wireless one – it’s more stable and faster. You can also improve the speed by closing all your other tabs and windows. Some of you will hate this idea, but having too many open tabs will slow your connection and cause videos to buffer.
Record your screen
Download some screen recording software to record your screen during lectures or seminars. This is the online equivalent of bringing a dictaphone to record lectures. Effectively, it ensures that you have a copy of the lecture/seminar to go back over when making notes. This can be so useful for revision purposes as you often miss important things during the live broadcast. Some universities record the lectures for you, but do it yourself just to be sure.
Get some computer vision glasses
Computer vision is a problem caused by staring at a screen for too many hours. Obviously, online learning requires you to do just that. You stare at the course content via a screen, and all of your work is done on a computer as well. Find a website that sells computer vision glasses and wear them while you study. It will decrease the strain on your eyes, improving focus and allowing you to work harder for longer. These glasses are especially helpful when you’re up late cramming!
Get into a proper routine
It’s so tempting to roll out of bed at 08:58 to attend a 9am Zoom lecture! Instead, get into the habit of following a proper routine. Act like you actually have to leave the house and go to uni. Okay, you might not need to do your makeup or spend ages choosing an outfit, but you can still wake up, make breakfast, and get in the zone. Create a study schedule to do any online modules as well – don’t leave everything to the last possible moment!
Online learning can be challenging if you approach it in the wrong way. Hopefully, these tips will make it easier to deal with virtual learning in the coming months. Don’t expect things to return to normal soon, especially if your course is mainly theory-based and consists of lectures and seminars. There’s no need for the university to risk bringing hundreds of people back into the same lecture theatre, so they’ll keep things online until further notice.
