The coronavirus has made tremendous changes in the daily life of the average person. If earlier you could not imagine life without a familiar office at the university or your favorite computer at work, now it all sounds outdated and strange. Modern education has also changed, now it does not matter how old you are, where you are, and what wealth you have, new knowledge is open to everyone.
However, with all these innovations came new problems. People have become more passive, they have less energy and problems with concentration. Agree, you probably thought about trying to learn something new on one of the thousands of Internet resources, but your hands still did not reach you. Let’s figure out together how to overcome yourself and start learning many times more effectively. This article has collected 7 tips for effective online learning.
#1 Set Goals:
The main mistake of all people who are trying to learn something new is the lack of a clear goal. Agree, when you go to university or attend advanced training courses, you plan all your actions and also see a specific result. The same approach should be used in online learning. Ask yourself what you expect from the new course and how the knowledge gained will help you in life. This approach, as well as rewards for each goal achieved, will help you stay motivated for a long time.
#2 Plan Your Time:
When you attended live courses, the problem of schedule did not arise, because all the work was done for you. Now you must take this responsibility upon yourself. Regardless of whether you study at school and have a lot of free time or work and are busy all the time, this is a mandatory rule. Treat this activity like a living course and don’t be afraid to open your calendar. Gaining new knowledge and improving yourself should not be postponed.
#3 Use Relevant Third-Party Resources:
There’s an abundance of learning platforms offering study material for various purposes and in various fields.
Platforms for University Students
One of the most popular learning platforms used by university students is Coursera. You can enroll in classes of top universities and even receive a certification of finishing those classes. Basically, Coursera provides access to the world’s best educational materials to anyone regardless of the location and background.
Another decent study resource for university students is Studocu. The platform features numerous online courses, over 80,000 books on various topics, and over 500,000 exams of questions to test your knowledge.
Platforms for Professionals Willing to Learn New Skills
In case you are interested in boosting your professional skills, consider using LinkedIn Learning. The platform offers many courses that help to stay up to date with the latest industry trends or explore new professions.
Skillshare offers high-quality courses on such creative topics as design, photography, freelancing, and more. The platform is popular among people willing to switch to a more creative career and among those who want to discover their talents.
#4 Create a Comfortable Workplace:
Of course, it is much more convenient to read books while lying in bed, but there will be less benefit from this. Take some of your time to find a place in your home where you can study in peace. This is a great psychological trick to tell your brain that it’s time to work. You will become much more energetic and productive, and learning will begin to be a real pleasure.
You can also experiment and try learning outside the home, such as at a nearby café or friend’s house. The location does not matter, the main thing is that you feel comfortable and at the same time organized.
Of course, before choosing a place, you should pay attention to such things:
- Stable internet connection
- Lack of a large number of distractors including noise.
- The ability to charge your device as well as a place to use books and other materials.
#5 Tell Everyone About Your Progress:
Of course, bragging is not good, but in modern realities, only in this way can you create the illusion of control that will make you work better. Try to tell your relatives or friends about the fact that you have started a new course and constantly share with them the new knowledge gained there. This is not only a good way to talk with loved ones more often, but also an opportunity to get support and motivation from the outside.
#6 Participate in Discussions:
Most online learning platforms allow you to discuss discussion questions with other participants. And this is a great way to keep yourself in good shape and get more profit from the courses: you can hear the opinion of another person, ask for advice, or even find like-minded people. Coursera provides interesting statistics that people who participate in discussions are 37% more likely to reach the end of the course.
#7 Don’t Forget to Rest:
Learning online is as exhausting as a day at university or work. Therefore, take care of your nerve cells and your body, take lunch breaks, exercise more often, be outside, or just take a warm shower. Whatever it is, if some activity helps you regain your strength and rush into battle again, use it.
Conclusion:
The modern world lives in completely different conditions than two years ago. But this is not a reason to get upset and feel sorry for yourself, this is just an opportunity to become better and do something for which there was not enough time before. With access to online training, you can discover any profession and any field of knowledge, you just need to be able to approach this business correctly.
