4 Ways Remote Learning Can be Improved During Covid-19
The pandemic has made it necessary for millions of students to learn remotely, rather than sharing the same space with others for the purposes of education and training. Remote learning is not without its challenges, and if you are finding your own studies are not going as smoothly as you would like, the following tips should let you improve your experience significantly.
Optimize your environment
Most people need to concentrate their attention on the class they are attending, the article they are reading or the essay they are writing if they want to do their best. However, if the environment around you is full of distractions, this may be tricky or impossible to achieve.
If possible, aim to work in a space that is entirely your own, and also equipped with all you need to fulfill your day to day responsibilities. Simple things like getting dressed and working at a table rather than with your laptop perched on your legs as you lounge in bed can also put your mind in ‘work mode’, helping you to take the learning seriously rather than allowing your mind to wander.
Use the right software tools
Being able to learn, communicate and collaborate effectively in the Covid-19 era means having a suitable selection of software tools and technology at your disposal.
For example, you may need to convert PDF files to Word docs and vice versa, in which case a service like PDF Simpli will be a real boon.
Likewise cloud-powered solutions like Google Docs are better suited to generating and sharing files, folders and media remotely, rather than relying on locally installed programs which then require you to send the files you create as email attachments. Other options of automated remote learning include digital forms that allow students track and report their participation and progress in online classes.
Stick to a schedule
The pandemic lifestyle can be grating, as an inability to travel and see people in person will make days blur together and create problems when it comes to distinguishing between your free time and your hours dedicated to learning.
This is exacerbated even further if your particular course or area of study does not have a lot of contact time with educators and classmates, which is why setting a schedule and sticking to it will pay dividends in terms of your engagement. Because you cannot create a balance between the two main parts of your day by leaving the house to go elsewhere, you will need to compartmentalize this mentally, and a comprehensive schedule will give you the framework on which to base this.
Stay in touch
Feelings of isolation can grow if you are learning remotely, so one of the most vital ways to improve your experience is to ensure that you communicate frequently with fellow students as well as the educators responsible for running your course.
This not only means making a proactive decision to contribute during online classes, but also to use other digital platforms such as instant messaging, email and social media to make sure that you feel part of something bigger throughout this strange time.
