10 TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN ONLINE CLASSES

It goes without saying that many students may have anxiety about their academic progress if their classroom suddenly switches to online instruction.

The move to online learning has its difficulties, but the USF Instructional Technology faculty members James Hatten, PhD, and Sanghoon Park, PhD, have provided some advice to assist you get through it. 

Set Yourself Up for Success from the Beginning

1. Have Compassion for Others

Keep in mind that others all across the world are currently experiencing many of the same things as you are. Be understanding to people who may not know how to set up a video chat or who may need more time to get used to this "new normal."

2. Problem-Solve on Your Own

It's crucial to keep in mind that the majority of questions may be resolved when you carefully read the instructions and thoroughly review each module as you get used to working online. Although instructors are willing to answer your queries, it might be more effective to first try to solve the problem yourself by conducting a Google search rather than sending many emails throughout the day for each issue you're experiencing.

3. Focus on Your Self-Care

If you need to take a break from your computer for a few hours or take a day off to sleep in, that is entirely normal. It's important to take some time to rest, and you shouldn't feel guilty about it.

4. Imagine yourself on a path toward mastering the subject  

When you speak aloud about your objectives, you are engaging in this type of discourse. Usually, the dialogue with yourself starts with the question: What will I accomplish by finishing this assignment? 

Dr. Park provides an illustration of how the answer to this question might lead to a chain of events that begins with the credit you receive for the assignment, continues with the grade you receive for the course, and culminates with getting the ideal job you'll have once you graduate. 

"Thinking like this is what leads you to say: This is not something I must do, this is something I need to do to achieve my goals," adds Dr. Park.

5. Make the work you're doing online more personally significant

When you don't feel connected to the assignment or task being offered, you could lack motivation. Dr. Park advises students who experience this emotion to consider how the project could be able to assist them in the future. 

Dr. Park advised, "You have to find a way to connect the task to what you are already interested in." If you are a graduate student, you might wish to think about using those finished tasks or assignments for the conference presentations.

6. Try to increase your interest in the work

You might occasionally review a work or assignment that appears very tedious. Consider how you may make the assignment or work engaging rather than putting it off as the days pass. By employing this technique, you can creatively alter the work you'll submit. 

7. Use the ‘chunking’ strategy to section out tasks

The concept of "chunking" describes the process of breaking down a huge task or body of knowledge into smaller, more manageable pieces. Dr. Hatten advises students to "chunk" their time by adhering to a set routine rather than looking at a computer screen for three hours at a time.

Dr. Hatten advises, "Work on one class, figure out a task, and then treat yourself at the end." In other words, get up, get some coffee, eat a snack, go for a run, or just take a half-hour break. Then return and complete the following section. 

Discover Ways to Remain Motivated

Even if there are many actions you can take to establish a routine and sustain productivity, occasionally a lack of desire may set in, making it challenging for you to complete the task at hand. Dr. Park describes the precise reasons why students might encounter this in her research on creating motivational interventions for online learners. 

Online classes essentially entail learning in isolation from others, he claims. "Many motivational problems are caused by the feeling that you are isolated from your peers and even your instructors—that physical and emotional distance." 

Dr. Park advises people to first notice when they are not motivated and then figure out why. Here are a few tactics he suggests students employ.

8. Seek virtual interactions with your peers

It is obviously impossible to study with a group of classmates in the library or just get immediate clarifications from classmates during this time. However, you are able to keep that sense of collaboration and community by creating virtual connections using tools like GroupMe or Microsoft Teams. 

9. Set a schedule for completing and reviewing assignments

Working on three courses at the same time can cause for an individual to experience a high level of stress, but this can be avoided if you allocate specific times to work on each class. One example Dr. Hatten shared is working on one class between the hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This schedule allows students to create a type of structure often seen with traditional, in-person classes.

“My belief is that most people end up either procrastinating or getting too involved that they won’t shut (their computers) off,” Dr. Hatten says. “So have a set time of some sort.”

Along with the time you set aside to complete assignments, it’s also suggested to have a set time to look over the tasks for every one of your classes so that you can set up an agenda for each week. In doing this, you won’t mistakenly forget to turn something in.

10. Establish a productive learning environment

If you want to be productive, working on assignments while slouching and watching Netflix is not a good idea. Dr. Hatten, an expert in online teaching and learning, advises students to pick a place in their homes free of frequent distractions.

"The couch is probably not the best place to be at," asserts Dr. Hatten. "Get up, and go to the room you can designate as your office."