Organize Like a Boss When Studying Online

Everyone will tell you to create a study timetable over and over again but does that really help you to study better or stay on top of your courses? Organizing your time effectively is an important part of scheduling when you are an online student. Not only is it important to put in the right amount of time but you should also ensure that there is an easy flow to how you organize your work. Since most of what you do is intangible or in soft copy format, you should make sure that there is clarity and cohesion in how you organize.

The Basics of Course Organization

Before we get to the study time table, let's focus on organizing our assignments, discussion, and journal/portfolio activities.

1. Start by creating a folding with the name of your course(s). Example BUS5112 or Organizational Behavior

2. Create a Microsoft Word document called "Discussions" or "BUS5112 Discussions." This will be where you copy and paste your discussion question for week one (1) and type your answer. You can simply copy and paste what you type onto the discussion forum when you are ready. For week two (2) and the upcoming weeks, copy and paste your discussion question in that same document and type your answer below. This makes keeping track of your information easier, especially when you have to study.

3. Create a Microsoft Word document for every weekly assignment and save them in the folder that you created. This way you avoid the mistake of uploading the wrong assignment as I have seen happen a few times when doing peer assessments. It also helps you to keep track of what you are learning.

4. The next Microsoft Word document should be labeled "portfolio/journal" and should correspond with week of the portfolio or journal entry you are working on at the time. Example Portfolio 1/ Journal 1.

5. If your textbook can be downloaded for that specific course, you should download it and save it in that particular folder.

6. If you're doing more than one courses at a time, simply create another folder and follow the steps above.

While there is no one size fits all way of organizing your schedule as an online student, you can definitely tweak some of these suggestions to suit your own needs and preferences.

Organization is a key part of studying online

Weekly Course Work Scheduling Tips

Since each unit has a one week duration and the assignments and discussions are time sensitive, it is best to:

• Assess your peer assignments from the previous week, while the knowledge of the previous assignment is still fresh in your mind.

• Read through your unit/course objectives and ensure that you understand each one.

• Start your reading assignments.

• Answer your discussion questions as early as possible. Preferably within the first three days of it being posted to the discussion forum. Start commenting and engaging right after.

• Start working on your weekly assignment and ensure that you give yourself enough time to do proper research. Leave yourself a day to just look over and correct any mistakes then upload. So by day 5 your assignment should be written then polished the following day.

• Begin your portfolio or journal activity when you feel best. This can be before your assignment but usually you have an extra day so you might want to start around day 4 or 5.

You can easily switch up any of these steps to suit your level of comfort, especially where the written assignment and portfolio activities are concerned. Life happens and everyone knows that. Just ensure that you complete each assignment before the deadline

Effective time management and knowing your priorities enhances your study process

How Much Time is Enough Time When Studying Online?

This can be difficult to say as everyone grasps concepts differently and therefore requires varying amounts of time. If you are a quick learner or have previous knowledge about the course, you might not need a whole 15-17 hours of weekly studying and time dedicated to one course. If you are unfamiliar with the unit or know that you need to put in extra time then 15 hours might not be enough for you. The important thing is that you have to go at your own pace.

If the upcoming week has a tonne of reading and an extra assignment then naturally you cannot dedicate the same amount of time that you did the last time when you only had two. Look at how much work you will need to get done and how you will balance that along with everything else that's going on in your life. If you will be busy all weekend then get a head start on your work a few days before.

Sometimes it's a matter of priorities. Do you want an "A" or a "B"? A "B" or a "C"? Make sure you figure out what grade you would like to achieve at the end of the course. I know that everyone wants an "A" but is the work that you're putting in "A" quality?

Know what works for you. Do you study best late at nights or early in the mornings? Don't waste your time studying when your brain is not focused or you're just not into it. Study to retain knowledge, not to waste time. Are you hungry? Are you itching to reply to that one text? It's always best to take care of those distractions before you even begin studying. Do you feel the need to highlight or circle or occasionally fan yourself? Well, go ahead and print your notes or study materials.

Studying online and being an online student can be made easy if done the right way. Just organize your time well and understand what you want to accomplish at the end.

Join the 7 Day Challenge: Virtual Learning Made Practical to develop your study habits so that taking exams becomes easier.

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