For the most part, majority of the people who study online do so while holding down full-time/part-time jobs, running a household or managing their own business. Sometimes the word "busy" doesn't begin to sum up all that we have to do. At the same time we want to be able to do well academically and give our studies the required attention. Obviously, studying online alone is a task in itself and I must applaud those who decide to take on such a venture along with doing everything else.
Major Study Tips for Students
Knowing when to study is an important part of studying. If you're exhausted or have had a long day then forget about it. The chances of you retaining that information is next to nil.
Study when you are in the frame of mind to retain information. Otherwise you are simply wasting your time. If you function best in the wee hours of the morning or late at night then set that time aside for studying. Personally, I find that I study better in the day time or in the early hours of the day. This also does not mean you study only when you "feel" like it. You should according to a schedule and this helps you to study even when you don't feel like it.
Find a go-to place to study. Whether you prefer to study in absolute silence or with music playing is entirely up to you. Just make sure that the environment is conducive to your preferred study environment.
Ensure that you gather all of your study material/resources including notes, textbooks, and if you prefer, you should also have access to the internet. Having your study material organized makes this easier.
Drink water. It keeps your brain hydrated and refreshed so that you don't get bored or tired too easily.
Take short breaks every half an hour or every hour for a duration of 3-5 minutes. Watch a funny video, stretch or tackle a puzzle. Also ensure that you have gotten enough rest.
The Busy Online Student Study Guide
Once you have mastered organizing your course work then the next step is making that work for you. Dedicating 15 hours each week to assignments and studying is a stretch when you have a family, a career and possible emergencies. Here's how you can make the most of whatever time you have to study:
1. Your unit objectives tell you exactly what you need to know for that week. Which means every discussion question you answer, every assignment you write or journal/portfolio or group activity is directly related to what you need to know and covers all of the essential information. Study while you answer each one. Take mental notes of the important terms and concepts. Write them down on a printable flash card if you have to.
2. If you have two chapters to read from the recommended textbook plus external articles then you must learn the art of skimming; Run through the information to get the general idea and basic concepts. Personally, I like to skim the recommended readings in 10-15 minutes then head over to Google to search for the exact information that I need. In this way, I have a guide to know what information is required so that I can quickly Google what I need. Since online studying is considered to be self-study, it will serve you well to use external sources and this is always a requirement for assignments anyway. In this way, you have just killed two birds with one stone.
3. If writing helps you to remember the concepts you learn then always have pen and paper handy when doing the various weekly activities. For each week, write or type the week and add 3-4 four points under the headings: discussions, assignments, portfolio/journal. You can have this to look at during your lunch break at work or when you come home from work and need a quick refresher.
4. If writing isn't your thing then record it! Just as you are proof reading your assignments, pick up your phone and start recording yourself. Do the same for your discussions and portfolio/journal activities. You can also record the key points you discover during your readings. The best part is, you can hit play and listen to your notes on your way to work or during breaks, even on the weekend while you cook.
5. Once you have all your major points for week one set aside then you can start to review as you go. Do the same for the upcoming weeks and before you know it, you would have revised the information at least twice by the end of the eight weeks. The beauty of this is that if you don't feel like studying unit one or you have already mastered it then you can grab the recordings or flashcards for week four. Another great thing is that since your notes are so accessible, if you have an extra ten minutes or you're stuck in traffic, you can quickly do more research about a particular point that you need more clarification about.
6. When the exam comes around you will have already learnt at least 90% of the information. This means you will not need to feel stressed about the amount of information that you will need to know since you already know majority of it. You will just need to review and and go over the reading material one unit at a time.
7. Begin studying and seriously reviewing at least one week before the exam. If you have been following the steps then it will be more of a refresher for you. For units with a heavy reading load, make sure you spend a bit of extra time. Now if you put in an hour or two a day for seven days plus reviewing in between other life activities then you are ready to ace that exam.
8. YouTube it. Find the topic you have are studying on Youtube and listen to it while you drive or you're on a lunch break.
9. Sharing is caring. Tell others around you about the topic that you are studying. Have a mini debate if you like. The point is to talk about it and listen to others thoughts and opinions, as well as share your knowledge. This makes it easier for you to share your insight and since these are things you will be doing at work, you are essentially perfecting your skills.
The main thing about studying online and having a career is having your information organized and the quality of the time you put into studying. Sure the information suggested for you to learn is lengthy but you have to focus on what matters most. Prioritize your time and put in quality work over quantity work every time.
Join the 7 Day Challenge: Virtual Learning Made Practical to develop your study habits so that taking exams becomes easier.
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