What’s the key to online learning?
According to Master of Teaching (Secondary) student Jarett Boorn, it’s all about engagement.
The Bendigo-based student started the online course last year after completing a Bachelor of Science.
He says moving from face-to-face classes to learning online took some adjustment.
“You are working at your own pace more than you are face-to-face,” he says.
“The other main difference is that most interaction between students is on a forum, not in a conversation after class.”
But that doesn’t mean you’re going it alone, he says. In fact, it’s more important than ever that you make an effort to connect with your classmates and your teachers.
“You can feel a little isolated if you only watch lecture recordings and tutorial recordings and don’t participate,” Jarett says.
“If you participate you feel connected with your classmates and lecturer/tutor.
“You can use the lecture, tutorials and forums to communicate – you never know when someone else may have that exact same question.”
Over Jarett’s year-and-a-bit studying Teaching online, he’s naturally discovered how he learns best when studying remotely.
For example, he chooses to study in his bedroom where he has space to spread out notes and textbooks.
That space should be free of phones (unless that’s the device you’re using to study or attend a class) and free of pets (cute, but distracting), he says.
You’ll probably have already seen advice telling you to write a study schedule, breaking up your day and week into different subjects or different types of work.
Jarett says that’s because it’s important to share your time and energy across all subjects, so you don’t fall behind.
“Set aside time for assignments too,” he says. Another good tip.
“It may be a little strange at first, but you will get used to it,” Jarett says reassuringly.
“Remember there are university support services available and your lecturers and tutors are there to help you!”
The skills used by online students are valued by employers too, Jarett points out. Among the things he says he’ll take from online study into his workplace are: “independent motivation and work ethic, making sure that I am staying up to date and not doing other things at home, and learning new programs such as Zoom.”