Being in charge of your own learning also means that there is no one there to keep you accountable except for yourself. Here are a few tips that hopefully will help you to stay on the productive path and make the most out of your elearning experience.
Remove online distractions
Your device is right in front of you, so it is easy to just stop for a while and hop on over to Twitter or Instagram. A short break can turn to a long one, and suddenly you realise you haven’t done any studying for the past few hours. There are apps available that can help avoid distractions, from ones that gently remind you of your task to those that will completely block you from going on certain websites for a set time period. It is up to you how strict you want to be.
Study in a comfortable environment
An uncomfortable, physical environment can also have an impact on your performance, so it is important to also consider the aspects beyond the screen. Is the sun glaring off your screen, or, is your room too dark and your eyes straining? Make sure you have sufficient lighting as eye strain is one of the common issues mentioned with elearning. Don’t study in a cafe if you find it’s too loud for you to concentrate. Be aware of things around you that distract you, and remove it, or yourself, from that environment.
Pace yourself
It is tempting to zoom through the learning material so that you can finish faster and have more time to do other things, but that’s not the best way to learn, especially since it has been shown that people forget most of what they learn after just a day. Instead, taking in a little at a time will give you space to think over the concepts in your mind, and make it easier for the information to enter your long-term memory.
Create a schedule
One of the advantages of elearning is that it can be done anytime, anywhere. However, playing loose with your learning can also result in you procrastinating with ‘I can do it later’ – which may never come. Setting aside a certain time for your elearning will help you keep yourself on track. And it can still be at a time or place convenient to you.