10 Tips for Online Learning

Use Microsoft Word shortcuts

Learning a few keyboard shortcuts can help you finish assignments faster. Ctrl+F lets you find a word or phrase in a long document instead of scrolling through pages to find it, and Ctrl+Z undoes a formatting slip so you’re not stuck fixing it by hand. Check out Microsoft’s website for a helpful list of shortcuts.

Find Your Study Spot

Having one dedicated spot for studying can make a real difference, even if it’s just a corner of a table or a specific chair. It doesn’t need to be a whole room or a fancy setup. What matters is that it’s consistent, so your brain starts to associate that spot with focus instead of everything else going on in the house. If you can, keep it a little separate from where you relax or unwind, so switching into study mode feels like an actual switch, not just picking up your laptop wherever you happen to be sitting.

Be active

Light exercise helps your brain’s recall and long-term memory. If the word “exercise” turns you away, an exercise can also be a social activity. It doesn’t have to be a run, walk, or trip to the gym. Even a short stretch or a lap around the room between study sessions can help you refocus before diving back into your online classes. A study out of McMaster University found that students who took short exercise breaks during a lecture paid closer attention and remembered more of the material, even two days later.

Use Google and Google Scholar effectively

You can find textbooks by typing in “the name of your textbook + filetype:pdf”. You can find in-depth knowledge by typing in “the subject matter + filetype:ppt”. You can use Google Scholar to find peer-reviewed journals. You can check out our blog on Google for more tips on using the search engine!

Block digital distractions

There are plenty of applications and programs out there that you can use to block certain websites and notifications to help you focus and get to work. Many of the options we found were paid. LeechBlock NG was a free desktop option. The downside is that it’s a browser extension, not an app, so you can get around it by using a different browser. The best virtual assistant apps and programs page covers another tool list. We found the app, Forest, to be helpful with both paid and free options.

Sync your online calendars

That means Google, Outlook, etc. This is so you don’t miss a due date or event by looking at the wrong calendar. Syncing across your phone, laptop, and tablet means you’ll see the reminder wherever you happen to check first. Setting a reminder a day or two ahead of a due date gives you an extra nudge, instead of relying on catching it the moment you happen to look at your calendar.

Download the hypothesis extension for Chrome

This extension is used to highlight and annotate anything you’re reading. Take your notes faster! Once it’s installed, you can highlight a passage right on the page and jot down a quick note beside it, so your thoughts stay attached to the exact spot you were reading instead of getting lost in a separate document.

Get a wifi extender

If you find yourself working in different parts of your house and find your signal doesn’t reach certain areas, having a wifi extender is a lifesaver. It’s an easy fix for the kind of connection hiccups that can drop you out of a live class or freeze a video right when your professor is explaining something important.

Wear headphones

Wearing headphones will help drown out any excessive noise and allow you to focus on the things you need to. If there are other people around you, it will also help them from being distracted. Noise-cancelling headphones make the biggest difference if you’re in a busy household or a shared space, but even a basic pair can help you settle into a video lecture without every little sound pulling your attention away.

Eat before your classes

Eating before your classes or before you begin studying is incredibly important, and though it may seem obvious, you cannot forget about your physical well-being. This will also help your focus levels, so you don’t end up starving sooner or later and end up even more distracted.

What did you like about our ten tips for online learning? Did you find any of our suggestions helpful? Do you have any to add to our list?

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