You’re looking to launch a new career, or maybe improve your prospects in the one you have … and you’ve decided that online training is the way to go?
The good news is you’ve chosen a convenient and cost-effective way to extend your knowledge, experience and qualifications. And the even better news ..? Familiarise yourself with the hints and headaches of studying an online course and you’ll be set for success!
Hints for success
You’re studying because you want to achieve success, just like our many students who’ve benefited from our
online courses. From their experiences, we can offer plenty of hints to help set you up for taking full advantage of your online studies:
- Create a dedicated space for studying
Not everyone has a study and not everybody needs one, but having a dedicated space will help you literally ‘into the zone’ when it comes to studying. Having a room you can shut yourself away in is ideal, but If space doesn’t allow (or you live in a chaotic household) this could mean creating a study corner in your bedroom or decamping to the local library.
- Work in the way that suits you
Once you’ve created your space for study, set it up so that:
- It’s responsive to what you need: e.g. download required software; log-in to study group forums and virtual classrooms; copy online session dates into your calendar and organiser; put the tutors’ emails into your contacts list; if your hardware or connectivity is problematic, get it sorted – basically do all of those things that will be a pain to have to stop and do once you’re in the middle of studying. Oh, and do check the routines for submitting coursework right at the start – don’t wait until five minutes before the deadline for the first submission!
- It’s responsive to the way you learn: so if you learn best with a bit of music in the background, organise your playlist (i.e. lots of YouTube videos of music for studying – save the Thrash Metal for another time); if you’re a visual learner, have post-its ready and video links saved where you can easily access them; if you’re a morning person, schedule your studies for then.
- Create a studying schedule
It’s not enough to create a physical zone for online studies, a crucial part of success with online courses is discipline to actually do the work. So, designating time for study is essential for ensuring you’ll actually do it …
- Ideally, your studies should become part of your daily routine. Even if you can’t physically sit down to do the online work each day, incorporating some element, such as course reading or audio whilst on your commute could be possible, so think creatively about fitting in different types of study tasks into your routine.
- As a starting point look at the course schedule (sessions, assignment deadlines etc) alongside your existing commitments and create dedicated slots for study. For example, if there’s an assignment to be completed between each session /module, build in the time to complete this.
- Do also plan ahead and try to stay on schedule. Build in at least one flexible study session a week which isn’t allocated to the actual content, but can be used for catching up or getting ahead as needed. There are plenty of free timetable and schedule apps out there to help support you with this.
- Set yourself achievable goals
Setting goals to help steer your personal achievements is a good idea, so think of setting a few which fit with the overall purpose of the study, like these examples:
- Long-term: Successfully complete my Event Management Online Diploma by MM/YYYY.
- Mid-term: Identify and follow up with 3 volunteering opportunities/contacts by DD/MM/YYY.
- Short-term: this one’s likely to be a weekly/2-weekly goal depending on your modules, e.g. complete reading for assignment 1; draft assignment by end of Sunday.
- Take it all in
You might be the kind of person who studies best by diving straight in there, but simply looking at the bigger picture first (all those modules, how they run, how the content of each one will help inform the next) can make you more productive in the long-term as you can see what’s needed and when. It can also help you to plan your schedule and your study goals.
Even if you’re excited to get started with the details, do familiarise yourself with the overall picture of your course first!
- Make the most of the opportunity
Another advantage of looking carefully at the course as a whole is that you’ll spot all of the resources available and can start making use of them straightaway: from engaging with online forums, social media groups and induction Q&As to asking lecturers extra questions as your study progresses, take the chance to advance!
- Expect to work hard
Although it offers amazing convenience, online study is not ‘the easy option’. In fact, many online courses run with quite intense schedules, tight deadlines and high expectations, so you should expect to work as hard, if not harder than you might if you’d been attending in-class education options.
Headaches to avoid
As you’d expect with any form of studying or professional training, there are a few headaches which, if you can avoid them, will put you in a better physical and psychological position to really take advantage of what online study offers you…
- Don’t get behind – online study offers complete flexibility with your life – but you have to make every effort to stick to your study schedule. Then, when the unforeseen happens – because the unforeseen will always happen – don’t just roll with the punches and think “I’ll get back to it later”, but make that “later” a firm date in your diary by revising your schedule and catching up with the course. Seriously, nothing disadvantages your progress and squashes your motivation mojo like getting so far behind you don’t feel you can get going again!
- Don’t be alone – one of the few drawbacks to online study is that, compared to a physical classroom, it can be very isolating – but only if you let it! So, take advantage of every interactive aspect of your course – forums, email, messaging networks and digital discussions, to stay involved with your contemporaries and course tutors.
Interacting with your tutors and peers is vital to maximise the learning opportunities offered by your online course. If you don’t know where to start, just jump into a forum by sharing a useful link or recommending a resource or book that’s been helpful to you.
- Don’t get overwhelmed – yes, dedication to your studies is admirable, but so is keeping it balanced with those other things in life, such as fresh air and exercise. Online study necessarily involves working with screens and digital content, so maintain the advantage of this convenience by remembering to take screen breaks and get your body moving with some fresh air. And don’t forget to schedule yourself some rewards and downtime when you achieve those on-going study goals!
Ultimately, your
online course should offer you a rewarding experience, at both personal and professional levels, so take time to find your right course online and use our tips to help you take full advantage of everything it has to offer!
