Surely you’ve heard the benefits of distance education: you can train you at your own schedule, from anywhere, and with affordable prices. However, something most well known and that many use as an excuse for not taking classes online, is the high level of discipline they require, as the responsibility and commitment to follow-up lies much more in the student.
When you are taking classes, you have to bathe and change, hop in a car or train, and physically attend training. This makes that you required less discipline because since you are in the classroom, not many are other options rather than pay attention and take your course. (Yet many do not take advantage)
As opposed to having to get ready, transport yourself, and let your teacher see your face in a classroom, the online courses allow you to skip this process and facilitate you to take your classes with the clothes you want, and not necessarily look like the face. That said, it is often psychologically difficult and requires high self-discipline stand up out of bed, leave the TV, and put in an attitude of study.
5 techniques to succeed in an online course:
The Online Education is much better and more versatile than classroom education. But as we have explained, nothing is perfect and this comes with its disadvantages.
Success in an online course depend on how well you handle the disadvantages (instead of using them as an excuse), to exploit its advantages. Use the following techniques to accomplish this:
1. Fixed schedule:
The best way to keep your train of study in an online course is emulating the typical classes. Flextime of distance education means you can select the time that suits you, but not recommended that always varies. The brain needs consistency.
For this, choose the time that suits you and stick to it every day. Can you study 10 pm-11pm Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? Because it separates those hours, put them in your schedule and always studied at that time. Declares this time your study time.
2. Restricted Area:
Emulates this classroom or classroom where you would take your instructor. Be a desk in your room or home, or a conference room at work, or the corner coffee shop, tries to maintain a level of uniformity and consistency with the place you choose to take your online courses.
Just like the schedule, the fact that you can study from anywhere is good, but not to be where you want to study in suddenly, but for you to select the most convenient and you become attached to it. Avoid the bed, the room, or TV room. Preferably cafes, libraries or study room.
3. Proper clothing and Attitude:
Many people liked the idea of sitting in question with any clothes you have, say, “who cares, nobody is watching me”. This has a psychological effect.
Dress for work or to go out, although we did not really go for it, we prepared mentally and puts us in the right attitude. If you go to take your online course in your living room every Tuesday at 8pm, take a bath and change comfortably before, do a routine.
Related: What is the best way to get a good performance in an online course?
4. Avoid distractions:
Television, social networking, cell phone, home phone, children, the neighbor … In short, devote yourself proactively to disable and minimize distractions.
When you get to a classroom course and lock yourself in a classroom, the teacher asked to turn off cell, he has your attention, everyone speaks the same subject, and no one can enter the classroom abruptly after the class has started. It’s your job to emulate this.
Talk to your family and friends, asked to respect and help you, turn off your cell or leave it in another area of the house, closed all social networks, and focus only on your course.
5. Prevents hunger and thirst:
Don’t sit down to study your Online Course near the time of lunch or dinner. Unconsciously you are thinking about eating and want to stand as quickly as possible.
It is always a good idea to sit down to study something in the stomach with a glass of water nearby so that thirst is not an excuse.
Relevant: Flipped Classroom Pros and Cons
End Note
However, succeed in online education need discipline and consistency, and the best way is to emulate the components of a traditional classroom course. No need to always use the flexibility of time and place that give Online Courses.
Use these advantages only when necessary, and keep some record of routine and schedule, place, dress and attitude. This will keep your mind in the right tune to raise motivation and able to complete your course successfully.
