From classroom to home, how to enhance your online learning

April 2020

If you ask anyone who is studying online, they’ll tell you that in order to elevate your online experience, you’ll need flexible time management skills and self-discipline.

For those who find this challenging, here are some top tips and great features to assist you in a smooth transition to online education.

Check your institute email and notifications

It’s important to check your institute’s emails and notifications regularly, to ensure that you’re aware of the latest course updates, events and administration activities taking place. Emails are the easiest way to communicate with others, and nowadays, its simple to pair any device with your institutes inbox to stay up to date.

The notifications feature on your Didasko platform informs you of trainer feedback and platform messages. Linking your Didasko email with a mobile device, ensures that you never miss out on the latest news, comments and helpful tips from your trainer. Another handy feature on Didasko Online is your platform noticeboard. Any key dates and course information can be listed here, enhancing your online student experience.

Plan your schedule

Planning is a great way to help you reinvigorate your motivation to study online. The best way to do this is to utilise an effective calendar system and create a study plan.

At the beginning of each week make a to-do list of everything you need to accomplish for the days ahead. Allocate time to each task and try to stick to this schedule. Not only will this implement self-discipline in your work, it will also allow you to prioritise your tasks in order of importance, an excellent skill to have when studying online.

Incorporating a consistent calendar into your learning habits is a great way to reduce anxiety within your studies, whilst improving your time management and organisational skills. I like to colour code my calendar, categorising my tasks into topics such as Important, to-do, follow-up, due dates etc.

Didasko Online houses a calendar system, allowing you to plan for the week and months ahead. Using this feature, you can add and access any key dates, assignments and subject details easily, preventing last minute accumulation of work.

Mix up your learning style

There are so many ways to mix up your learning, instead of being glued to your notes all day. In order to do this, you need to be willing to try out different study methods. Personally, I’ve found diagrams quite helpful. I usually prefer to draw up mind maps, linking all my key information together. This allows me to condense heavy workload and I can revisit the content daily by placing my diagrams in my study space.

Didasko online’ multimedia incorporates videos, text, animation and audio, catering for a mixed learning experience. If you find yourself needing some fresh air, why not plug in your earphones and listen to your digital content audio during a walk?

If you prefer to type out notes, pair your Didasko LMS with apps like ‘Flashcards’. You can do so by picking out key information in your digital content and uploading that into the app. Flashcards allows you to study on the go and customise your own notes on any tablet. Once you’ve created a category, the app will automatically shuffle your personalised flash cards, allowing you to test your knowledge.

Review, revise and repeat

No one enjoys cramming a semester worth of work in one night, however it is a route most students take. Regularly revising the lessons you have studied, will not only improve your memory, but it will also boost your understanding of different concepts. A great way to maintain this is to revisit a subject or unit once a week.

You can best revise on your Didasko platform, using our digital content. Didasko’s multimedia menu bar, breaks down the content into different sections, allowing you to base your study off these categories. To further enhance your study, our glossary of key terminology allows you to revise definitions at any time, ensuring you understand important topics.

Ask for help when you need it

It’s important to ask for help, because you never know who else might be having the same problem. Ongoing feedback from your trainer can be advantageous and may prompt you to ask any problematic questions.

As a Didasko student your trainers will have access to our dedicated customer support team, who are available Monday-Friday and can assist with any queries.

Connect with other students

Sometimes when it’s just you and your computer, the motivation isn’t always there. That’s why it’s important to stay connected and collaborate with your peers and trainers regularly. A good way to do this is to utilise forums, social media platforms and facetime sessions.

Didasko utilises online forums, designed to encourage asynchronous discussion between students and trainers. Forums allow students to get to know each other, are great for course announcements and can be considered a help center where trainers and students can give advice. You can also utilise forums on your Didasko platform as a space for one-on-one help with your trainer. To further improve your participation, you can subscribe yourself to forum posts and keep up to date with your peers and trainers. Software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams are compatible with your Didasko LMS. Grab a group of friends together for a study session and share your screen, facilitating a strong student support network.

Reward yourself for your achievements

It may not seem like a priority, but it’s important to acknowledge your achievements when studying online. This promotes enjoyment and motivation in your learning ability. Looking after your mental health and wellbeing, begins with being proud of your accomplishments.

Your Didasko platform caters for this within its mixes of assessments. Your multiple choice is self-grading, meaning the system will tell you your grade immediately after completing it. If you got 100% on that multiple-choice quiz, reward yourself. If you submitted your assignment in well before the due date, then you could also reward yourself.

Create a work-life balance

It is essential to maintain a solid work-life balance. Too much of something, can often lead to you feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated. Spend time doing what you love and ensure that you make time for your health and wellbeing. Getting enough sleep, eating right and setting yourself up to look forward to things can help improve your balance. Finding ways to escape from your daily grind will improve your overall functionality and motivation to get the best out of your learning!

What Didasko features have you found successful in your online learning and are there any that you wish to see implemented?