Tips on becoming a successful online learner during MCO

by StudyMalaysia.com on June 12, 2020 | Top Stories

Tips on becoming a successful online learner during MCO - StudyMalaysia.com

So what does it mean to be a university student during the Movement Control Order (MCO)? If you’re a student in a public university, your second semester is probably delayed. And if you’re just about to start a new academic year, we know it’s quite a bummer that you’ll likely be starting off your school year online.

While becoming an online learner might not be how you pictured university life to be, it’s important that you get yourself prepared for this transition. Here are some ways on how you can make your online learning experience a successful one.

Keep to a schedule

Some of your classes will be conducted live but a lot of your learning might have to be done independently. Plan a schedule that includes the timing for all your online sessions, and don’t forget to allocate time for discussions with your classmates as well as self-study. Once you have a routine, online learning will seem second nature to you.

Sync into the mood

It could be hard to tune into the right mind-set for learning when you’re not on campus. That’s why you should set up a comfortable and distraction-free spot for learning. Make sure distractions like your phone, TV or a browser window in the background are all muted. Get ready for class like you would on a regular day—get up, get yourself cleaned and fed, get dressed—you really don’t want to go for your virtual class right after you tumble out of bed with morning breath (Yuck!).

Know the technology

While students of this generation are generally considered tech savvy, your university may use a learning platform that you’re unfamiliar with, e.g. Zoom, Google meet, etc. From lectures to discussions and assignments, everything will need to be done online. Learn what you need to do and how at the very beginning and you’ll be off to a spectacular start.

Find out who your lecturers are

Knowing who your lecturers are and how to get in touch with them if you have questions is key for online learners. You won’t be able to interact with them on campus so make sure you have your lines of communication established from Day 1.

Speak up

You’re not alone! This whole online learning business is not new just for you. It’s also something your classmates and your lecturers have to get used to. So if something is not working well for you, speak up and let your lecturers know. On that note, if a particular resource or online tool is useful, share the feedback with them too.

Collaboration counts

Learning remotely can be quite a lonely business. This means you’ll have to work twice as hard to get together virtually with your classmates for discussions or projects. There are plenty of ways you can do this—Google community, Trello, Whatsapp, HouseParty, Snap Chat, Slack, Rabbit—it’s really up to you and your buddies to get something going.

Stay connected

This seems pretty obvious but when you’re studying remotely, it’s easy to miss out on stuff. Set reminders and check your alerts so that you don’t skip a class or miss out on important updates and announcements.

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