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Tips for Successfully Navigating Courses

  • Be organized. Make a schedule that includes all of your courses, deadlines, assignments, etc. Schedule time for studying. Having a schedule will help you to stay focused on the tasks you need to accomplish to be successful in your learning. Your schedule should include time for other things that are important to you also. Good time management skills are important.
  • Regularly login to Blackboard Learn to look for course announcements and updates.
  • Acknowledge that distraction is a risk that could affect your learning. Try to work in a quiet place if possible. Try to avoid multitasking if you are focused on learning. Distractions are common with online learning, and can prevent your success. Being aware of this and making an effort to avoid distraction can help you to achieve your learning goals.
  • Avoid procrastination. Without having a normally structured routine, procrastination may be more of an issue for some students. Practicing good time management habits such as setting personal deadlines and allotting time for studying and project completion is very important.
  • Use and adapt your normal strategies that have been successful to promote your learning in other contexts. If you have benefited from studying with a partner or group, see if you can still find ways to engage in that interaction using technologies like Zoom or Slack. Make sure you are keeping up with class material and taking notes, like you would for a face-to-face course.
  • Engage in sessions intended to help you with your learning. If your instructors have synchronous (real-time) or asynchronous (at your convenience) office hours, make use of these sessions to ask questions. If your courses have synchronous or asynchronous discussion opportunities, participate in these sessions to gain opportunities to practice and share what you are learning, and/or learn from others. Not only will these opportunities promote your learning, but they can make you feel more connected to those you are learning with and from.
  • Ask for help. If you are having problems with technical aspects, understanding content, meeting deadlines, or something else relating to your learning, communicate with your instructors. They can only help you if they know what issues you are having. Communicating these issues as they arise is important.
  • Clearly identify yourself and the course you are taking when you communicate with your instructor by email. Some instructors are teaching multiple courses at the same time, and knowing who you are and the course you are taking with them will help to streamline the communication process.
  • Stay motivated. Issues with motivation are challenging at the present time. If you are having trouble with motivation, try checking in with your relevant network. Setting a time for a study session with a friend from class, talking with your instructor during office hours, or speaking with others who know your learning goals could all be helpful in staying motivated.

References