Making the Decision
Signing up for any course of study is a big commitment.
Its very likely you will be having mixed feelings. Excitement as this is a big step in furthering your career and gaining certification. Apprehension as you know that it will require commitment and hard work to get what you want to achieve.
This maybe the first time you have studied online and your previous experiences have been attending a course in a physical location. Whilst studying online allows flexibility in terms of how and when you learn, your success will depend on you being motivated, organised and involved.
Make no mistake, learning online requires just as much time and effort as you would put in if you attended a course in a physical location. Following these guidelines below will help you get organised and ensure you can get the most out of the course and set you on the path for furthering your career.
Identify a space which will become you study area. Make sure it has everything to hand that may need:
Plan What You Will Be Studying
Prior to each study session be clear on what you want to achieve. There are a number of ways to do this. The course will have a study plan tracker. This will identify suggested topics for you to study and milestones throughout the course that would indicate your studying and development is on track.
In addition when you log-in to your dashboard you will see the 'Tasks for the Day'. Specific topics linked to the lesson materials designed to develop the deeper level of knowledge that is required to be successful in the examination.
It is far better to commit to 90 minutes a day to your studying rather than try and do 7 hours in one sitting! Learning and developing your knowledge is a slow-burner. It is difficult and requires commitment. However research has show that consistent effort results in better long-term memory retention
Take Notes - Get Creative
Studying a course can be a daunting prospect particularly at the beginning. It's all too easy to spend time reading documents and books and then wonder if you actually learnt anything or if it was worthwhile! Taking notes and creating flashcards for each topic an essential exercise.
Firstly it helps you focus on the key details of a topic.
Secondly by taking notes you are actively involved in the learning process and this helps in your understanding and knowledge retention.
Thirdly it is a tangible record of the work you have done. As the number of flashcards you have created builds up, you can see the work you have put in. Not only do they become handy revision aids but also a record of your efforts and hard work.
Finally become involved in the course.
This may take you out of your comfort zone. One of the traditional challenges of online learning has been students studying in isolation and not having the connection with the lecturer and other students that they might have in a physical classroom.
These courses have been developed so you can have daily contact with the Instructor and there are opportunities to interact with other students.
Studies have shown that succesful online learning courses give students the opportunity to build a relationship with instructor and engage in peer-to-peer learning. You will be encouraged to do this so take full advantage!
By following these guidelines you will start your course on the right pathway and be able to maximise your time and learning opportunities.
This maybe the first time you have studied online and your previous experiences have been attending a course in a physical location. Whilst studying online allows flexibility in terms of how and when you learn, your success will depend on you being motivated, organised and involved.
Make no mistake, learning online requires just as much time and effort as you would put in if you attended a course in a physical location. Following these guidelines below will help you get organised and ensure you can get the most out of the course and set you on the path for furthering your career.
Find Your 'Classroom'
Identify a space which will become you study area. Make sure it has everything to hand that may need:- Plug sockets for laptop / computer / printer
- Good Wi/Fi connectivity or ideally a hard wire internet connection
- Ideally an uncluttered space and one where you can work undisturbed
Plan What You Will Be Studying
Prior to each study session be clear on what you want to achieve. There are a number of ways to do this. The course will have a study plan tracker. This will identify suggested topics for you to study and milestones throughout the course that would indicate your studying and development is on track. In addition when you log-in to your dashboard you will see the 'Tasks for the Day'. Specific topics linked to the lesson materials designed to develop the deeper level of knowledge that is required to be successful in the examination.
Little and Often
It is far better to commit to 90 minutes a day to your studying rather than try and do 7 hours in one sitting! Learning and developing your knowledge is a slow-burner. It is difficult and requires commitment. However research has show that consistent effort results in better long-term memory retentionTake Notes - Get Creative
Studying a course can be a daunting prospect particularly at the beginning. It's all too easy to spend time reading documents and books and then wonder if you actually learnt anything or if it was worthwhile! Taking notes and creating flashcards for each topic an essential exercise. Firstly it helps you focus on the key details of a topic.
Secondly by taking notes you are actively involved in the learning process and this helps in your understanding and knowledge retention.
Thirdly it is a tangible record of the work you have done. As the number of flashcards you have created builds up, you can see the work you have put in. Not only do they become handy revision aids but also a record of your efforts and hard work.
Get Connected
Finally become involved in the course.
This may take you out of your comfort zone. One of the traditional challenges of online learning has been students studying in isolation and not having the connection with the lecturer and other students that they might have in a physical classroom.
These courses have been developed so you can have daily contact with the Instructor and there are opportunities to interact with other students.
Studies have shown that succesful online learning courses give students the opportunity to build a relationship with instructor and engage in peer-to-peer learning. You will be encouraged to do this so take full advantage!
By following these guidelines you will start your course on the right pathway and be able to maximise your time and learning opportunities.
