Tips from the Office of Academic Success
As we are all adjusting to the many changes spurred by COVID-19, it is evident that transitioning to online learning is not the easiest thing for everyone. These past weeks have brought a whirlwind of uncertainty—not ideal conditions for learning. To help both students and professors, we reached out to the Academic Success office to talk about the habits and tactics of successful online learning.
Here is the advice they offered:
- The biggest hindrance to a smooth online learning transition is a significant shift in schedule. Fixed meeting times and hard deadlines look a bit different now. While that may be cause for some to celebrate, it adds stress to the online learning process for many others. To combat the stress, establish a schedule as if you were not in quarantine and stick with it. Complete course work, and at the same time, plan ahead for big assignments. Try to have a regular sleep schedule. While these may seem like arbitrary suggestions, our brains crave order and stability, so scheduling and planning could ease some of the anxiety felt across the campus community.
- Take into consideration your own learning style. If you were a visual learner before school shifted online, you are still one now. When reviewing old course material or struggling with the new content, think back to what was helpful when you attended class and attempt to recreate similar study habits. When learning online, it is important to be aware that study structures set by your professors might look different; you may have to begin studying in ways you hadn’t before.
- Have a designated study space. As nice as it is to study in bed, it could be what is holding you back in your academic progress. Studying in a space dedicated for learning helps you focus and not lose sight of the task at hand.
We hope you find that with time these changes become easier to manage. If you have any questions, more information and helpful contact information is up on the Academic Support page: https://aso.byu.edu/.