Due to COVID-19 students have been moved from the classroom to their living room in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus for the safety of students and faculty. Although many schools plan to resume to in person classes back in the fall, the possibility of moving back to online learning is high and can be difficult for many students and parents. Despite the difficulty of online learning, education is crucial for the development of students of all ages, so try these tips to help you and your kids succeed during online learning.
- Communicate with the Teacher: Whether you’re a senior in college or a parent of a 5th grader communicating with the teacher is the best way to help yourself and/or your child. Take time during the week to talk with the teacher about upcoming assignments, proper studying/teaching methods, and any questions or concerns that you may have regarding you or your child’s learning.
- Decide what type of learning works best: During online learning there are two types of learning that all students will prefer rather than the other. Synchronous learning happens in real time with the instructor and other students through zoom meetings, and video conferences. Asynchronous learning occurs on your schedule allowing you to have more control over you or your child’s learning. After knowing what learning style is best, learning then becomes much more effective.
- Create a learning environment: Online learning has taken away positive learning environments that many students need in order to learn. So creating an at home learning environment can help students engage in active learning and develop new skills. You don’t have to have redecorate to make this happen, but try making a specific area just for learning.
- Set and stick to a schedule: Like any school or university a set schedule allows students to learn, study, socialize, exercise, and eat without the distractions of television and social media. Sticking to a schedule can help young students reduce their anxiety and help college students feel more accomplished and productive among their responsibilities.
- Reduce Distractions: One of the biggest differences between online and classroom learning is the number of distractions that are around. Whether they are internal or external distractions, students can easily lose focus and become frustrated when trying to learn new material. Before class is in session, put the phone on do not disturb, go to the best learning environment in the house, and have a snack to get the most out of your studies.
- Take appropriate breaks: One of the luxuries of online learning is being able to take breaks, however taking advantage of this luxury can hurt a student’s learning. Studies show that taking a break every 90 minutes can improve focus and concentration, but it doesn’t stop there. What you choose to do during the break can affect your learning, try engaging in physical activity for a few minutes to increase blood flow and gain more energy.
- Set learning goals: One of the main downfalls of online learning is not having the availability of a teacher, causing many students to rely on themselves more than ever. Because students have to depend on themselves more, setting learning goals is a crucial part of a students success as it offers students motivation and teaches them the value of learning.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help: For many young students asking for help can be embarrassing, however they don’t realize that learning to ask for help is an important life skill. Encouraging students to ask questions when they need help teaches them to self advocate for themselves as well as it being a great social tool for building meaningful relationships.
- Utilize appropriate rewards: Once learning goals are set in the use of positive reinforcement can be a beneficial tactic in developing a positive student behavior. The use of small appropriate rewards can be used to teach students new skills and result in positive results. When using positive reinforcement be sure to be consistent, immediate, and fair in order to establish effective learning.
- Connect with friends: The best part about going to school is being with friends, unfortunately due to online learning and COVID-19 socializing has become more difficult. Regardless of how difficult it is to interact, students need social interaction to develop appropriate social skills. Utilizing technological resources like zoom, facetime, and skype is a great way to learn with friends.
