College Education at Your Fingertips: The Best Things about Remote Learning

December 14, 2020

This post was written by Malala Raharisoa. During her time with the Chamber, Malala Raharisoa hopes to expand her perspective lens and contribute to efforts toward globalization. She is currently an MSBA candidate specializing in Economic Analysis; She hopes that with what she learns in the classroom along with a wide-ranging experience, she can make an impact that reaches the international community.

Deciding whether we love or hate that classes are just a click or “log-in” away is probably the most interesting  dilemma college students are facing. Although not the most serious of all life dilemmas, it heavily influences productivity at home and effectiveness of remote learning.

Read more about the effects of remote learning on younger students here.

Remote learning comes with pros and cons, but it seems that cons outweigh the pros this time around. Run a simple search for news articles on your favorite search engine, and you will find countless results detailing the challenges and disadvantages of remote learning. For a first-person perspective, check out some of the opinions students have on remote learning. 

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do about it. So how do we make the best of this situation? These are a few reasons why we should love online school:

1.     No commute!

Not having to get up extra early to get ready for school is something you can appreciate. Whether your commute to class is a 10-minute walk or an hour bus ride, attending class by turning to your electronic smart device makes it very easy.  

2.     Testing focus and self-discipline

Although not needing to commute is great, home is also the place where you relax and spend leisure time. You may find yourself easily distracted which can hinder your productivity. A better way to look at this situation is as an opportunity to train your focus and self-discipline. It’s important to have these skills when entering the workforce and you can be developing them right now. Employers do prefer candidates that require little to no supervision.

3.     Flexibility

The best thing about online school is your ability to get things done between classes. You don’t have to waste time commuting or walking to the professor's office hours. Especially if your classes are asynchronous, you have the ability to take everything at your own pace without needing to attend lectures at scheduled times. Unlike more traditional synchronous classes, asynchronous classes are great if you have other engagements such as employment. This is what makes online education programs attractive to many with full-time jobs.

For some, online school isn’t a walk in the park, but even before COVID-19 social restrictions, millions of people were enrolled in online education programs. It’s nothing new, which means many tips and collections for online school already exist. For your convenience, here is a short list of useful tips:

Establish a routine

This helps a lot with self-discipline. A daily routine will keep you on track. Giving yourself solid deadlines for assignments and study sessions are a plus!

Take advantage of online resources

Now that access to libraries is limited, make the most of your university online library network. Many colleges can give access to online academic source databases like Jstor and WorldCat. If your university doesn’t, here are some free online libraries you can check out. Also, take advantage of free tutoring sources like Khan Academy.  

Find a distraction-free space

Do things that help you focus. One thing that can help is having a designated work area where you feel productive. Limit the use of this space for other activities. Associating it with work and productivity can become a self-fulfilling cycle.

Make it a pleasant experience overall

It can be really hard to adjust to distance learning. The best plan is to find the things that will help you do your best. That can mean making a nice cup of coffee before attending class or going for a run before working on your semester project.

For most, this unfamiliar way of learning is difficult and stressful but hopefully some of these tips can help you navigate the challenges of remote learning.