So you’ve decided to enroll in an online high school full-time or part-time. Excellent choice! Online education gives you more freedom and the ability to pursue courses that may not be accessible at a regular school. Aside from these advantages, online education allows you to become more self-sufficient and disciplined, skills that will be important for the rest of your life.

The following are some online learning tips for students to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success in your online classes. They will assist you in making the most of your online education while also preparing you for your next challenge, whether that is used when you apply to Ontario universities, colleges, or a new career.

Remember, it’s a Real Classroom!

One of the simpler tips for online learning is to remember that online courses are the same way you would treat the more traditional in-person courses.

Most students have at least some familiarity with online learning by this point, but it is important to remember that online courses are very much still real classes, and your teacher will have expectations. How would you conduct yourself in a conventional classroom? That entails maintaining organization, finishing assignments on time, and paying attention. Use those principles here as well. While it is true that online courses give students more freedom and flexibility to do courses at their own pace, it is not wise to assume that just because the format is different, the work itself will be more straightforward or less difficult.

Maintain Accountability

The next of our online learning tips is to maintain classroom accountability.

A significant difference between synchronous vs asynchronous learning is that the asynchronous environment of online learning allows students to complete coursework more easily in their own time. However, similar to those who work from home in a digital office, the comfort of one’s home can sometimes create a distracting environment. Some may feel that the deadline for accomplishing tasks is less strict with self-paced learning and thus put their coursework into the backburner of their priorities.

This could lead to dropped grades, missing deadlines, and unfavourable professor comments.

A few goal-setting exercises can help you stay the course by keeping you on track, boosting your morale, and maintaining your level of ambition as high as possible.

In an online learning setting, effective time management is essential. Give yourself ample time to finish your readings, assignments, and homework. You could notice that tasks take longer to finish, and ideas are challenging to understand.

One of the tips for students learning online to stay on task and keep themselves accountable is to use a physical calendar. It might seem redundant to keep a physical notebook in an online setting, but writing things down helps solidify them in your mind. Begin by keeping track of when your online class meets and what you intend to study. You can then set reasonable goals, such as completing a research paper by the weekend or finishing your portion of a large group assignment by the following Monday.

Remember to Take Breaks

While it is important to stay on top of your work and remain diligent, one of the tips for online learning is that it is equally important not to let the grind for course completion take over your day. Furthermore, as online learning is all done from behind a screen, it is important to make sure you take these breaks to prevent conditions such as eye strain and headaches. People tend to blink less and furrow their brows when focusing on something such as a screen, which can result in these conditions when not properly rested.

Every hour, when possible, you should ideally take a 5–10-minute break from your screens. You may take advantage of this to stretch and refocus. If you can, set a timer to alert you when it’s time for a break if you’re deeply involved in a task.

Additionally, there is the “20-20-20 rule” to lessen eye strain. According to this rule, you should take a 20-minute break from screens and spend a complete 20 seconds staring at anything about 20 feet away. Making this a regular practice will help you avoid the potential negative impacts of eye strain when using screens.

Stay Actively Involved

As there is no physical classroom in online settings, some, especially those who may be shyer, may feel comfortable taking a more backseat, quiet, and solitary position in the classroom. However, one of the best tips for online learning success is to remain active and involved in your classrooms.

Your involvement with schoolwork may be affected if you are not in a traditional classroom setting. Your interaction with your peers and teacher may suffer as a result. Therefore, you might need to put in more effort to maintain that engagement. You can ask questions using the chat feature, your microphone, or email, depending on how it is set up.

Participate in class discussions whenever possible and ask your teacher for assistance or clarification if necessary. To help you with the work and remain connected, consider starting a virtual study group with your peers.

Celebrate Your Wins

One of the lesser-considered tips for online learning is to celebrate your victories.

Looking at the calendar and the remainder of the semester, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the amount of work ahead. However, looking back and appreciating what we’ve already achieved is more difficult. Consider your progress when you start to feel stressed out and your blood pressure increases. Even if you are just starting your eLearning adventure, there have probably been a number of life events that have brought you to this point and for which you may feel grateful. Even celebrating a good grade on a math test in MHF4U Advanced Functions, for example, can be a cause for celebration!

It can be simple to lose track of projects we’ve previously finished and objectives we’ve already attained in the hectic rush of accomplishments and new endeavours.

One of the best online learning tips at this point is to divide the previous year into distinct, manageable divisions. Make a list of your past achievements and successes in the areas of your life that are similar to these, such as your profession, wealth, relationships, and health. Think back on how you felt when you accomplished these objectives, then let that inspiration spur you on to another victory.

Why OES?

Every course at OES was developed with the students in mind. Our Principal, who has a Master’s in Education and is OCT certified, conducts a quality assurance audit on each course.

Our staff are accomplished experts in their industries. In accordance with the Growing Success Document published by the Ontario Ministry of Education, assignments and quizzes at our Canadian online high school are marked throughout the course with Assessment of Learning (AOL), Assessment for Learning (AFL), or Assessment as Learning (AAL). This helps students who go through it understand the material. Students submit written assignments, solutions, and formative work as needed using our clearly labelled submission box. Whether you’re upgrading high school courses online or enrolling for the first time, OES is the right school for you.