Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, university students had to adapt to a new delivery format and become online learners. This transformation may not be equally easy for everyone and many learners may face various challenges when adapting to the situation of lockdown. The online learning environment is often associated with such risks as a decrease in motivation for study, frustration, feelings of isolation and exclusion from the learning community due to the weaker bonds with others or the “othering” phenomenon. However, if approached strategically, in a current situation online learning can offer such unique opportunities as flexibility and mobility when studying from home (especially for students with multiple responsibilities), an opportunity to communicate and collaborate with other students regardless of the geographic location, and easy access to the learning resources anytime anywhere. A traditional university, metaphorically speaking, can thus be converted into a university “to go” or a university “in a pocket”. This article complements recommendations on how to make online teaching better by offering 14 tips to enhance students’ online learning experience and support their health when studying from home.

1.Plan your day

Make active choices when planning your day and accept that you may need to compromise. Sketch a daily plan the evening before or in the morning and negotiate your schedule and “do not disturb” hours with others. Include learning tasks, breaks, housework, and other responsibilities into the schedule. Although planning is not a guarantee of success, the very process will keep your focus on what needs to be done and will set directions for the day. When your time is really tight, remember 4Ds: Do it, Dump it, Delegate it, or, Do it less well.

2. Stay focused on one digital task at a time

Researchers from Stanford University found that media multitasking- a growing societal trend- makes a person to be easily distracted by environmental stimuli and irrelevant representations in memory. On the other hand, focusing on one digital task at a time will make your online learning more effective and productive.

3. Use your mobile phone effectively

Mobile devices offer great flexibility in terms of access to the learning materials and learning-related communication and proven to increase students’ engagement. Although course materials may not always be optimized for the use on phones, you can ask your lecturer to provide them in multiple formats and discuss apps that are designed to annotate lectures and assignments, to organize meetings, online group discussions, and so on. Consider using such tools as Microsoft Teams, Google Docs, Zoom as they are convenient when working both on a computer and a mobile phone. Also, look for apps that may help you to focus (e.g. Forest- the more you work on one task the more trees you plant), and apps for maintaining stress and anxiety (e.g. Headspace- an application with free meditation and breathing exercises).

4. Get ready for virtual meetings

If your tutor sets up virtual office hours, make sure you signed up for a time slot in advance instead of assuming you can “pop” online anytime. To gain a better outcome of the meeting, submit your questions beforehand so you can directly dive into the discussion of your issues. The same is relevant for the meetings planned in Zoom, Teams, Skype, etc. Having a topic or a plan for the discussion will serve a function of a moderator and will make online communication more focused and efficient.

5. Make good use of videos and podcasts

Video materials are designed to provide students with rich content and often cover the main elements of the topic over a short period of time. Video lectures can add value to your online learning experience by giving you independence in regard to how, when and where to access it. Podcasts are flexible alternatives as they can be listened “on the way” when you do housework or exercise.

6. Take notes

When watching video lectures or reading, take notes. Note-taking practice initiates active and deep thinking, enhances comprehension of the material and assists in internalizing new knowledge.

7. Actively interact with others

Social interactions are not only proven to be an effective pedagogical practice that contributes to online students’ success. Research also shows that online interactions with others can decrease a feeling of isolation and improve students’ wellbeing. Thus, interactions with your peers and lecturers and active participation in online events will not only ensure more deep and meaningful learning but also combat the negative effects of social isolation.

8. Repeat and discuss

Regular revisions of study materials help in better understanding and remembering of what you have already learned. Making notes, memory cards and doing quizzes will help you with that. Moreover, as new knowledge is often associated with a new vocabulary, it is better internalized when you actively practice it in a conversation. Thus, by working on group projects and discussing learning materials with your peers you are supporting yourself throughout the online learning process.

9. Ask questions

A study on how students use Facebook for organizing collaborative classroom activities showed that students who ask questions in online discussions have a higher level of cognitive presence and experience deeper learning. By simply asking such questions as how?, why?, or what if? when interacting with others you can enhance your ability to think critically, connect ideas, justify new knowledge and explore its practical application.

10. Make collaborative documents open access

Keep your work on group collaborative projects open on shared drives so your peers and tutors can easily access them. Google Drive, DropBox or Microsoft Teams can be chosen for that purpose. All these tools also have mobile applications. The Microsoft Teams tool is very convenient for group discussions and videoconferencing, work on the complex group projects, as well as on multiple projects simultaneously. In Microsoft Teams, you can also store and share materials of different formats, schedule online meetings in a calendar, record your meetings, and so on.

11. Take breaks

Recent brain research showed that the main improvements in performance when learning new tasks occur during the periods of short rest, rather than traditionally accepted hours-long breaks. Using that knowledge, you can improve your online learning efficiency by going offline for a few minutes more often, especially when you learn a challenging material or feel stuck.

12. Exercise

Neuroscientists say that physical activity can sharpen your ideas, boost memory, slow cognitive and concentration decline and support mental health. Moreover, repetitive exercises initiate creative wanderings that can assist you in making connections that were not obvious in a linear mode of thinking. Of course, outdoor activities might not be possible at the moment, but any physical exercises at home will do the same job.

13. Communicate your concerns

In an unstructured and fuzzy online learning environment supportis critical for students’ academic success. If you think you have fallen behind or need more assistance or guidance, talk your lecturers early. Unless you reach out and make your issue known you may not benefit from the focused and considerate support.

14. Disclose yourself in online discussion forums

Discuss not only learning-related issues. Going through times of isolation and learning and working from home can be very stressful. To shield yourself from being plagued by stressful events, research suggests disclosing yourself by talking about your challenges with other people. Tell your peers how you feel, or how you are managing (or failing) to cope with the workload, meeting deadlines or juggling multiple commitments and you will be surprised at their response and support.

Olga Rotar is a PhD student in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University.

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