How To Use An Online Classroom Effectively? Boost Productivity in 7 Easy Steps
Online education has now become a leading source of education worldwide. The COVID’19 pandemic has taught us that online classes are here to stay due to the pandemic and the facilities and flexibility it provides students.
Even after the pandemic, online classes are still trending and preferred by both teachers and students.
Why?
Well, online classes are safe, cost-effective, time-saving, and better sources for revision. You can learn anything at any time, whenever you want to. Moreover, you can schedule your own time and take notes at your own pace.
There are so many online tutoring platforms emerging that provide online sessions to students from all over the world. MTS (My Tutor Source) is one of those platforms that provide students with a safe and efficient online tutoring environment. They have thousands of teachers on board to cater to the needs of students regarding every subject.
Some ed-tech websites even upload the courses for free so that you do not have to pay for them. However, this flexibility provides so much value but simultaneously holds many downfalls that need to be dealt with.
Online classes come with a lot of freedom, which causes many problems that reduce online classes’ efficiency. Distractions, poor internet connection, lack of focus, procrastination, weak or broken equipment, and lacking valuable references and resources all account for the poor performance of students.
However, there are ways you can boost your productivity and get the most out of online classes.
So, are you a student looking for ways to use an online classroom effectively?
We have got you covered. Keep Reading!
1. Schedule Your Time A Week Before:
It is vital to practice time management, and making a schedule is the best way to do that. First of all, it clears out all the unnecessary things or tasks that you might be having. It sets up a complete pattern that the student can follow. So, make a schedule in which you must add what time your class is, be ready 15 minutes before the class, and set up a morning/before class routine. The routine can include taking a shower, going for a morning walk, or doing yoga or a workout. It will help you get energized for the class you’re about to take. Making a schedule automatically makes it possible for you to have a good mood, and you will be able to quickly understand the instructor, teacher, or tutor during the lecture.
2. Have A Good Internet Connection:
It is really important that you have a strong internet connection during online classes. If not, then watching and listening to the instructor would become a stress for you. With a good internet connection, you will be able to understand your instructor better and even watch the videos or other helpful material more clearly. The video lecture will not lag, and you can open additional sources on the internet when needed. Listening during online lectures is highly important because the instructor might tell you something very important; it could be about a test, an assignment, or an exam update. There are chances you might even miss the class if the internet connection is really poor.
3. Have All The Essential Equipment:
Just like having a strong internet connection is important, having good quality and all the necessary equipment can boost your efficiency. Having good microphones, headphones, and laptops or tablets can make it easy for you to understand what is being taught in class. Moreover, you will be able to quickly capitalize on that. This equipment will also allow you to listen, see and participate well. While on the other hand, this can be reversed if you don’t have good-quality equipment. That can make you miserable and cause a lot of anxiety because you might be left behind, which can cause bad grades or poor learning.
4. Know How You Learn Best:
Everyone is different when it comes to learning. Some learn well visually, some through reading and writing and some do really well by just listening. It is up to you how you set yourself up for revision time. You can record the class as there are multiple apps or features you can use to record and save for later. For instance, if you’re using an iPad, you can simply do a screen recording during your lectures, which will help you learn later during revision. If you are using Zoom or Google Meet, they have a built-in option for recording and saving lectures. Try to focus on the way you learn best and stick to it with revision.
5. Keep Important References And Resources:
It is important that you keep a notebook or something else for important study material. You can use notebooks, lecture notes, slides, etc. Having them by your side can be extremely useful. If the instructor tells you something you don’t understand, you can quickly check the study materials or notes to get a quick grip on concepts that will help you move with the lecture’s flow.
Sometimes students want to ask something but don’t want to disturb or are afraid to ask. Although asking is preferred but having a quick and effective way of dealing with this so that you don’t get stuck is advisable. Just check your reference material and move ahead.
6. Focus:
The main cause of procrastination is the lack of focus and action. Focus is a really essential thing you need to get the most out of your online class. To eliminate procrastination, you need to keep a check on a few things.
You can try removing all the distractions, which means turning off your mobile notifications and not using social media during online classes. Close all the extra tabs on your laptop or tablet and make it less crowded. Sit in a quiet place, so the surrounding sounds don’t disturb you. Moreover, finish all the unnecessary things before the class or set a schedule to do them later. Relax before the class and exercise daily; this reduces stress and improves focus.
Also, try practicing mindfulness; you can do this through meditation or activities that allow you to stay in the moment, like talking to a friend.
7. Be Proactive:
Being proactive can do wonders for you. All of the steps above are actually making you proactive. This means that you are now actively participating in your classes, boosting your learning capabilities. Some more ways you can use are to study the topics or read them beforehand; this makes the class act as a revision method. It clears out all the confusion if you have any and help you think through questions. It can improve your grades as well and put off stress and anxiety.
Wrapping Up
Online classes can turn out to be very beneficial and fruitful, but only if you attend and focus on them the right way! These are some tips and techniques you can use to get the most out of your online classes. You can apply these in your physical classes as well. Keep learning and test these out, give them your best, and see if you can find out other ways of improving class efficiency.
