In close collaboration with Harrow School Online, UK Study Centre has prepared a list of important points for students to follow that will make their online learning process particularly effective and memorable.
Under the challenging circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic that has largely affected the world population since its outbreak, online education has become an essential way for students to continue their studies. Enriched with limitless learning opportunities, virtual schooling is now present in almost every student’s home around the world. Yet in order for students to take the full advantage of virtual education, just like in the traditional school system, it requires a proper daily routine and study plan. In close collaboration with Harrow School Online, UK Study Centre has prepared a list of important points for students to follow that will make their online learning process particularly effective and memorable.
There is no doubt that having a work routine when it comes to studying is extremely helpful in staying productive and meeting school deadlines. Depending on the age of your child, choosing the right routine for them is key to helping them achieve high academic results. Older students are likely to benefit from making their own schedule and then getting it approved by an adult, whilst younger children will require more parental assistance, yet should still be allowed to participate and suggest on how they want to structure their day. What is important is that your child develops a sense of commitment and ownership. For example, it is advisable to split the day into 45-minute blocks and schedule online learning at times when the student can focus the most. Moreover, you must not forget to maintain a healthy balance for your child between online learning and offline activities, such as exercise and time for hobbies and relaxation.
Choosing a stable, quiet study space is critically important to avoid potential interruptions and allow your child keep their full focus when studying. For example, putting a desk or a small table in the corner of a room and removing obvious distractions, such as placing multiple electronic devices next to the student, would help create the necessary, calm study environment. When using a computer or laptop make sure to turn off notifications and close windows or apps unrelated to studies. Alternatively, you can also use a different Internet browser for online learning.
Close interaction with teachers and peers is highly advisable to all students when studying virtually. Sudden social distancing and disconnection from their school friends can bring a negative effect on the mental health of the student. Therefore, letting your child communicate with their classmates online must not be prohibited. Students can not only make their days more exciting by taking occasional breaks and catching up with their peers, bust they can also discuss their homework tasks together and help each other in their study process. Reaching out to a teacher online to ask questions when your child is stuck with understanding their class or homework material is essential as well, as it can not only help the child grasp the curriculum faster, but can also strengthen the bond between them and the teacher. Parents should firstly attempt to help their children with homework problems themselves, however at times, when it isn’t possible, the student must not feel hesitant or scared of contacting their teachers.
In addition to their normal school curriculum students can benefit from an extensive list of supplementary or alternative valuable study materials online. These materials can help the student better understand certain topics in their school programme by providing recommendations and tips for solving specific problems. Furthermore, taking one-to-one online lessons with tutors has proven to be particularly useful for students not only in learning the necessary school curriculum, but also in further expanding their knowledge of the subject, which in turn, allows them to write much richer and more complete answers in their assignment questions. If you are looking for a highly qualified and experienced private tutor for your child, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will be able to find the right tutor for you in accordance to your needs.
Student motivation to continue studying hard and achieving high academic results at the end of the year can be strengthened by organising regular check-ins with their parents, school teachers, private tutors or classmates, which in practise has shown to create a sense of accountability. Social interaction can make the study process much more exciting and interesting, which in turn, will help the student maintain their motivation. Discussing the daily goals and creating a plan for achieving them will greatly help the student keep their focus and avoid procrastination. In addition, setting up a timeline and evaluating the progress in reaching the goals after each milestone will help the student see their results in a much more visual way and stay motivated. Furthermore, Harrow School Online highlights that collaboration on project work creates a sense of community for older students, whereas younger students will benefit from participating in online meetings with their classmates where they can show each other what they have been working on.
Working through interactions with peers and then having a lesson in a virtual classroom with a teacher will fill in the social distancing void that your child may otherwise face in quarantine. Last, but not least, it must be remembered that academic study is not the only essential aspect of a school, and extra-curricular activities and a sense of community are probably more important than ever in the current situation. Activities, such as online collaboration to keep up the student newspaper, online chess tournaments, debate clubs and singing lessons are just some of the engagements that your child could get involved in. If your child’s school does not run such activities, consider contacting the school and advising on them to start, or otherwise let your child take the most of their experience with one of our online tutors, who can teach them sing, play the piano, build up their confidence in public speaking, become a chess master, or turn into a young expert in many other fields.
