Surviving online lectures and classes
We have all been there with sleepy eyes, counting the minutes to the end of the class. Whether it's a private online tutoring session or a large class with many students, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with the lecturer for a long period without daydreaming. So how can you get the most out of your lectures without dozing off? Here are our 5 top tips to get the most from your online lessons.
Look at the material beforehand.
Looking at the material presented in the lesson beforehand has been shown to improve outcomes for students significantly. After all, this can also be a period of independent learning where you also decide to explore areas of interest! Now, this should be done briefly, especially with hectic schedules, so you could look at a video related to the topic you are going to explore in class to get a head start, or you could look at the handout/slideshow which is going to be used in your class.
Have a “class corner” at home
Having a designated place which you sit in to listen to lectures/attend classes is very important, especially since our homes and workplaces have mixed up since the beginning of the pandemic! We understand that it can be difficult for some people to find a specific area within their house to attend lessons, but that could even be a corner in your room. The idea is to have an area in your room, which you mentally associate with tuning into classes and lectures. This can especially be helpful for your lectures are recorded, and there is no one to monitor you!
Have the lecture/class handout and annotate it
This, we found, is the most important point for engagement with lectures. Especially now, with the online environment where you don’t see your lecturer or your peers, it can be challenging to focus. This is why it is an excellent idea to print your handout (or have it with you digitally) in the lesson, perhaps with any points you made when you looked at the material. As your teacher explains concepts throughout the lesson, you can annotate on the points already on the slide (rather than trying to write very long notes, which might ultimately leave you behind in lectures. So the point is not to take lengthy notes but to add to the points your lecturer elaborated on, which can be useful later on if a point is not clear on your slides or handouts.
Ask questions in class (and after class!)
Most students feel anxious when wanting to ask a question in the class. This is even worse with a large group online class because students feel that they’re the “Centre of attention” and that their questions are stupid! As good teachers always say, there is no stupid question. Neuroscientists have found that most learning happens through inquiry, even if it affirms that you have understood a point correctly! Many students might benefit from your question because they might have been confused about the same point.
Engage with your friends
Learning is a very social behaviour indeed! We learn most when discussing a particular topic with our peers and trying to find out facts for ourselves rather than being fed information. The process of research and discussion has been proven to improve learning outcomes since it is a more “active way” of learning rather than highlighting a textbook and reading it for long hours. Before doing a group learning session, it is important to plan who would be discussing which part of the topic; otherwise, the session will turn into utter chaos (or a Zoom party :))! So an example would be if you are looking at cell biology; for example, student A could look at cell structure, student B could look at cell division, and student C could look at mutations and cancer. So in the group session, A will present about cell structure, and a discussion will ensue about that, and then they move to B and finally C.
We hope you found this blog helpful; we would like to hear your feedback and any questions!
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Happy learning,
TST team.
