How to Shift to Remote Learning During the Pandemic

When the pandemic came, our lives were put on hold. We couldn’t go anywhere, we couldn’t do simple things that we were used to, and most of our plans fell apart as we scrambled to protect our families and get used to the new norm. 

And the worst thing? 

The situation hasn’t changed much. Until the hardworking scientists finally give us a vaccine, we won’t see our life getting back to normal. However, we don’t have to keep sitting with our hands crossed as we wait for this to happen. While social distancing measures are in effect, we can still work on our goals and use this time to pursue our dreams. 

If you’re eager to make good use of this downtime, we’d recommend that you try online learning. If you’re not sure how it works, don’t worry, we’re here to explain how to find the right courses for you and how to implement learning into your daily routine. 

What can I learn online? 

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Practically anything. Ever wanted to knit your own sweater or sew your own perfect pair of pants? Maybe you wanted to learn how to make shelves or paint miniatures or speak German? Drawing, woodworking, novel writing, cooking, playing the guitar, chess, computer coding, fashion design – there’s an endless number of things you can learn online. 

If you’ve ever had any kind of hobby you wanted to turn into something profitable or an interest that you wanted to turn into a skill, you will find a corresponding course for it online. You can learn things that will be there for your own enjoyment, or you could learn something profitable that you can turn into a career. For example, you could learn how to craft handmade jewelry and open up an online store, or you could learn how to make websites and get a well-paying job as a programmer. 

What about professional certificates?

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Yes, you can absolutely get certificates after finishing online courses. Most online learning platforms will offer certificates as proof that you’ve finished their course, but you can also get diplomas from colleges and universities. If you’re in the medical field, you can even get your ACLS and PALS training online and then print out the certificate you get to show it to your employer.  

Since e-learning has become so popular over the last decade, a lot of places are offering completely legitimate ways for you to learn a new skill without even leaving your home. 

Organizing time for remote learning

With online learning, time management and task organization falls to you. It’s a little tricky to get this right if you’re not used to making schedules for yourself, but a schedule is really all you need to make it work. Basically, treat your online course the same way you would any traditional class – listen to lectures at the same time every day, take notes, and spend at least 15-30 minutes revising everything. 

Since you know your own obligations best, this can happen whenever it suits you. Whether it’s early in the morning, afternoon, or late at night, it doesn’t matter. 

Self-discipline

If you organize your time right, self-discipline is going to be much easier to accomplish. But here are a few more tips to help you keep on track when learning from home. For one, try to have a specific quiet corner for studying. If you always pick the same spot and ensure that the place is free of distractions, you’ll help train your brain to get into the “study mode” and focus on the task that’s right in front of you. 

Another important thing about discipline is the ability to recognize when you’re making excuses. Were you really too tired to finish that lesson or did you just feel lazy? Did you really need to take ten snack breaks or were you just slacking off? Remember, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. The only person who’s standing in your way is yourself, so try to find solutions for how to accomplish something instead of excuses not to do it.  

Engaging with the community

E-learning doesn’t have to be a lonely thing. Places like Udemy, FutureLearn, Coursera, and Skillshare have well-developed communities, so connect with other learners like yourself. Send messages to instructors if you need help or clarifications, participate in discussions, share notes, and even make friends. This will make it easier to feel engaged and interested. 

On that note, why not invite a real-life friend to join you? If you share an interest, you could treat this as a team project and rely on your friend to help you stay motivated while providing the same kind of support for them. 

To put this shortly – remote learning is a fun, exciting way to obtain a new skill or to stay on top of your classwork without leaving your home. As long as you organize your time well and learn some self-discipline, the pandemic won’t be able to stop you from accomplishing all your goals.