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Learning Strategies

Enhancing Online Learning

Before the Semester Starts

Be Mindful of New Barriers 

Online learning poses new learning demands and challenges. With this, you may also require a change in your accommodations to ensure you are able to engage and learn to your full potential. If you are struggling with your learning while online, contact your Accessibility office to discuss your accommodations and/or further supports.  
 

Organize Your Digital Space  

With online learning, you will be receiving more emails and will have to check your email more often. This increase in information can be overwhelming and can lead to avoiding your inbox altogether. While we can’t change the number of emails we receive, we can create folders within our email to filter information. Consider if there are patterns to the emails you are receiving and use this to generate different folders (i.e. folders for courses, folders for group projects, a folder for AccessAbility Services, folders for urgent, important, not important, etc.). As you receive emails, you can separate them into different folders and address a smaller number at a time.  
 

During the Semester

"Show Up" to Class

  • Treat online classes like in-person classes: set a dedicated time each week for each online lecture. This will help you space out learning and lessen the chances of overloading yourself with too much information later.  

  • Take notes on online lecture content like you would in class. For example, put concepts in your own words and illustrate ideas with examples. See the Reading & Note Taking section for more information about in-class note taking methods. 

Stay Up-to-Date and Familiarize Yourself With Your Learning Platform(s) 

  • With in-person courses shifting to online, it’s important to check your email and Quercus daily for updates as there may be important changes to your courses. You will want to stay up to date with this information. Schedule a time to do this admin work. 

  • Devote time to navigating the online platform. Ensure you know where all resources are located. If you can’t find something, ask questions. If you have the opportunity, try writing a practice test on the platform to get a sense of what your online tests will be like. 

  • Reread the course syllabus to help determine what is required regarding participation. 

Engage With Others Online 

  • If online discussion groups and forums are available on platforms like Quercus, Piazza, or Top Hat for your courses, ask questions and discuss topics with your peers, your TAs, and your instructors. 

  • If you need to get in touch with your instructor directly, find out which mode of communication they prefer (e.g. email, Zoom, phone, etc.) Most professors offer Zoom office hours. Attending office hours can be beneficial even if you don’t have a direct question, as others may ask something you need the answer to. 

  • Build community. If you have a recognized study group or friends you like to review course material with, keep up with this practice through phone or video calls or group chats. Working remotely doesn’t have to mean working in isolation. Facilitated study groups are run through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Groups change each semester and can be found on the CTL website. 

 

Strategies for Online Discussions 

Review the discussion instructions. Are you: 

  • Posing a question? Critically commenting on one of the readings? Writing a reflection?
     

For critical discussions, start by asking key questions about the text: 

  • What is the central claim or thesis?  

  • What is the supporting evidence?  

  • Why is this claim significant in the context of your course/discipline?  

  • Are there any gaps, shortcomings, or limitations to the argument?  

  • Is there a counter-argument that can be made?  

  • How does this text relate to something else you learned about in this course? 

  • How does this text relate to the theme of this week/class? 

  • How does this text relate to the other readings for this week/class? 

  • Consider questions that your professor has raised in previous classes.

For a critical discussion post, you might aim to engage with just 1-2 of these questions. 

  • When writing a reflection: Relate your thoughts and reactions to the text or lecture material. 

  • When posing discussion questions: Aim for open-ended questions: will your question start a conversation or debate? Can you imagine many different responses? 

  • Avoid self-evident or simple yes/no questions as these shut down a discussion.
     

When answering questions, think about the why and back up your stance or perspective with course material or related examples.