In the middle of 2020, students around the world had to suddenly pack their belongings and return home to study. Studying away from school or campus is a bittersweet experience for most students. On one hand, you get to enjoy waking up late and studying in your PJs. On the other hand, you have to deal with many new challenges that come along with remote learning. In fact, many students now say: ‘I prefer to take my class on campus’ because of the hurdles in learning.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re in high school or university, online classes pose similar challenges. Although schools are trying their best to make it easier for students but haven’t been completely successful in doing so. So let’s discuss some of the common challenges that most students have to deal with and their solutions!
- Reliable Internet Access
Since the classes have gone online, it’s pretty obvious that you’ll need a stable internet connection to access them. However, this isn’t a facility that every student around the world is blessed with. In fact, limited internet access is one of the biggest obstacles between students and their online classes. Of course, when you’re struggling to connect to your classes, you’ll miss out on important parts of the lecture. Moreover, many unfortunate students have missed their deadlines while submitting last-minute because their internet was unstable.
Solution:
Look into all the internet service providers in your area and go for something that guarantees you a stable connection. If you don’t find helpful information about this online, you can always ask your neighbors or people in your area. In fact, many companies these days have designed affordable internet packages for students. If changing your internet plan isn’t possible, simply visit someone close to you who has stable internet. Finally, if none of these seem convenient, you can always get a library membership to get free internet access every day.
- Availability of Devices
Finding reliable internet is going to be the least of your worries when you don’t even have a device. A good device is a primary requirement for taking your online classes and courses. However, many students can’t afford a good laptop because of different reasons. Young students especially suffer from this issue because the entire family shares one or two devices. Furthermore, students who have yet to repair their laptops don’t know what to do either.
Solution:
There are many communities that have joined hands with companies to give students access to computers. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the cost because this is usually offered by welfare organizations for free. If you’re not able to find such an organization, you can always look for an alternative. For example, while new laptops may be expensive, you can still look into slightly used ones. Or you can even go for a tablet as they’re a good replacement for laptops and cost less. Finally, keep your teacher updated about the issue in advance and they’ll go easy on you.
- Motivation and Self-Discipline
Moving from a structured schedule of on-campus classes to a completely unstructured schedule isn’t easy. It may seem convenient at first, but most students end up losing their motivation to follow a routine and study. In fact, it’s not just the incomplete assignments, most students even stop taking classes. Most online students only study right before the exam because they can’t get themselves to study prior. Simply put: a typical online student’s routine looks something like this: sleep, wake up, log in, and back to sleep.
Solution:
It may be a huge transition, but you have to learn you discipline yourself with an authority giving you orders. Start with planning a routine according to your syllabus and making sure you follow it throughout the year. Make sure you prepare yourself to study in a designated space to get your mind to focus. Our brains are used to certain routines for being productive, make sure your schedule follows that structure. The best thing you can do is mimic your old routine when you used to study on campus – this will trick your mind into being more productive.
- Getting Instructor Feedback and Suggestions
Back in the day, you could simply visit your teacher after class with any questions you had. However, times have changed since then and students now struggle to get a hold of their teachers. You can’t raise your hand anymore if you have a query during class. Moreover, your teacher can no longer call you in their room to have a discussion about your progress. In-person interactions are very helpful in clear communication but that does not seem to be happening in online classes. This lack of feedback and discussion has left many students without support.
Solution:
Request one-on-one interaction with your teachers whenever you need extra help with something. This is going to be helpful especially if you’re nervous about talking about your issues in front of other students. Moreover, it will help your teacher get to know you better and get a clear picture of where you stand. Another great option is getting an online tutor if you are struggling in a specific course. These tutors can help you through their undivided attention to overcome your knowledge gap and weak areas. Finally, look into alternate resources and lectures to catch up with the rest of your class.
Conclusion:
It doesn’t matter how hard the challenges are as long as you have the will and creativity to overcome them. Many students who struggle in online studies don’t look into solutions for the problems until they get a bad grade. However, you shouldn’t wait for a bad result to make changes. The internet may be making your studies difficult but it also offers you tons of solutions for those same problems. One of those solutions you’re going to love is the take my class online service that makes your studies way easier. These services connect you to experts who can help you with your schoolwork for guaranteed success!
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