Distance Learning: How To Keep Motivation High When You Are An Online Learner?

By Mary Jane Kleim

Online studies give you significant advantages over traditional learning. Study costs are lower, you can establish an adequate learning rhythm, and it allows you the comfort of the home environment. That’s why surveys revealed that by 2019 more than 50% of all courses will be conducted online. This is the trend that has been growing steadily in the last five years. However, traditional learning has an important social component, which is very difficult to replace with modern study tools. There are no facial expressions, new acquaintances, face-to-face talks, nonverbal communication, and all those little details that make “real life” learning more interesting. That’s why online students sometimes can’t keep motivation high and need advice how to deal with it & also need to know when to use online training. In this article, we will give you the most efficient tips on how to successfully build your distance learning motivation. Get to know your course Most of the online trainees who lack motivation don’t really understand what their studies are all about. They are under prepared and giving up is most common among this type of distance learners. If you decide to join online courses, make sure to read the syllabus carefully and understand each segment of your studies. The syllabus will provide you with the course essentials and prepare you for the coming assignments. Once you know what you are dealing with, there will be no unpleasant surprises to slow you down and undermine motivation. Planning and scheduling As always, good plans make a half of work done already. Keep in mind that you should schedule all activities on a weekly basis. That way, things become much simpler, as you will not forget due dates and weekly activities. Furthermore, you will focus on smaller goals. If you only pay attention to all the work required throughout the entire course, you will probably lose motivation. A study calendar will keep you on the right track, and you will be glad to see how you get the job completed step by step. Join the online learning community Despite the advantages of distance learning, you will sometimes feel alienated studying far away from your peers. In this case, what technology is taking away from you, technology will give back. You can join an online community of course attendees, which is a very common solution in all eLearning platforms. It will help you exchange opinions about your studies or to share learning experiences with each other. Online communities also serve to open specific topics, such as where to find additional learning materials, statistical analysis of the subject, etc. With this kind of support group, you will not feel alone and under-motivated. Use online tools to strengthen focus When you are all alone in the room, relying only on your mental strength and endurance, these virtues can’t last forever. Sooner than later you will find yourself texting messages, playing one of those addictive online games, or simply exploring Instagram profiles. This could slow you down big time, so you can take advantage of online tools that encourage focus and concentration. These web browser extensions discourage procrastination by blocking any undesired content. There are tools like Personal Blocklist, Simple Blocker or Stay Focusd, to name but a few. Grammarly will help you proofread assignments in case you don’t have enough time for it, while experts at Assignment Masters can suggest professional support with the most difficult tasks. Ask mentor for help The best way to learn something is to ask someone. And who can answer your inquiries better than your instructor? After all, it is their job. Distance learning can seem inappropriate for communication with the mentor, but don’t be shy to break the silence and ask for advice. Online learning is a relatively new thing and people are still getting used to it. However, the number of online students is growing rapidly, so now almost 30% of all students in the US take one or more distance education courses. Online learning is obviously becoming a big deal and there is no reason not to accept helpful practices. One of these practices is to ask your mentor for help, so don’t hesitate to do so. Chart the progress It is important to establish a work schedule but it is even more important to keep your motivation high by keeping records of your progress. Each goal you fulfill takes you a little closer to the overall success, so make a nice chart to see how the achievements are building up. This is a genuine motivation booster because you will always be able to remind yourself what you have already accomplished so far. Keep the ultimate goal in mind Yes, you enrolled online courses to gain knowledge and obtain a certificate but what is your ultimate goal? If you start feeling the lack of motivation, always visualize the final goal ahead of you. It can be a better position in your company, bigger salary, self-esteem boost, etc. This approach always adds to your mental power and gives you new will to continue working. Give your assignments a few minutes more All the advice mentioned above make a fabulous cornerstone for your online learning motivation. However, you will for sure deal with moments when you want to give up for that day and leave an important part of your studies unfinished. Whenever you feel like doing so, just give your learning five more minutes! It sounds negligible, but only a few minutes is usually more than enough to regain focus and continue working. And before you even notice, you will see than an hour or two have passed in the meantime. From our personal experience, this is by far the most important motivation booster! Conclusion People are really good at making excuses but students are experts in that regard, especially distance learners. There are many reasons to slow down online studies or even abandon it completely, so we made a list of the most valuable suggestions on how to keep the motivation high for online learning. If you follow these steps carefully, don’t worry about the outcome. Keeping the high-level motivation is not different than anything else you do – practice makes it perfect!