Nowadays, studying online has become a popular choice among adult learners who are seeking for a time-flexible, easily accessible and convenient way of learning. Xamk open UAS offers a wide variety of online courses in the fields of health care, languages and communication, business, social services, technology, tourism and hospitality management, sports and rehabilitation, environmental engineering and forestry, information technology and culture.
So here you are, you have found a bunch of interesting courses, but have you thought what it really means to study online and are you really up for it? How do you prepare and coach yourself in order to successfully study online? Read these 5+1 tips gathered by Evangelia Antzaka, Training and Educational Assistant in Xamk Open UAS.
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1) Think about your motives and set your goals – Stay committed!
To begin with, before starting your online studies, take your time to consider thoroughly your motives. Are you considering a new career, updating your existing knowledge or aiming at a postgraduate degree? What keeps you motivated? Are you passionate about a certain professional field or are you determined to make the most out of the pandemic time?
When the deadlines are looming and the messages in the Learn online learning platform start to pile up, there is nothing more important than self-motivation and discipline. Focus on the big picture and remind yourself why you wanted to study in the first place. Write down your motives and goals or even try to visualize your plan.
2) Schedule, plan and manage!
Did you know that 5 ECTS credits is equivalent to about 17 eight-hour studying days? 1 ECTS credit equals 27 hours of individual study load, so make sure you draw an effective and manageable studying plan.
In order to successfully study online, you have to be ahead of schedule. Every course has a certain timetable with scheduled due dates and deadlines of returning assignments and essays, group work, participating on discussion boards etc. As a Xamk student, you get free access to Office 365, where you can find scheduling tools that will help you stay organized, such as a calendar (Outlook), and a spreadsheet program (Excel).
3) Familiarize yourself with Xamk writing instructions and essay templates asap!
As part of your online studies, you often have to write tasks and assignments. These assignments can have different requirements, so you need to master the appropriate style, layouts and instructions as well as referencing guidelines.
Familiarize yourself with Xamk writing instructions and essay templates as soon as you begin your online studies. Academic writing and professional English can be challenging if you don’t have previous studying experience in English. However, remember that practicing the English language is a part of the learning process. Just give it a go and try! You will do perfectly fine!
4) Studying online does not mean studying alone!
One of the best parts of studying is meeting new people with common interests. One of the best parts of studying ONLINE is meeting new people with common interests FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD! Connect with peers and colleagues all around the world by utilizing the messaging tools available on the Learn online learning platform. Some online courses may offer an open discussion board for connecting with fellow students and sharing ideas and opinions.
So, why don’t you stay in touch with your fellow students using video chat apps, such as Teams.
5) Ask for help and assistance!
We really want you to accomplish your learning aims and even though you are studying online, we want to offer you all the support and assistance you may need. Contact your course teacher through the Learn platform messaging or directly by email (firstname.lastname@xamk.fi) in order to get course-related assistance. If you have general questions about your studies, contact directly the Xamk Open UAS office: openstudies@xamk.fi
5+1) Find new learning adventures in Xamk!
Finally yet importantly, we make sure that you can find new and exciting learning adventures by continuously updating our training calendar. Be inspired to learn more and start your next learning journey now: www.xamk.fi/en/openstudies/
- Evangelia Antzaka
Training and Educational Assistant in Xamk Open UAS