{"id":82072,"date":"2020-04-06T11:16:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-06T16:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/?p=82072"},"modified":"2024-09-27T10:01:10","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T15:01:10","slug":"as-classes-move-online-heres-how-students-can-set-themselves-up-for-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/as-classes-move-online-heres-how-students-can-set-themselves-up-for-success\/","title":{"rendered":"As classes move online, here\u2019s how students can set themselves up for success"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 11,000 students take at least one online class each semester at 51ÁÔÆæ, said Dylan Barth, teaching, learning and technology assistant at 51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. For these students, the transition to online classes during the coronavirus pandemic may be relatively easy. But for students who have never taken a course online, the switch can be intimidating.<\/p>\n

Online classes don\u2019t have to cause more stress, however. Barth notes they can carry new opportunities for students \u2013 and might prove to be a better fit for how they prefer to learn.<\/p>\n

With asynchronous online courses \u2013 classes where students do not have to gather at the same time for a live lecture \u2013 students can do their work when it benefits them. It\u2019s also easier to review content this way, Barth said, as students can go back into lecture videos that are posted online.<\/p>\n

For discussion-based courses, Barth said online courses take a more \u201cpersonalized\u201d approach as students are prompted to interact more with their peers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re shy and don\u2019t like to talk in class, you can still contribute your ideas and other students will benefit from those ideas. You\u2019re expressing yourself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Taking initiative<\/h3>\n

But because students don\u2019t have to physically be in class, Barth said, they may have to take more initiative to stay on top of their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo much is about communicating, time, space, avoiding distraction, staying organized \u2013 these things are really important for any student but particularly for online,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where rewards come in, said Simone Concei\u00e7\u00e3o, professor in the School of Education and an expert in adult distance learning. If students reward themselves for doing good work, it can reduce the stress of the workload.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents need to stay healthy and strong at this time\u00a0because\u00a0if they are really stressed\u00a0out,\u00a0they are not going to be able to function and focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Concei\u00e7\u00e3o and Barth point to several resources to help students in the transition to online learning:<\/p>\n