Hybrid and Online Learning: Five Ways To Keep Your Passion For Online Learning

Have you ever found yourself signing up for an online course and then procrastinating?

Sometimes, you might even give the excuse of being ‘busy’ to justify why you are not able to learn more actively. Even worse, you think to yourself that the time you spend learning online is such a waste because it stops you from doing your ‘actual’ job. Eventually, you say no to online learning without giving it a proper try. When asked about it by your boss or when it is evaluated against your KPI, you log in and finish the course reluctantly, in turn, defeating the whole purpose of self-growth and career development. Just like hitting the gym, online learning takes a certain discipline and initiative to embark on. Let’s take a look at some tips to make the most out of it.

Identify your goal

Do you have anything specific you want to learn? If you do, look for the online library that offers the course. If your current Learning Management System (LMS) does not offer what you need, sign up for other learning platforms. If your objective is to learn one new skill a day, start with content related to your hobbies and interests. Don’t give up so easily if you can’t find what you want the first time. When you finally set an attainable learning goal, consider allocating some budget to learning tools such as apps or other assistive technology.

Find a learning partner

Get yourself a learning partner to motivate and help you track your progress, preferably someone you are comfortable working with. Just like your gym buddy who will constantly remind and push you out of your comfort zone, your learning partner should do the same.

Make a schedule

Set aside an hour each day or one day a week for this activity. In your schedule, plan ahead on the timing and topic to allow ample time for course browsing. Make your schedule more interesting by including some incentives upon completing several modules or online exercises. Taking up online courses does not have to be boring; it is not necessary for you to complete one course before moving on to another.
In order to keep that motivation going, it is important that you mix up your online schedule so as to balance out your interests and the courses that maybe don’t grab your attention so easily.

Learn in bite-sized chunks

Explore ways to retain information better through micro-learning. This is a type of learning that involves the comprehension of the learning content in small doses. You can listen to a podcast while going for your morning run or watch learning videos while waiting for the bus. With advancements in technology, many systems even allow downloadable offline content on smartphones so that you can read them while having breakfast. Thus, there is no excuse for having no time because micro is now macro.

Persevere

Sometimes, it may feel like your progress is slow. But with unfaltering perseverance, you are sure to make more progress than you think. Don’t give up easily when your learning is interrupted with ad-hoc errands or inconsistent habits. Persevere by taking the small steps that eventually result in big achievements. Do not get trapped by the thought of “I’m just taking a break and will get back to it when I have time”. Make time! Knowing this, are you ready to keep the momentum going? Once you get started, not only do you get to expand your knowledge on professional courses, you also get to enhance your computer savviness too. After all, what do you have to lose?