Five Things I Learned from Online Learning

A year ago, if you would ask me what school was, I would have probably said that it was an institution where we would stay for nine or more hours each day to learn and socialize with our friends. Now, if you ask me what school is, I’ll say that it is when I log in my iPad / computer to enter virtually a class and learn with my classmates and friends. 

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has made an impact on our lives and on what we used to call normal, and we cannot do much other than to accept that there are transitions that have to be made, including with online classes. It is unexpected, but I learned many things from this new set-up of learning. Here are five of them:

 

     1. Good Time Management is Necessary

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Based on experience the amount of homework and activities pile up when we procrastinate. It gets harder to get them done. However, if we manage our time well, our online learning experience will be more enjoyable since we wouldn’t have to cram or lose sleep just to finish our homework.

 

     2. Studying in Advance Makes Learning More Effective

 

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I recently formed this habit of studying in advance to be prepared for the next lesson, and I noticed that in the end, I was able to retain the information the teacher taught us more easily and at the same time, learn more details about the lessons. Studying in advance gave me a more detailed and better understanding of our lessons. It also helped me gain interest in learning online since I already have a prior knowledge about the lesson to be discussed in class.

 

     3. Commitment is What It Takes to Learn

 

Image by: Khyte Mendoza

My friend once told me that to be able to learn well, it takes commitment and passion, and based on my own experience, I can say that it is true because without it, we would be more prone to procrastination. Being committed means that we are dedicated to learning, which takes a big part in how much we are motivated to learn.

Now, in online learning there are a lot of distractions that can keep us from studying, even during school hours. Our teachers cannot do much to stop us from doing this, but we can! It only requires our commitment to our own learning and discipline.

 

     4. Online Learning Tools Aid Learning 

 

Image from: Google Playstore

Since everything is now online, having the necessary online tools is needed. These tools that we use in class have really helped me learn more efficiently. Here are some of the tools that really piqued my interest in learning online:

• Peardeck: I am able to explore and learn independently.
• Flipgrid: I am able to share my thoughts online in different  multimedia format.
• Phet Simulations: I am able to participate in an online laboratory for Science. 

 

     5. Contentment Makes Learning Online More Meaningful

 

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Despite that most learning in the Philippines suddenly had to transition to online learning, there are many schools and students who cannot support the set up. Some schools found a way to make learning possible despite the pandemic, but some, due to the scarce resources are not able to deliver online learning. The same challenges befall our fellow Filipino students. Not all households are able to afford a gadget and internet connectivity to aid them in online classes, so they resort to not attending school this school year. I am blessed that my parents and our school are able to support me in this new mode of learning. Being able to acknowledge this helps me to be committed to my own learning and make use of the opportunity of learning online despite the challenges that we are all facing. 

 

Overall, online learning has been an interesting experience for me–not exactly the easiest but I have been trying my best to make it worthwhile and meaningful. It has taught me many things and has opened my eyes to the reality that despite the challenges we experience today, we can still thrive and make good use of our time and resources to equip us with the necessary skills in the ‘now normal’.