Online High Schools: An Overview

Have you heard of online high schools and are wondering if they're a good option for you? Online high school is a great way to earn a high school diploma. Find out some major ways to do online high school the right way:

Be Accountable

Make sure to set goals right at the beginning of the semester. Make sure to check in with yourself on a weekly basis. When it comes to a conventional classroom setting, you are likely to receive verbal or visual reminders of the upcoming due date of an assignment. However, since you do not have a professor to remind you of your assignments, you need to make sure that you have allotted sufficient time to get your work completed. This way, you would not have to start an assignment a day before the due date.

If you are not able to hold yourself responsible, try to pair up with a fellow classmate. You can also enlist the help of a spouse or friend to check in as a certain accountability partner. When you are organized and highly self-aware, you can get a lot of value from your online class.

Manage Time Wisely

Many tend to resort to online high school due to its flexibility. In online high school, students need to create their own schedule. However, this freedom can also be a bit detrimental if you do not have good time management skills. Thus, it might get a bit challenging for some students.

Now, the way you manage your time relies on your schedule, personality, and learning style. However, you need to follow some simple tips. Make sure to look at the syllabus at the start of the semester. Take note of the prominent assignments. You must know which workload is coming in the weeks ahead. Do not forget to take prior commitments into account. After all, it might interfere with your daily study schedule. This way you can think of giving yourself a good deal of extra time to get your assignments completed.

Devise a weekly schedule. Designate certain hours each week to read, listening to lectures, finishing off assignments, and taking part in forums. Focus on making your online coursework part of your weekly routine. Try to set reminders for yourself to finish off this set of tasks. At the time of working on your assignments, opt for time-blocking. You can think of setting a timer to keep yourself accountable.

You must check in from time to time throughout the term. Try to look at how you are spending your time.

Take Your Online Course Seriously

In the context of online classes, you are required to have the discipline to sit down and work on your online course. To make sure that you follow through properly, you need to take your online course seriously. Treat it like a ‘real’ course. You are required to show up if you are going to get actual value out of your class. Make sure to treat your online classes the same way you would a direct class.

Focus on Staying Organized

You can consider setting up a dedicated learning environment for studying. By getting your work completed on a repeated basis, you will start establishing a routine. Now, your workspace can be a library, café, corner of your room, etc. Make sure to figure out what type of environment will work well for you. Experiment to discover which type of setting strengthens your productivity. Ensure that you have high-speed internet access. This way, you will not try to take an online course over a connection that is lagging.

Set up a daily workspace or office. This will certainly help you to stay organized. When you know exactly where important dates, forms, syllabi, files, books, and assignments are, it will help you be on track. Thus, you are likely to fulfill your goals on time. At the time of setting up your study space, you must arrange for a high-speed internet connection. This goes without saying!

Cut Down Distractions

When you are learning online, you are likely to come across various distractions that can derail your learning. You need to find ways to cut down these distractions and set aside time to focus well. Depending on your personality and learning patterns, find a strategy that works well for you.

Irrespective of the study space, you can choose to turn your cell phone off to avoid losing focus when a text message or notification comes up. If you are still having trouble getting away from the temptation, make sure to check your email. Also, consider surfing the web. Try to download a website blocker. With the help of various applications such as Cold Turkey and Freedom, you can eliminate distractions by blocking the apps or websites that compete for your attention.

Identify Your Learning Patterns

After establishing your study space, consider when and how you learn best. Set aside a few hours after dinner to cozy up to your computer. If the kids need your attention, prepare a study session mid-day when they are at school. Utilize your go-to playlist and do whatever you need to do. Keep in mind that not everyone learns the same way. Identify your unique learning style.

Think about what types of information help you best learn new concepts. Use relevant study strategies. If you are a visual learner, print out transcripts of the video lectures to review. Build time into your schedule for playing and replaying every course content that is audio or video-based.

Take Part Actively

Engage in the course’s online forum to help you better understand your course materials. Interact with fellow classmates. You might have to comment on a classmate’s paper on a discussion board.