Since the beginning of the pandemic, 465 students have been quarantined. Those students went into online learning to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Some faced difficulties in adjusting to distance learning. There are reports on professional news outlets exposing the large numbers of American students that are failing this semester. Here are some tips to help distance learners get good grades while attending zoom meetings.

Study:
Studying is an essential part of being a student. According to the University of Saskatchewan, “Good study skills can improve your ability to learn and retain knowledge.” Having a dedicated space where distance learners can go to study without distractions and having a set time of day to study will help keep their grades up. Some things they could do are make flashcards, draw pictures that explain what they are studying and quiz themselves.

Take notes:
Taking quality notes can be the difference between failing and passing a class. When students take notes, distance learners should make sure they are organized in a way that they will be able to understand them when they read them later. Linkedin says that “effective note-taking enhances academic success.” Taking notes can also help students remember the material they are learning about better and when they are confused about a topic, they can come back to these notes.

Do your assignments/homework:
Falling behind during online learning is an easy thing to do if students do not stay on top of their assignments. Making sure that they get their work done and turned in on time is important. Doing homework may also help better student test scores. According to Duke Today, “Practice assignments do improve scores on class tests at all grade levels.”

Limit absences:
Distance learners don’t get as much face-to-face interaction with their teachers as in-school students do. Being absent during zoom classes can lead them to miss important information that the teacher needs them to know. The National Center for Education Statistics says that “A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn.” Distance learners should try their best to be at every Zoom meeting on time in order to keep from missing out on important information.

Practice time management:
When students are going to school from home, it could be challenging to schedule designated times to study or do homework, so practicing good time management is important. Brainbridge says that good time management, “reduces stress,” and, “improves the quality of your work.” Distance learners should use their time wisely, be productive and also prioritize their tasks and delegate their time in an effective way.

Stay organized:
Things can get chaotic when distance learners do not have a schedule that they follow each day. Staying organized can help them stay on top of things that they need to do. Kids Health says that being organized, “helps you get to work faster.” Some things distance learners can do to stay organized are use the Google calendar to write down what they have to turn in in the upcoming days and have a planner where they can write down the assignments they need to complete.

Pay attention:
When distance learners are in Zoom classes, paying attention could be difficult. The University of Southern Maine says that “Whether in the classroom, reading a textbook, listening to a podcast, or practicing a skill for work, dedicating complete attention is absolutely critical.” If students find themselves zoning out or getting distracted, they could try to remind themselves that they may miss important information if they do not give the teacher their full attention.

Eliminate distractions:
Not getting distracted could be a difficult thing to do when students are distance learning. One way for them to eliminate distractions is to find somewhere quiet where they can focus on their work without being disturbed. According to Carrington College, some things they can do to eliminate distractions are turn off their notifications and turn off their phones. Doing these things and focusing on their work could help distance learners eliminate some distractions.

Use your resources:
Even though online learners may not have as much access to their teachers, the teachers are there to help all students. If students doing distance learning need help, they ask questions during class or send their teachers an email. They can also watch the zoom class recordings, use their textbooks and look back at their notes if they are confused about a subject.

Break down your tasks:
People could get easily overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do and this leads to procrastination and failing to meet deadlines. Instead of trying to do everything at once, distance learners can break their tasks down into smaller pieces. They could try to do one assignment all the way through until it is complete and then move on to the next one.

Motivate yourself:
It could be difficult for distance learners to stay motivated while they’re learning from home, but there are ways to do that. They could motivate themselves by using a reward system. The University of Southern Maine also says that people could, “Make a favorite activity (spending time with friends, playing video games, going for a run) the reward for writing a draft of the paper, or even going to every one of your classes that day.” Finding the motivation to do their work if they have nothing to look forward to might be a tedious task for distance learners, so using a reward system could help.

Stay healthy:
Making sure that you take care of yourself is important. If you try to do all of the work that you have to do at once, you could burn yourself out, which can have a detrimental effect on your mental health. Take breaks in between assignments to be around family and talk to your friends. Take a second to breathe if you are feeling stressed out. Not every task needs to be perfect. Try to remember that all you have to do is your best and that you are only human.