As a student, your main occupation is learning. Usually, learning takes place in a bright classroom, with desks, whiteboards, and well, other students. But COVID-19 has changed the learning environment for many of us around the world. Education has moved onto a screen. Interactions take place through online discussions or video calls. We must work independently, without immediate access to other students and school resources. What is the secret to staying engaged within virtual classrooms? It varies for everyone. Some of us prefer the boisterous environment of a school, while others have come to favour the quiet, self-led study of a virtual classroom. These individual preferences can create obstacles to online learning. We all have different struggles, so we must create our own toolbox of organizational and coping methods to overcome them. Discovering the strategies that work best for you is the most functional way to approach online learning.
Adaptation does not require the abandonment of your personality or learning style. To adapt is to work around changes in an environment using what you have on hand as you figure out what works. Maybe you learn kinesthetically, building models, doing labs, and acting out what you are learning. Auditory learners prefer to work through content by listening or speaking. Lectures, presentations, and conversations with others keep auditory learners engaged in concepts. Students who learn visually favor diagrams, pictures, videos, and any media that lays out lessons in a clear, viewable format. In a physical classroom, educators usually have the ability to teach in a way that engages each student’s learning style. Working at home, we need to adjust materials and content to fit our individual preferences. A kinesthetic learner could bake to learn about chemistry, for example, or walk outside to identify geometric patterns in nature. Auditory learners could transcribe papers or essays to help with the writing process, or talk through difficult concepts with family members. Visual learners can draw diagrams alongside notes, or look up pictures and videos. Trying to learn a concept in a format that does not interest you is an invitation for becoming bored or distracted. Adapting the same lesson into an engaging style can make all the difference.
When in a classroom, it’s pretty much part of the deal that students get involved. Online, it’s easy to keep microphones muted or pretend there is an audio malfunction every time the teacher raises a question. But studies have shown that actively participating in virtual classes is a great way to improve comprehension. This can look different for everyone, and the great thing about online school is that there are a few ways to share your ideas. Writing a question in the chat, unmuting your microphone and adding to the discussion, or starting a virtual study group are all valid forms of involvement. Active learning does not necessarily always fall under social activities, although working with others is an important skill to develop. Relating concepts to daily life is also a useful way to understand information.
Try evaluating how much you resort to your phone to answer a question, and apply concepts from mathematics or science to evaluate the problem instead. Talk to a family member or mentor about what you are learning, and see if they can remember how to work through math problems or the details of historic events. Think of moments when you might have seen a concept exemplified in real life. Then, bring these experiences to class, to share or to keep in mind while working through a problem.
Learning is a highly individual process, but it depends on a community of students and educators to happen. I enjoy reading, writing, and talking with friends to exchange information and ideas. Understanding that I am primarily a visual learner has helped me greatly, and now I know how to approach online learning in a way that keeps me engaged. I take notes with diagrams, visit my local library to access books on interesting subjects, and draw problems out. I encourage you to evaluate how you learn best, as we navigate online learning as students, and experiment with ways to adapt lessons or concepts to fit your preferences. Remember, not all learning must take place online, even if our classrooms have shifted onto virtual platforms. Step outside, experiment with ideas, interact with your peers, and have fun with the learning process. Stay safe, and stay inquisitive!
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Resources
McVay Lynch, M. (2004). Adapting Your Learning Style to the Online Environment. In 1000268108 771686724 M. McVay Lynch (Ed.), Learning Online: A Guide to Success in the Virtual Classroom (pp. 128-145). Taylor and Francis Group.
Graff, M., Dr., & Davies, J. (2005). Performance in E-Learning: Online Participation and Student Grades. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36(4), 657-663. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2005.00542.x.