{English will follow Afrikaans}
Ons land was vir 40 dae in 'n grendelstaat gewees. Dit het veroorsaak dat geen student by universiteite toegelaat is nie. In ‘n poging om die studente toe te laat om met hul studies aan te gaan, het die regering onderrig deur middel van “online mode” in plek gestel. Die probleem is egter, dat baie studente met hierdie aanlyn-leer sukkel.
Daarom het ons ‘n paar wenke saamgestel oor hoe om aanlyn-leer aan te pak:
1. Aanvaar dat die eerste aanlyn klasse oorweldigend sal voel
Kom ons wees eerlik. ‘n Mens voel altyd oorweldig as jy vir die eerste keer iets nuuts probeer. Daar is geen verskil as dit kom by aanlyn klasse nie. Dit neem tyd om jouself bekend te maak met die sisteem, en om met ander mense akademies, aanlyn te kommunikeer. Jou selfvertroue sal opgebou word namate jy gemakliker raak met die aanlyn leer-proses. Dink aan maniere hoe jy jouself nou kan motiveer. Dit wil sê, sodra jy begin oorweldig voel, kan jy jouself herninner aan jou algemene onderrig-doelwitte en aanhou vorentoe beweeg.
2. Verstaan die aanlyn-leer praktyk en verwagtinge
Eerstens, moet jy besef dat aanlyn klasse nie ‘n makliker manier van leer is nie; eerder net ‘n manier wat geriefliker is. Om suksesvol aanlyn te leer, moet jy ‘n sekere hoeveelheid van jou tyd afstaan, voortdurend by die programme aansluit, jou konsentrasie behou terwyl jy leer, en jouself geheel en al aan die leerproses verbind. Met ander woorde, net soos wat jy oorspronklik sou gedoen het.
3. Jy moet ‘n toegewyde studie area hê
Besluit om in jou kamer of in jou studeerkamer te leer, maar maak seker dat die area stil, georganiseerd, aflyding-vry en ten alle tye toeganklik vir jou gebruik, is. Jou leeromgewing moet een van jou hoof bekommernisse wees as aanlyn-student. Hierdie is om jou roetine van leer, moontlik te maak. Verder, vra jou vriende en familielede om jou “work mode” te respekteer. Oorweeg dit ook sterk om, terwyl jy leer, jou selfoon en alle sosiale netwerke af te skakel.
4. Beperk sosiale media
Dit is alles goed en wel om in die “black hole” van Facebook verlore te raak, maar wanneer dit by graadvang kom, moet daardie blou-en-wit “thumbs up”, eers bietjie op sy gesit word.
Een manier om gefokus te bly is om uit te teken by al jou sosiale media platforms.
Aangesien die rekenaarskerm ‘n aanlyn-student se klaskamer is, mag dit moeilik wees om die versoeking te weerstaan om vinnig jou hoeveelheid “likes” te gaan kyk. Dus, deur uit te teken van al jou platforms, gaan jy in staat wees om meer doelgerig te fokus op dit wat jy lees of op die opdrag waarmee jy besig is.
5. Identifiseer jou leeruitkomstes en doelwitte
Om op dit te bly met jou aanlyn-studies, moet jy seker maak dat jy altyd, dit wat jy hoop om te bereik, voor die oë moet hou. Die leeruiteenkomstes en doelwitte van die eLeer proses kan ‘n uitstekende padkaart wees tydens aanlyn-leer. Kyk mooi wat jou modules se vereistes is, maak notas wat in die lyn van jou doeltwitte is, en maak seker dat jy dit deeglik hersien met elke nuwe opdrag waarmee jy begin. Die doel hiervan is om te verseker jy bly op jou doelwitte gefokus. Oorweeg dit om met die moeilikste opdragte eerste te begin; dit sal die produktiwiteit van jou leer verbeter.
6. Doen een ding op ‘n slag
“Multitasking” lei tot minder produktiwiteit; daarom is dit belangrik dat jy op een ding op ‘n slag gefokus moet bly. Stel vir jou ‘n doen-lysie op. Merk dan elke ding, soos wat jy dit voltooi, af. So kan jy ook beter rekord hou van die dinge wat jy al gedoen het en wat jy nog moet doen. Om rekord te hou van al jou toetsdatums, kan jy Google Calender gebruik om jou daaraan te herinner.
7. Gebruik aanlyn-hulpbronne
Gebruik enige hulpbronne wat aan studente beskikbaar gestel is. Die NWU het talle e-boeke en ander elektroniese bronne gratis beskikbaar gestel om ons in hierdie tydperk te help om ons studies te voltooi. Volg hierdie skakel om toegang daartoe te verkry: https://libguides.nwu.ac.za/az.php . LET WEL: dit is slegs vir studente van die NWU.
8. “Log” gereeld op jou kursus aan
Maak seker dat jy ten minste eenkeer per dag op eFundi gaan om jou modules te kontroleer. As daar ‘n aanlyn-gesprek in een van jou modules plaasgevind het, neem die tyd om te sien wat gevra is en wat die antwoorde op die vrae was. Dit kan moontlik iets wees waaroor jy ook gewonder het en dan kan dit jou help. As jy te lank vat om te gaan kyk, gaan jy agter raak en dan gaan dit baie moeilik wees om weer op te vang.
9. RUS
Om jou brein toe te laat om te rus nadat jy geleer het, is krities vir “high performance”. As jy vind dat jy besig is om aan ‘n moeilike opdrag te werk, maar jy kom nie ver nie, neem ‘n breek. Gaan stap buite (met jou masker, onthou!), vat ‘n lekker warm bad of praat met vriende/vriendinne – dit kan vinnig weer vir jou die energie gee wat jy nodig het. Jou vriende kan selfs vir jou raad gee oor hoe om die projek anders aan te pak.
10. Bly gemotiveerd
Dit is belangrik om gemotiveerd te bly tydens hierdie aanlyn-leer ervaring. Wenke om seker te maak jy bly gemotiveerd is om;
- jou studie area mooi te maak met motiverende slagspreuke en prentjies
- nooit vergeet waarom jy in die eerste plek gaan studeer het nie
- te aanvaar dat jy meer produktiewe- asook minder produkiewe dae gaan hê
- ‘n gesonde peuselhappie byderhand te hou om jou energie vlakke te verhoog
- jouself te beloon na elke opdrag wat jy voltooi het
- positief te bly en jou kop hoog te hou!
Geskryf deur: Carla Sanders
Geredigeer deur: Corné Senekal & Maggie Wassermann
Tips for online learning
Our country was in lockdown for 40 days. It restricted students from attending universities. In an attempt to allow students to carry on with their studies, the government implemented online classes. The problem however, is that many students struggle with online learning.
That is why we have compiled some tips on how to tackle online learning:
1. Accept that the first online classes may feel overwhelming
Let’s be honest. People often feel overwhelmed when trying something new for the first time. It is no different when it comes to online classes. It takes time to familiarise yourself with the system, and to communicate with people online, about academics. Your self-confidence will build up as you become more comfortable with the online learning process. Think of ways in which you can motivate yourself now. In other words, as soon as you start to feel overwhelmed, you can remind yourself of your general academic goals, and keep moving forward.
2. Understand the online learning practises and expectations
Firstly, you should realise that online classes are not an easy manner in which to study; rather a manner that is more convenient. To be able to study online successfully, you have to give up a certain amount of your time, continuously follow the program, maintain concentration while studying, and completely commit yourself to the learning process. In other words, just as you would have done originally.
3. Have a designated study area
Decide whether to study in your room or study room, but make sure that the area is quiet, organised, distraction-free and available for your use at all times. Your learning environment must be a top priority as an online student. This is to enable you to enforce your routine of studying. Furthermore, ask your friends and family members to respect your “work mode”.
Strongly consider to switch off your phone and or social networks during studying.
4. Limit social media
It is all fun and games to get lost in the “black hole” of Facebook, but when it comes to your degree, you should put that blue and white thumbs up aside for now.
One way to keep your focus, is to sign out of all of your social media platforms.
Since the computer screen is the online student’s classroom, it may be challenging to resist the temptation to quickly check your amount of likes. Therefore, by signing out of all of your platforms, you will be able to focus, goal-orientated, on the work that you are reading or the assignment you are busy with.
5. Identify your study outcomes and goals
To be able to be on top of your online studies, you must make sure to always keep your goal in mind. The learning outcomes and goals of the eLearning process, may be an ideal guideline during the online learning. Have a careful look at what your module’s requirements are, make notes that are in line with your goals, and make sure to thoroughly revise your notes with each new assignment. The purpose of this is to ensure that you stay focussed on your goals. Consider starting with your most challenging assignments; this will increase your learning productivity.
6. Do one thing at a time
Multitasking leads to decreased productivity; it is therefore important that you remain focussed on one thing at a time. Set up a to do list. Check each thing that you complete, as you progress. By use of this method, you can keep track of the tasks you have already completed, and still have to complete. To keep record of all of your test dates, you can use Google Calendar as a tool to remind you.
7. Use online resources
Use any resources made available to students. The NWU made numerous e-books and other electronic resources available during this time to aid us in the completion of our studies. Follow this link to obtain access: https://libguides.nwu.ac.za/az.php . PLEASE NOTE: it is only available to NWU students.
8. Log frequently onto your course
Make sure that you log onto eFundi at least once per day, to keep track of your modules. If an online conversation took place in one of your modules, take the time to see what was asked, as well as the answers to these questions. It may be possible that it was a similar question you had and it helps you as well. If you do not check frequently, you will fall behind and it will become increasingly more challenging to catch up.
9. REST
It is critical to allow your brain to take a break after studying, to maintain high performance. If you find that you are working on a challenging assignment, and you are not progressing, take a break. Take a walk outside (remember your mask!), take a relaxing warm bath or have a chat with your friends – this may quickly recharge your energy levels. Your friends may even provide advice on how to approach your assignment in a different manner.
10. Stay motivated
It is important to stay motivated during this online learning experience. Tips to keep you motivated, are as follows;
- decorate your study area with motivational quotes and images
- never forget why you started studying in the first place
- accept that you will experience more- as well as less productive days
- keep a healthy snack on hand to increase your energy levels
- treat yourself after every completed assignment
- stay positive and keep your head high!
Written by: Carla Sanders
Edited by: Corné Senekal & Maggie Wassermann
Translated by: Maggie Wassermann
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