3 Tech Tips to Help You Thrive in an Online Course

The internet has created numerous opportunities in today’s society and some are related to learning. For example, it’s now easier for people who live in remote areas that lack in-person learning environments to take highly specialized courses online. Furthermore, online courses are popular with people who are not able to take classes during traditional hours because they work, have family responsibilities, or other obligations. If you’ve just enrolled in an online course, there are many ways to use technology to your advantage.

Install a Distraction-Blocking Browser Plugin

In the same way, the internet has facilitated learning, it’s made it easier for some students to get distracted. Millions of websites are only clicks away, and the tab functionality in most browsers makes it possible to speedily click back and forth between your online course and YouTube, a social media feed, or another favorite internet destination.

If you find it hard to stay focused online, install a browser plugin that prevents you from accessing certain websites. After setting things up, you’ll find it won’t be possible to go to sites that are part of your blacklist for certain periods of time. Depending on the functionality of the plugin you pick, it may be possible to tweak things so content is only blocked on days of the week that you typically access your online course.

Reduce Dependence on Physical Note - Taking Materials

An internet-based course offers a perfect opportunity to challenge yourself to see if you can get through all or most of it without buying any notebooks, pens, or highlighters. Even if you’re not accustomed to online note-taking applications, you’ll probably find they streamline your studies.

In many cases, you can highlight text by clicking and dragging the mouse across the words. That means you don’t have to deal with using a highlighter that’s almost out of ink.

Some online note-taking assistants also let you tag your notes with keywords, or use a search feature that makes it simpler to go back to the text that talks about certain concepts. If you’re one of Maryville University’s online students and, while studying for Maryville’s online cyber degree you need to look at notes that discuss job opportunities, it’s probably possible to find what you need faster by typing in keywords rather than furiously flipping through notebook pages.

Use an Online File Storage System

Losing work due to technological mishaps is always frustrating, but especially when you’re enrolled in an online course. Can you imagine being a student in an Internet course offered through the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), putting the finishing touches on an eight-page paper about career possibilities associated with a management degree in Information Systems, then having your computer crash before you can upload the document through the UAB Online system for students? An online file storage system could prevent this scenario.

Not only does it store files in a place other than your hard drive, but lets you access the stored content from anywhere.

These are just a few ways you can harness the power of technology to succeed in an online course. Try them to enjoy richer learning experiences.