Getting the most out of online learning during the holidays

Online learning has been a part of our education system for a long time, but it has undergone a quick evolution over the past two years due to the pandemic. Fortunately, our children belong to the generation known as “digital natives”, having grown up with the internet, and they have caught on rapidly to the use of online learning in their education.

One great advantage of online learning is that it can be done anywhere and anytime, so long as your child possesses a laptop or mobile device with internet access. These days, learning doesn’t have to stop just because school is closed for the semester.

The holidays in particular are an ideal time for your child to catch up on any subjects or topics that they are less confident about. This is where online learning, through various platforms such as Geniebook, can come into play for your child. But in order to get the most out of these learning sessions, some guidelines will need to be followed.

Create a routine for your child’s online learning

Online learning brings with it many benefits, such as the flexibility of time. It may be tempting to be distracted, or to do other things instead of paying attention to online classes, but it is crucial that your child stays focused, and not complacent. With a learning routine in place, your child will soon reap its benefits.

One way to help your child stick to a schedule is by arranging a set period of time every day specially for study. It’s the holidays, so a period as short as 30 minutes should be good enough. During this time, have them look through the textbooks that will be used next year, or let them learn and practise concepts with Geniebook’s AI-personalised worksheets, live classes, and student-teacher chats for academic help.

Treat it as you would treat an in-person class

A good way to approach online learning would be to treat it as if it were like an actual class held in-person. This would mean turning up prepared, with the necessary learning materials, on time, and with an open attitude towards learning. It may be tempting for your child to just bring their laptop to the bed, or the couch, and to proceed to listen to their online classes from there, but that is not conducive to learning, and should thus be avoided. Get your child to sit at their designated area, and to pay full attention.

If your child has classes early in the morning, it may be tempting for your child to roll out of bed a minute before class starts, and to turn on their desktop/laptop just as it begins. However, ensuring your child wakes up early, freshens up with a shower, and has a good breakfast before class will go a long way in preparing them for a productive learning session.

Write notes

Studies have shown that note-taking is a useful way of ensuring that you retain what you were just taught. Especially with pre-recorded classes, it may be tempting for your child to think of the class as being “always there” for them to refer to. However, that can be time-consuming, and is not a conducive way to learn. On the other hand, writing down notes will allow your child to engage with the learning material easily, making it a big help in their learning.

Contribute to discussions

Learning should not be only about passively receiving information; it should also involve active engagement with the class and the material. While it may be harder to do so without classes being in-person, other platforms for discussion may exist for the class, depending on what your child’s teacher has chosen to use.

Your child’s teacher may have set up online discussion rooms, forums, or message boards in order to facilitate discussion between the students. Encourage your child to participate and contribute actively to these discussions.

Online learning during the holidays can be very helpful for students wishing to get a headstart on their next academic year, and it’s even more effective when they use Geniebook to do it. Find out all about it here, or visit the link below for more information.