With the rise of distance education , an increasing number of young people and adults decide to study at home, setting their own schedules and relying on all the flexibility and cost-effectiveness that this modality offers in relation to face-to-face education.
However, it is very important to understand that there are certain characteristics to be prioritized by those who follow this path, as well as some challenges that need to be overcome to ensure the achievement of good results. Do you want to better understand what we are talking about and how the practice of studying at home can ensure your success? Follow the post!
What characteristics should be prioritized when studying at home?
discipline
One of the main characteristics of the student who studies at home is discipline — in fact, most recruiters are already trained to observe this ability in candidates who have opted for distance learning.
This is a very important factor, after all, the flexibility of studying at home definitely does not mean that there is plenty of time to dedicate to the course only when you feel it is necessary.
It is necessary to have discipline to put together a good plan, as we will see below, to know how to create the habit of complying with your schedule, knowing when each activity should start and end and, also, to know how to avoid distractions, such as television, cell phone , noises etc.
Planning
Those who choose to study at home know the importance of making a consistent planning of their study routine. Best of all, this can be done according to the time you have available, benefiting even those who need to balance study and work outside the home .
In the course of a distance course, the student must dedicate a part of his time daily to attend classes, read the materials and do the exercises. To make it easier, it is interesting to set up a schedule with what to study, when and for how long.
The truth is that, compared to a face-to-face course, distance learning allows greater flexibility and independence on the part of the student to set up their own schedules according to strategies that meet their daily demands. However, this is an advantage that must be used wisely and responsibly.
Balance
Studying at home definitely does not mean spending sleepless nights in front of the computer or on top of handouts thinking that, in this way, the retention of content will be enhanced.
The student who studies at home must know how to organize their moments dedicated to study and rest very well, setting up a routine to be followed daily. Here, it is also important to highlight that breaks are necessary to improve performance , preventing you from wearing out and having your focus and concentration reduced when studying.
What are the main challenges of studying at home?
Study methods
A good learning is directly related to the dedication on the part of the student and the methods he uses to fix the content and strengthen the knowledge. But when studying at home, how to choose the best study techniques and ensure good results?
This is a very common challenge, however, easy to solve when you have information on the main methods of studies – some even scientifically proven.
Revision
Revisions are undoubtedly excellent ways to store and fix what is being studied. However, it is worth noting that the main information is lost by our brain, according to the forgetting curve, in the first 24 hours. Therefore, reviewing well during this period is essential.
To do so, review everything explained during the class or that you read in your study materials, preferably, making summaries and notes, as we will see below.
Summary
In addition to reviews, summaries, notes and annotations are other ways to keep content well. Although some students choose to only highlight the excerpts of the texts, rewriting the information, especially in their own words, is an even more efficient learning alternative.
practical test
Reinforcing what has been learned through practice tests is critical, especially after doing reviews and summaries. It is an effective strategy to assimilate the subjects and test your knowledge; so be sure to make exercise lists in your study materials. For those who want to go even further, it is possible to find simulations and activities on the most varied subjects on the internet.
Goals and objectives
Even when studying at home, it is important that you follow your own evolution to always achieve good results. As it is the student who sets his own schedules, he must be able to know if his study routine is, in fact, being efficient, which can be a great challenge.
To do so, you need to set goals and objectives and try your best to achieve them. This goes for the amount of exercises done, classes attended and for everything that involves your study planning. In this way, positive results will certainly appear in tests and online assignments.
When making a list of exercises, for example, an interesting idea is to set a goal that is proportional to the grade you want to get on the next test. So, if, after completing the activities, you manage to get more than 80% of the questions right, your grade will hardly be lower than that on the exam. If you can’t accomplish this goal, try reviewing your methods.
Space to study at home
Last, but definitely not least, we have the space to study at home. Amazingly, the place where you sit to dedicate yourself to your studies can positively or negatively influence your performance in a distance learning course. Therefore, one of the main challenges here is to pay attention to the following factors when preparing the chosen environment:
- organization: studying in environments where disorganization, the accumulation of objects and the lack of cleanliness prevail is an invitation for your focus to be diverted without you even realizing it;
- lighting: the space must be well lit, preferably receiving sunlight during the day;
- noise: a noisy environment will interfere with your concentration and prevent you from maintaining 100% focus on the content studied. If your space does not have the desired silence, a tip is to opt for the use of ear protectors.
