Most schools this upcoming year will be all online, or mostly online. For those who have never experienced online learning, it can be a rough transition, especially for classes that are harder to learn remotely, like math. I had trouble transitioning to online learning, and these are the ways I helped myself improve the transition.
1. Watch all videos provided by the professor/attend all Zoom lessons
One of my professors provided all the notes for the course then released videos breaking down the explanation of the notes. Reading, and writing down the notes is one thing, but understanding them is another. Watching the videos, and attending live Zoom calls, or any live session, will help give you the in person class feel with your professor teaching.
2. Attend any offered office hours
While attending office hours regardless of the circumstances is always recommended, when learning online office hours will help that much more. Communication is not as fluid online as it is in person, so being able to have some sort of office hours with your professor, or TA, will help you understand the material better.
3. Utilize any online academic resources
If you can afford Chegg, I recommend using it. Chegg provides explanations on all sorts of problems, no matter the subject. A great, free, resource is YouTube. There are so many YouTube videos that educators make to help explain material in a quicker fashion. If you cannot find the help you are looking for on campus, or need a quicker way to get information, YouTube will be your friend. I recommend "Crash Course" on Youtube. Another great resource is Cliff Notes. Cliff Notes is a resource for English that will help break down the meanings of books. For harder reads, it will help you comprehend the deeper meanings.
4. Access any tutoring your school offers
Some schools offer free tutoring, or writing labs, and some have academic centers with many resources. Using your school's resources can help a lot because they are tailored to the classes they offer. Sometimes they have study guides made for the class, and have former students that are available to help you understand the material from classes they have already taken.
Good luck to everyone this upcoming year. This year will look very different than anything we have experienced before, but learning to adjust is key! It is always okay to ask for help; this can help you reach your potential and beyond!
