How to Study for Your Online Classes
As an online student, you often fit coursework and study time around everything else. When the term nears its end, a smart study plan can help your degree path.
Use these six tips to create a new plan to tackle online courses and exams.
1. Make a Plan
Start on day one of the semester. Make a study plan from your course syllabi in Moodle.
Mark due dates on your calendar for a clear map of where to focus your efforts.
Online Health Services Administration graduate Bailey Meaux used more than one calendar to stay on top of deadlines.
“Much of succeeding in online courses is balancing studies with personal lives since we don’t have a clean-cut schedule,” he says. “Calendars let me lay out coursework week by week on my phone, laptop, and my desk. This might take work but having visual guides of when to work helps drastically.”
If your instructor says you will use ProctorU, learn the platform early. ProctorU asks you to book your exam ahead of time and may charge more for late reservations. That matters when you are preparing for online exams.
2. Create the Right Environment
If you can, choose a space that other people in your home know is just for studying.
Clear away clutter, post your syllabus and study calendar, and get to work.
3. Make the Most of Your Time
Time management for online students starts with seeing how you spend your time. If your week feels crowded, map out work, family, and other duties so you can find study time.
Once you are in your study zone, cut distractions. A good tool is the Pomodoro timer. The pomodoro technique for studying means working for 25 minutes, then taking a 5-minute break. After four rounds, take a longer 10-minute break.
Jami Rush, former director of UL Lafayette’s Learning Center, says the method helped her make the most of her time during her doctorate.
“Anyone can focus on a task for 25 minutes. Whether it’s reading for 25 minutes or writing for 25 minutes, studying or making your flashcards. Whatever it is,” she says. “For four rounds of 25 minutes, a little less than two hours, there’s so much accomplished because you’re not distracted. It’s a wonderful technique.”
4. Study for Your Learning Style
Everyone learns in a different way. Some learn best by listening. Others learn best by reading or doing. Many people use a mix of all three.
Our Online Student Orientation helps students to determine their learning style. The quiz can point to study strategies for different learning styles and give you more useful study tips.
For example, visual learners may use flashcards or avoid distractions during study time. Tactile learners may rock in a chair while studying or sort flashcards to help them see links between ideas.
5. Plan a Virtual Study Session
Your classmates have knowledge. That makes them a resource, so use it.
Connect with other students through Moodle forums and meet in person or online. Through UL Lafayette, all students can access Microsoft Office products with their ULID.
Review course materials, get feedback on papers or projects, and form valuable connections with future UL Lafayette alumni.
Remember: If you run into trouble during the semester, you have a team behind you.
Contact your instructor if you have a course-related issue. Your advisor can guide and advocate for you. If you need help figuring out who to contact, email online@louisiana.edu.
Q&A
Question: When should I start making a study plan for an online course?
Short answer: Start on day one of the semester. Review your course syllabi in Moodle and add key due dates to your calendar. That gives you a clear map for study time, assignment priorities, and balance with work, family, and other duties.
Question: Why is using a calendar especially important for online students?
Short answer: Online courses do not always have the built-in schedule you get in person, so calendars help create structure. Using visual reminders on a phone, laptop, or desk can make it easier to track weekly coursework, exam dates, and deadlines.
Question: Who can I contact if I need help during the semester?
Short answer: Contact your instructor for course-related issues and your advisor for guidance or support. If you are not sure who to contact, email online@louisiana.edu for help finding the right resource.
