11 Tips For Distance Learners

Hi Everyone, so I have officially been a Distance Learning student now for just over 2 months, I've even handed in my first 2 assignments. (2 down loads to go!)

It has been an eye opening experience getting back into writing assignments and having to learn new ways of working. 

I'm doing this degree whilst working full time and I wanted to share with you all some tips I have learnt thus far:

1. Plan your time - what with working and have a social life you would definitely need to set yourself specific days to study.

2. Prepare to Read - There is ALOT of reading involved, from the module units to the core texts and journals you will need for referencing. Embrace the reading because there is no way you can get around it if you want a good mark.

3. Citations - One of the new things about a degree is having to cite your references in a specific style. We are using the Harvard style for Citation. A good book to get is called 'Cite Them Right'

4. Communication is Key - All of this is based virtually online so if you need any advice you will have to use e-mail. One thing I've learnt already is it is hard to get in touch with the lecturers and that you can be waiting over a week for a reply. Don't be afraid to email more than once it is your work and it is important.

5. Set Up Your Own Facebook Group - Create your own Facebook or Whatsapp group with people doing the same course. That way you can bounce questions and ideas off one another and it is a secondary support system to the university itself.

6. Email - Remember to check your e-mails and Virtual Learning areas everyday, they are constantly being updated and you don't want to miss something important. 

8. Set Yourself Goals - Give yourself realistic goals on when you want to complete an assignment by and stick to them.

9. Proof Read - You don't want to send off any silly mistakes that may cost you marks, you can proof read yourself or give it to someone else to check. A fresh pair of eyes never hurt!

10. Triple Check Everything Before Sending it Off - I am guilty of this one I sent off the wrong file thankfully this was an email assignment and I could easily contact the correct person to fix it. If you are uploading onto your learning area however this would be harder to fix. Make sure everything is how you want it and that you dot the i's and cross the t's.

Finally:

11. Remember to Give Yourself a Break - It can seem daunting when you have a huge amount of work to do and you might want to try and do it as quickly as possible in one go. Make sure you give yourself some time to unwind and relax everybody needs a break and you will find it will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to dive back into it.