Thanks to the advancements in technology, studying natural therapies has not only become easier but more fun and exciting. Gone are the days when you had to earn the qualification needed for a specific modality in a physical classroom; many a home doubles as a learning centre nowadays. Kudos to everyone who has successfully completed their online natural therapy courses and conquered the occasional hitches.
If you're also considering studying online, following the helpful tips and resources in this article will make sure that your online learning experience will be nothing less than stellar.
Tip #1. Set up a Dedicated Learning Space
Traditional classrooms exist to ingrain effective learning habits in students. Sitting and working at the same desk every day helps one establish a study routine which is crucial to the process of absorbing new knowledge. However, we can't deny the fact that the traditional classroom setting doesn't work for everyone. In an online learning environment, a student gets to choose a place to study that fits their learning style. It could be in their bedroom, at a public library or at their favourite coffee shop. Wherever you choose to attend your online classes, see to it that it has a strong, stable internet connection.
Tip #2. Plan Your Study Time
Although online schools would constantly emphasise the importance of flexibility and work-life balance, they don't mean for students to study only when they want to. If this was their intention, then many successful natural therapists in Australia wouldn't have achieved greatness. Practising time management and creating a study schedule are critical for your learning process. You may opt to study in the morning, in the evening, at midday, or you can split your study sessions at different times of the day. What's important is that you stick to a daily schedule wherein you can fully immerse in the lessons and maintain the momentum of learning.
Be sure that you take your other priorities into consideration when planning your study schedule. Blocking off time for these commitments, whether they are recurring or happening in the future, allows you to deal with them in a timely manner without compromising your class schedule.
Tip #3. Avoid Distractions
Keeping distractions at bay is critical to the success of online learners. If you share your bedroom with a sibling, or family members would usually walk in and out, work out a study timetable and discuss it with them. By sharing your goals with them, you give them permission to provide you with the support that you need to stay focused on your studies. Social media, TV, pets and your mobile phone also fall in the category of major distractions, so an online student like yourself must learn how to set time away from these things so that you can mentally and physically be present in your online classes.
Tip #4. Take Short Breaks
Learning becomes impossible when the mind, body and emotions are out of sync due to exhaustion. Since online natural therapy courses underline the importance of keeping these three balanced and in harmony for optimal health, you must put it into practice each day in your online learning environment. Taking a short break away from the screen to make a cup of tea, meditate or do some yoga stretches will get you all fired up for the next lesson or activity.
Your breaks should be well planned out to avoid either overstudying or cramming before the next class because you lost track of time while reading the comments on your social media accounts (check Tip #3 for dealing with distractions).
Tip #5. Jot Down Notes
You do it in the classroom, so nothing should stop you from doing it in an online environment. Taking down notes enables you to absorb new lessons effortlessly. You can refer to them every now and then rather than rewatch video lectures. If you're not a big fan of kilometric words, you may opt for key phrases that are essential to the learning points.
Tip #6. Reach Out to Your Teacher
All schools that offer distance learning have their own learning management systems (LMS), a technical term for online classrooms. The teachers would upload lectures, homework, projects and all learning modules to the LMS for the students to access and work on. Students can also access their grades here. The tool may also be used for interactive activities, like an online discussion forum, where students can discuss a lesson and exchange ideas. Rather than bombard their teacher's email with individual questions, online students are advised to raise their question on this online learning platform as well.
Communication is one of the important aspects — if not the most important — of distance learning because the teacher cannot see their students and wouldn't know whether or not they understood the lesson that has been discussed. As an online student, it's important to reach out to your professor regarding any obstacles you may be struggling with, whether it concerns the coursework or a situation in your home which is hindering you from focusing on your school work. You are also free to discuss their methods of teaching. If you think adopting a better teaching strategy will make your online classes more fun and engaging , don't hesitate to let them know. In fact, they will appreciate you more for your input and honesty.
Tip #7. Set a Goal
People have different reasons for signing up for online classes. What's yours? Having a concrete goal is the key to passing an online natural therapy course with flying colours. It empowers you to come up with ways to increase your productivity and engagement levels with your classmates and teacher. Focusing on that main goal allows you to develop subgoals to get faster to it.
Some common subgoals of goal-oriented students include reading the lessons in advance, holding regular online classroom sessions with their study partners, challenging their abilities by trying something difficult each day and sticking to the class schedule which they've set for themselves.
Distance learning is undoubtedly a better option compared to the traditional classroom setting. After all, nobody likes getting stuck in traffic, squabbling for a parking space or coming in late to class. But it entails a lot of hard work, discipline and an effective learning process. So, whether you're currently enrolled in a class or still going through a list of online natural therapy courses, it's worth drafting a study plan that will work for you. You can finalise it afterwards once you have seen the syllabus and decided how to incorporate your studies into your day-to-day life.
If you're all set to study and earn your qualification, you may head over to the Natural Therapy Pages' complete listing of online natural therapy courses.
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