“ Where there is a will, there is a way.” Cliched, but highly applicable here!
Online learning has become common these days. The learning process online consists of videos to watch, discussions with the instructor and fellow students on forums, quizzes and tests. But in case of a power blackout or unreliable internet do you need to just stop and wait? Nope! There’s plenty you can do. Let’s see that that is.
Download & View Offline
Most learning platforms come equipped for students to download videos and watch them at their convenience. They often come equipped with downloadable transcripts too. Don’t let large file sizes faze you. Compress files. Video quality might deteriorate a little, but then it is better than having no video at all! In case you find the videos a little slow for your pace, see whether the settings allow you to increase the speed. Then you can watch the video at a faster speed and complete watching many videos in less time. Some learning platforms have provisions for audio files too. Explore your course and understand what all is possible. .
Save!
Hit the save button after every answer when you are on a quiz. That way if your connection fails when you are partly done, you can still restart when connection is restored. This way you will save most of your quiz or test and will not have to repeat everything if the connection is lost. Also, many learning platforms have the provision of taking multiple attempts at the quiz or test.
Good studying habits
In the good ‘ol days before the advent of digital technology in education, there was a concept called note-taking. Look it up. It is an effective study tool. You need not use paper and pen. Take notes on your computer/ tablet. Writing down a concept in your own words is a proven learning tool for committing most of the concept to memory. You understand and retain better when you write something down. If you develop this habit you will always have something to fall back on, when your internet connectivity/ electricity is down. When you are studying offline, use Word to note down queries for the discussion forum. You can post your queries when you get online.
Make optimal use of public spaces
These days several public spaces have wi-fi connections. If you are pushed to a corner, head to such a space and settle down to study.
Unreliable internet or power blackouts can be challenging but hopefully some of the tips given above will help you beat the problem and complete your course successfully. Good Luck!
