Online Learning: How to Avoid Some Common Traps

Like 98% of young people today, you probably own a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Or maybe even all three! If you do, you are more and more tempted to complete your lessons or review for exams electronically. For sure, you already used these digital devices to learn, improve or revise. As we walk you through this new learning process, we will give you advice to help you avoid making common mistakes and learn effectively.

Common Pitfalls of Online Learning, and How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Learning Only on Electronic Devices

We cannot stress enough the importance of traditional learning. Indeed, online learning should always be considered in addition to more traditional ways of learning. A mobile app to learn French is very helpful but at some point, you need to use what you have learned speaking with a language exchange partner or meeting some native speakers offline.

Also, a review sheet of a course found online should never replace a study sheet written on your own. It is indeed very important to create your own sheets for key notions and concepts. Not only does writing help remember but you can also personalize your sheets and learn them more easily.

Mistake #2: Relying Only on Expensive Websites 

Thinking that only expensive content is quality content is a mistake. Today, there are numerous websites that offer educational content to learn a new language or revise for an exam. Some of them are free others are not. Some websites thus offer up-to-date, complete, and relevant educational resources for free. Most of the time, you only need to create a user account to access it from your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

In addition to revision sheets or past papers with answers, you can also find free cover letters written specifically for your school level and the job you want, or CV examples meeting the criteria of your experience and professional ambition. Some websites even offer this type of content in several languages to help young people achieve their international goals.

It is the same for educational mobile apps. The best way to know if an app is of good quality is to trust the users’ comments on the stores. The apps rankings are an excellent way to imagine the quality of an app, whether it is free or not. For example, if you want to take a test to assess and certificate your English level, it’s better to choose an app that has a good rating on the stores.

Mistake #3: Choosing Websites with Out-of-Date or Incomplete Content

The basic principle to learn well online is to choose websites that have a good reputation and whose length of service gives them legitimacy. Prefer websites and apps editors that have been existing for more than 4 years and which have been forerunners in the field of digital education. As for websites offering educational content, make sure that the lessons are of good quality and relevant: the lessons have to be in accordance with the national curriculum and written by actual teachers. This will allow you to revise notions that are actually taught and to avoid losing time with notions that will never be assessed during an exam or with numbers that are not accurate!

This guest post was written by the Editorial Team of DigiSchool, an online platform offering free educational content for students and teachers.