Distance learning or Massive open online course (MOOC) was once the gift of technology to humankind.

eLearning has been a progressive idea which claimed to be the substitute for schools and learning institutes. And for a while, it did become the alternative for traditional learning for people who could not or didn’t want to attend school.

With advantages like,

• Flexible timings
• Available on demand
• No cost of commute
• Learning from one’s comfort zone, etc.

It was the perfect solution until it wasn’t.

Between 40%-80% of people drop out of online courses and the reasons for this extremely high failed retention rate range from one extreme end to another.

But everything has a solution. The problems which arise in isolation of distance learning too have answers. Read on to find out. 

How to learn better by yourself?

Ever since on-demand learning has made its place in the world, we have seen it become one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

So, one thing can be made certain that eLearning or online learning has been true to every stated benefit. All we need is better management of the course and a few good practices to break-out of the isolation spell and feel motivated.

Help yourself with social media

One of the most significant hurdles in learning from a distance by ourselves is that we do not have any extrinsic motivation.

In schools, learners feel competitive and hence motivated because their achievements are being discussed, and there are perks attached to them.

When you are learning unconventionally, you can take the help of a social media platform for this motivation.

Declaring your goals while engaging on social media with people can give you a sense of accomplishment when you achieve them.

Posting about your consistent progress can also attract the attention of like-minded people. With this kind of peer support, learning becomes more comfortable every day.

Join a community

Ever since the inception of civilisations and societies, humans have only functioned as a part of them. And as great as eLearning is, it does cut you off from your peer group, other students and even teachers, thereby building upon your sense of isolation.

The best way to remedy this is by joining (or creating) a community of like-minded people — a place for other learners where they can discuss their problems and devise solutions.

In fact, in today’s technologically advanced world, even if you cannot find the right place or people for this venture, there are many digital platforms you can use. Making a group on Skype for weekly discussions or using Huddleboard for collaborative learning can prove to be an accelerator in your overall progress.

Always remember your goal

Was it to learn a new language, get certified for a new skill or gain a diploma, as long as you keep an eye on the reason for which you adopted eLearning, it is going to be a motivated ride

Make a reminder for yourself to look at every morning and kick-start your day with fresh motivation. You should remind yourself of the time, money and efforts that you have already invested and how far you have come. It will be a shame to let it all go to waste.

Stop slacking and get dressed

As long as you do not feel the seriousness of our goal on the outside, you won’t feel it on the inside. Even though you have to study from home, it still means that your ambience should be ready for you.

Keeping a corner, if possible, a room with a lockable door, for your study is essential. The reason why time tables end us failing is that there is no compulsion to do anything. The only way to break away from this vicious cycle is by getting up and getting ready to study.

Set realistic goals

Motivation is a good thing, but setting up a bar too high in a fleeting moment of motivation is not.

Self-motivation works like this:

You set a goal → You work to complete it → you achieve it → you feel motivated to reach the next goal

If you set your goals too high or unrealistic and fail to achieve them, it will start building a perpetual sense of failure in you. Even though your target was unachievable, you will still feel less and less motivated every day.

So to begin with, test your abilities, set a goal accordingly and then work towards scaling it gradually.

In the end

Distance learning is convenient, profitable and much more useful than traditional education. The only thing required is self-motivation to break away from the side-effects of isolation.

Your work today will set the tone of your future accomplishments, and it is in your hands. Use these tactics to build your future today!