Have you enrolled in an online university and are preparing yourself to engage in study? Tertiary education is such an exciting time, filled with the wonder of new knowledge, excitement at possible new social connections, and the prospects of a fulfilling and rewarding career once you’ve obtained your degree.
However, studying wholly online brings its own unique sets of challenges and can be difficult for some. That’s why it makes sense to boost your learning with technology where possible.
But how exactly do you go about this? This helpful article will share some top digital study tools and techniques to learn efficiently online. Continue reading to learn more.
Consider Using a Standing Desk
An electric sit/stand desk can be an excellent piece of technology that you can use to boost your concentration. Sitting down all day can make you feel sluggish, fatigued and unmotivated, especially during winter when it’s freezing cold.
You may want to duck away for a nap or find an easy distraction if you sit to study all day long. Netflix, the fridge and your couch can seem enticing and inviting. You can mitigate this risk to your academic concentration with a standing desk so that you can stand for all or some of the day.
In addition to aiding concentration and helping you focus, you will also give your body a well-deserved break. Sitting all day compresses your back, hips, neck and shoulders, and you can feel stiff and sore if you sit for too long.
You could even risk an injury to your back or neck if you’re not using ergonomic workstations or sitting principles. A standing desk is a perfect remedy; you’ll feel less bunched up using one, aiding your concentration and ability to absorb all that new knowledge.
Invest in Noise Cancelling Headphones
As anyone who has ever shared a house with friends or family will tell you, sharing housing with others means you can be prone to distraction. If you’re a student, chances are you’re sharing a house with either your family or some housemates.
For instance, your housemate may put the latest movie you are tempted to watch instead of studying, or your dad might start mowing the lawn or using a loud power tool. Another person could chat loudly on the phone or work from home, hold meetings all day, and make lots of noise.
The perfect way to tune out these annoying and distracting background sounds and chaos and focus on your education is with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. You could put on some lo-fi beats or binaural beats, which are great to study with and can help you focus.
Or, you could have no music and instead rely on noise cancellation technology to reduce the household noise and allow you to focus entirely on the tasks at hand.
Grammarly App
If you’re an online university student, one web application worth investing in is the Grammarly app. This web-based tool uses advanced AI technology to analyse your writing for spelling and grammar mistakes and can offer suggestions to improve your writing.
This is an excellent tool for essays, assignments, reports, and even emails to your professors or fellow students. The free version has limited functionality but can still improve your writing. Still, if you pay for the premium version, you’ll unlock its full capability and be able to edit your writing easily.
The great thing about Grammarly is that you can set goals for your target audience and style of writing – from formal writing for expert audiences to relaxed writing styles for casual audiences.
Quizlet
With this helpful site that is great for online students, you input the information, and Quizlet provides the study tools for you. You can use this for any subject you can think of. Based on the set you input, the website will generate quizzes, practice tests, flashcards, matching games, and even auditory tools to utilise. Quizlet also has a free app for learning on the go and studying while you commute.
Quizlet’s two games, Scatter and Space Race, allow you to learn the material and have fun while learning. In Scatter, you can drag definitions or information to their related counterparts as quickly as possible, clearing the screen.
In Space Race, definitions of terms scroll across the screen, and you type in the answer associated with it before the definition disappears. With leaderboards and high scores, you can compete amongst other users to get the best times, adding some motivation to your studying.
User a Timer App
The Pomodoro method of work and study is a tried and tested method. You study or work on a task for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. You can use a variety of apps for this, from the primary timer on your smartphone to cool applications that let you set a variety of different alarm tones to spice things up.
Studying a Language as an Elective?
If you’re studying Italian, French or another language as an elective while at uni, consider using a language learning app to boost your online study. Duolingo is a great resource that you’ve probably heard of before.
A free version is available, perfect for students with limited disposable income. Duolingo is available on a browser and as an app and can track your progress as you learn new words in your chosen language.
You can practise pronunciation and study the vocabulary of the language. You can also compete against your friends to see who can study and learn the most, making this app fun.
An Online Study Summary
This informative article has shared the best digital study tools for online uni students. These free or paid tools will boost your study and elevate your learning efficiency.
