For people who are familiar with distance education programs, online platforms shouldn’t be too hard to understand. Online platforms combine distance learning with modern technology to provide every student with a high-quality education at a very affordable cost – even those living in the remotest of areas.

As more and more parents opt for online solutions as alternatives to traditional methods of schooling, it can seem daunting to make that switch. While learning anything new involves time and a learning curve, here are 10 tips to help your child transition smoothly to online learning.

1. Note down your objectives

It is easy to get lost when you’re overwhelmed by something new, especially when it involves modern technology. The key is to make sure you have all your pieces in place. Transitioning to online learning is no different. All you have to do is make sure you note down all your objectives before you embark on this new journey. That way, when it seems like you’re getting bogged down in the details, all you have to do is step back and take a look at why you’ve decided to choose this option for your child.

2. Have a plan in place

Having a plan in place makes it easy to execute the steps required. Think of your plan as a blueprint to help your child get to the destination you have in mind. While the process can be tedious at times, it is essential that you definitely have a plan on paper. This will give you direction and make sure you don’t waste time on unnecessary distractions along the way.

3. Implement discipline

This is the second important aspect of planning – sticking to the plan you’ve put in place. Most parents tend to falter at this stage. Once you have your plan in place to help your child transition to online learning, it is vital that you stick to your plan. This will ensure that you and your child achieve success in fulfilling your goals.

4. Draft a timetable

With traditional schooling, schools are responsible for implementing timetables to ensure students get to classes on time. At home, that responsibility lies with the parents. It is important that you have a timetable in place for your child to ensure structure and routine. This will ensure completion of coursework and assignments on time without undue stress and pressure.

5. Always make adjustments

Having a schedule in place to help your child adapt to virtual learning platforms is important. But it doesn’t mean you have to be rigid with it. Be open to making changes and adjusting along the way to maximize your child’s potential and finding a schedule that works well specifically for you and your family. That is what makes online solutions so great – they offer you the ability to develop a self-paced learning schedule for your child!

6. Make time to socialize

Ensure that you include time for socializing when you’re drafting the timetable for your child. It is important to be social, especially with the widespread use of social media apps. While interacting via mobile apps has its place, it is also important for children to play with each other and spend time interacting physically in a social environment.

7. Minimize distractions

Distractions come with the territory. Online homeschooling offers you many advantages, but you can only maximize its potential if you follow a set of rules, and one of them is minimizing distractions. When studying at home, it is only natural for children to view study-time as an extension of their home environment. It is important for parents to draw the distinction between study-time and play-time, and set boundaries to ensure their children stay focused.

8. Maintain accountability

Once you’re well on your way, make sure you stay the course. Part of this involves holding yourself accountable. Set milestones for yourself and your child, and keep evaluating these milestones as you progress with your schedule for studying online. Online learning platforms even make it easy for you to keep track of your child’s progress with online tools.

The Ogburn Online School provides students and parents with an integrated learning management system that enables you to monitor and track the progress of your child’s coursework in real-time. You no longer have to wait for regular report cards from the school to assess how your child is faring in school.

9. Stay focused on your goals

During this transition, it is important that you stay focused on your goals for your child. Above all else, the primary reason for opting for an online education is to attain a high-quality education at an affordable cost. Remember the goals you set for your child and for yourself at the beginning, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the success you envisioned for yourselves when you began this journey.

10. Ask for help

Virtual learning platforms are a new technology, and most parents aren’t familiar with them considering they grew up in traditional learning environments. To help you overcome this fear, The Ogburn Online School provides you with various resources that can help you understand this new technology better.

For more information on how online schools work, visit our online school information page.

To know more about our students’ successes, visit our success stories page.

For information on online programs offered by The Ogburn Online School, visit our online programs page.

To enroll with us, visit our enrollment page.

If you have any more questions, you can get in touch with us by visiting our contact page. We’re always glad to help!