When it comes to online learning, one has to master technical tools. It comes by practice. However, the course is time-bound. So, you cannot take ages to grasp the usage of these tools. There are certain keyboard and computer shortcuts that the tech-savvy students often boast about. These shortcuts not only make you more technically sound but also save your time. When you are enrolled in a virtual school, you just cannot afford to sit back. You need to be interested in knowing about these various tools and resources that make the education system easier for you. The sooner you know, the better.
Here are some tips and shortcuts to help you with your online course:
Keep your computer updated
Managing online coursework in a slow computer or laptop can be highly erratic. You always feel the stress of some kind of lurking danger, especially before a deadline or an assessment. You clearly need a reliable system for your coursework to flow in an uninterrupted manner. Defective or virus-infected computers might even cause your efforts to go to waste in case it goes faulty just one day before your assignment submission date or your assessment. It shall cause wastage of your time and energy, exasperating you to the core!
Before your computer turns slothful, take special care of your computer with proper maintenance habits. Make sure your computer is adequately instilled with all the important updates such as the latest version of licensed virus software or Java or web browser. Never directly shut your computer off by pressing the power button under normal conditions. Remove all the unwanted or repeated files that are just junks taking extra space. Free your computer of space. You can even contact the tech support team of your online school in case you are in some technical emergency or want to clear out certain technical doubts. Never leave any chance to educate yourself regarding the various technical tools and programs. Remember, a computer with an internet connection is the only means for you to study and get in contact with your school teachers and peers. So, treat it more than just a device.
Be a master of keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts not only save time but also help you at times when certain keys get faulty. These are essential in case of online learning. You might need to join certain online activities one moment, work on your online assignment the next moment, or sort out some queries with your instructor via an online platform. So, only knowing won’t help. You need to master the art! The better you are with these shortcuts, the faster you can cover up your daily coursework. These keyboard skills do not remain limited only to your online course but are sure to help you in your future career as well in the most inadvertent way!
Embrace the filing system
There is a probable tendency of things to go haphazard when you save huge chunks of study-related documents on your computer. In online learning, the theme is “leaning on the virtual”! So, you too feel like saving notes online rather than old-school style pen and paper. However, with a huge number of documents, you might lose track of the most important document specifically useful for the upcoming assessment. To avoid such a clumsy situation, a filing system should be embraced by students. Creating files, labeling them lesson or subject wise, and saving the documents in their respective files seems to be a child’s play. But, in your busy schedule, you tend to forget organizing the documents properly.
The filing system keep your work safe, secure, and accessible. It saves you from unwanted stress of not being able to locate a major document in the last moment. Be safe! Be organized!
Develop a habit of bookmarking
Web navigation can take much more time than you think, especially in an online learning environment. Sometimes the internet speed might fluctuate. You cannot by-heart all the links of important web pages that you might need to refer to some information or for some crucial research purposes. So, it is always a smart option to bookmark the important pages. Even your online instructors might encourage you to get into the habit of bookmarking. It hardly matters which internet browser you use. The bookmark tool is available in all the browsers and can help you navigate to crucial web pages or your online resources within a fraction of a second. Your search time is also diminished remarkably.
There are in-built bookmarking features in every web browser, typically in the form of a “star” icon just near the address bar. However, the exact location may differ from browser to browser. Just clicking the star on a web page will save it to your bookmark list in that specific browser. It is the simplest habit to follow, especially when you have user-friendly browsers such as Chrome, Explorer, or Mozilla.
Download files from trusted websites only
Do not go on clicking on links and downloading files blindly from any website! It can prove lethal for your computer’s health! You should always make it a practice to visit legal and secure websites. While downloading files, you need to be doubly cautious. Files on non-secure websites might contain a virus. The more you download such defective files, your computer gets slower and slower. It might even crash someday, if continued with the same! Licensed anti-virus software generally displays an alert message when you click on such files to download. Trust your antivirus. It is the only program that can shield your computer from such harmful files.
There are certain very simple basic computer shortcuts for day-to-day purposes such as copying a file by just dragging it, opening a link in a new browser tab with one click, moving your screen to the next monitor, freeing space by clearing cache, dealing with pop-up blockers, and many more. Just educate yourself.
Your computer’s health is in your hands. So, be responsible and do the needful to safeguard your asset!
