Tips for Online Learning | Western Kentucky University

If you have not heard from your faculty before March 23^rd, reach out to them. However, be sure to be patient and understanding as they are having to change their course plans quickly.
If your faculty offers virtual office hours, be sure to participate. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, get clarification, and learn from your faculty.
Be sure to check Blackboard. Most courses will be moving to Blackboard during this remote period. This is where you will potentially find course information, videos, assignments, quizzes, etc.
Check your email regularly. This will help you to stay connected to campus, your faculty, and your peers.
Familiarize yourself with online learning tools. You will need these to communicate with your peers and faculty. Check out the Learning Tools webpage for information such as where to find the learning tools and tutorials as to how to use them. Contact the ITS Service Desk if you run into technical problems and issues.

As your courses transition to online, you may have to learn how to use some new tools. Be sure to check out the tutorials for those tools found on the Learning Tools page.
Practice with these learning tools. If you have never used Zoom before, go into the Zoom Test Session to get familiar with it. If you have never given a presentation with Mediasite before, make a recording and go through the process. Practicing will help you build confidence and will help you to iron out technical issues BEFORE your big projects or class sessions.
Contact the ITS Service Desk if you run into technical problems and issues.

Be aware of new due dates. As a result of the changes to the term, there may be different assignments and/or new due dates. Make note of these and plan accordingly.
Organize your work by priority. Remember that you cannot do everything and be everything at once. As a result, you need to look at all of your upcoming work and prioritize it accordingly.
You can use tools such as the Blackboard Calendar feature and your Outlook Calendar to organize your due dates and work.

Take care of yourself by eating well, resting, and exercising. You do not have to go to a gym to get some physical exercise. YouTube has a plethora of videos on yoga, kickboxing, barre, etc. that you can do from the comfort of your home. Overall, make your health a priority.
Be kind to yourself. With all of this change, things may go wrong. A deadline may be missed or technology may not work, and that is ok. Communicate the issues with the appropriate parties and move forward. Despite our best efforts, we will inevitably miss something. You can still be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace to make mistakes.
Be positive. With this sort of change, it is easy to be understandably frustrated. That is ok, but realize that everything will be fine in the end. We are all working through this together. So, be patient and try to stay positive.

Manage physical distractions. When you are at home, there may be people bustling about and pets making noise. Try to find a place and time to focus on your learning.
Manage virtual distractions. It is hard when on the internet to not check social media or the news, but do your best to focus on your learning. Google Chrome’s web store has a number of extensions that you can add to your browser to help you focus on the task at hand. You can also turn on your Do Not Disturb on your phone as well.

With all of this change and stress, it may be easy to forget to check in with those closest to you. Make sure to reach out to family and friends and connect. It is a great way to feel loved and reduce stress levels.
Reach out to your faculty and classmates and have an open dialogue about this change. Everyone is in the same situation. Let’s rely on each other as we navigate through this period.

ITS Service Desk – The professionals in Information Technology Services can help you as you run into technical issues with WKU supported technologies such as Blackboard, Zoom, and Mediasite.
Online Presentation Coaching – The Online Presentation Coaching Center is available to give you feedback on your video presentations. You should allow AT LEAST 72 business hours for feedback.
Online Tutoring – The Learning Center can conduct virtual tutoring sessions for a variety of classes.
Online Writing Lab – The Online Writing Lab provides resources and one-on-one writing assistance.
Student Accessibility Resource Center – If you need learning accommodations, be sure to contact the Student Accessibility Resource Center.
WKU Libraries – WKU Libraries have a number of online research guides and tutorials that will help you get started and progress with your online research.
WKU CARES – The Coaching for Academic Readiness Excellence & Success program provides for personalized coaching to help you learn and use important skills to help you meet and evaluate your goals.