3 Tips to Help Make the Most of Online Learning
- Nick Clark, Co-founder of Spot Power and Utility Network & Partners Inc.
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By: Darren Chu
There’s no doubt, learning in the midst of a pandemic is not easy. Schools, teachers, parents, and students are all doing their best to make the most of a difficult situation. We know many students have opted for the online learning hub, but that presents its own set of challenges. The question on everyone’s mind is: how do I ensure my child is receiving the best education with the tools they have?
No matter how you are connected to schooling, whether as a student, parent, or teacher, there are a number of strategies to help your child succeed this year. At Spot Power, we want to help you get the most out of your Internet. And as a former teacher myself, I know how stressful online learning can be.
Here are three easy tips you can use at home to get the most from your Internet and help your child succeed in online classes.
1. Keep the (Digital) Highway Clear
Online learning is not unlike what many of us experienced working from home throughout the early months of the pandemic. Different schools use different platforms (Google Classrooms, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.) but no matter which platform they’re on, the basic concept is the same.
All video conferencing software uses both download and upload streams of your Internet connection. Video lessons, recorded lectures, and file downloads all use your download stream. Participating in video lessons with your camera turned on or speaking into the microphone uses your upload speed. In order to keep things running smoothly, it’s important to keep both streams as clear as possible.
To ensure that your connection remains stable and smooth, disconnect or turn off any unneeded devices that are connected to the Internet. This is especially important for devices that are heavy on usage, such as smart devices, streaming boxes, and computers that aren’t being used.
2. Strategic Seating
There’s a question that many teachers used to (and still do) ask when the issue of homework comes up in a parent-teacher interview. “Do you work in your room or at the kitchen table?” Under normal circumstances, the reasoning behind this question is simple: do you have a reliably organized workspace with fewer distractions?
With online learning, spending the day at the kitchen or dining room table serves three purposes. For one, working at a table is comparable to the conditions in a classroom. It also helps establish a boundary between school and home life by taking classwork out of the bedroom. But most importantly, it likely puts you closer to the router.
When dealing with WiFi, the closer you are to the router, the better your signal. Reducing the number of barriers between your laptop and the router will significantly improve signal strength because things like walls, appliances, and other objects may interfere with the WiFi signal. Even your fridge can impact WiFi strength!
If you want to eliminate WiFi issues altogether, simply plug your computer into the modem directly using an ethernet cable. This will ensure the smoothest transfer of data and reduce the likelihood of choppy connections. Don’t have an ethernet port on your laptop? No problem, adapters that plug into a USB port can easily be ordered online or found at your local store.
3. Defeat Distractions
Being connected to the Internet is both, at once, a blessing and a curse. We live in the age of notifications: emails, pop-ups, DMs, and text messages. Social media, doom scrolling, and online shopping are all vying for our attention. Even phantom vibration syndrome can pull attention away from a task (I’m not joking, it’s a real thing!).
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught students texting from under their desks, checking their “snapstreaks,”or simply playing a round of Clash of Clans. Say what you will about my lessons, I could only make algebra and polynomials interesting to a point.
One tried and true solution: Put digital devices in a bin in another room. That includes cell phones and smartwatches. There is wisdom in the idiom, “out of sight out of mind.” The same goes for TVs. It may seem like a good idea to have a show playing in the background as white noise, but the truth is that it divides your attention and reduces productivity.
But what about the computers (or tablets) students will be using to access online learning? One solution is to install distraction-blocking apps. This kind of software prevents you from accessing certain sites during scheduled blocks of time without compromising your ability to access online learning platforms. As a last resort, many devices now come with parental controls that allow you to place time limits on certain apps.
Not Just for Teenagers
These tips, while directed at school-aged children, can be used by adults working from home too. If I’m being honest, I apply these same strategies in my own work to make sure I’m focused and on track.
At the end of the day, successful online learning happens when you have a reliable Internet connection. Sign up with one of Spot Power's unlimited high-speed Internet plans and rest easy knowing your child’s education is supported by a fast, reliable, and local Internet provider.
As a bonus, bundle your Internet with electricity and natural gas and get free energy administration fees for 6 months!