Online learning can become extremely frustrating if you're fighting with digital gremlins. Here are some top tips to make the experience less problematic.
Plug into the router
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This is the No. 1 tip we have that we teach all of our students is ... Plug into the router or at least try to be in the same room with it when participating in live streamed classes or study sessions. The further away you are from a wireless router the more likely you will have glitchy video.
While sites like YouTube or Netflix can buffer the video before showing it to you, live streaming relies on a very consistent flow of data. Being far from a wireless router can give you horrible live video performance. Plugging into your router directly with an inexpensive ethernet cable will eliminate this common point of failure.
If you can't do that, simply moving closer or into the "line of sight" of your wireless router will greatly reduce these problems. Even a single wall can cause break up even when your internet seems otherwise unaffected. When in doubt, restart the counter and router. Try a different browser too.
Protect yourself from distraction
Stay focusd is a Google Chrome extension that allows you to limit your time on certain websites or to block them all together. It can be a useful tool for helping you stay on task and away from distraction.
Protect your eyes
Studying at night? Try a program called f.lux (available for most computers). This program will change the color of your screen to a more eye friendly tint as the sun sets. It reduces eye strain, making long hours at the computer more comfortable and, as a bonus, it may help your brain get ready for sleep as well. Your mobile phone likely does this now but you'll need this free software to get the same effect on your computer.
Set a schedule
TickTick is an app for iPhone and Android that allows you to set to-dos and reminders. It's a very useful tool for staying on track with your classes, studying, and keeping track of assignments you need to complete.
Ashley Morris of Raleigh is a longtime math tutor and owner of Ashley Morris Tutors, which offers tutoring to students in a variety of subjects.