Every other person is now doing elearning. Due to the pandemic, even the most traditional academic institutions have adopted it, while companies have also shifted to it for employee training. But of course, as many lifelong learners have known, elearning has been around since the late ’90s.

Demand is surely outpacing the capacity to develop effective online courses. Many elearning designers have their plates full in digitizing and redesigning course curricula into material that fit online media.

But amid the frantic rush to migrate to elearning, what do elearning designers wish to share with course takers themselves?

1. “Take your time.”

Each one of us have our own pace in learning. When engaging with elearning, some obsess on “course progress” rather than meaningful learning. Don’t rush the process – elearning is not meant to be a race to the finish.

Content is designed to build on the earlier modules. If as a learner you breezed through the material in an effort to finish first, then you might have a harder time unpacking more complicated concepts introduced later in the online course.

2. “Look for more resources.”

Elearning courses certainly don’t have monopoly of the best materials on the subject. Oftentimes, what’s provided is distilled, easy-to-digest information. Elearning designers are most aware that learning retention is a challenge in an online setting, that’s why content is selectively presented.

As a learner, you should dig deep and wide for resources that can help you with the course. Printed books are complimentary! So are video lectures by others, blogs, and even Reddit threads. For the latest research, try checking out Google Scholar.

3. “Reflect on what you’ve learned.”

Course takers should ideally connect the material with their own background and context. This is where discussion boards are helpful. These don’t only provide space for personal reflection. It also offers a chance for you to learn other point-of-views. You are also encouraged to reply to deepen the discussion or even to just give kudos. Offline, take time to also think about the concepts you’ve encountered from the course.

4. “Go ahead, try it out.”

Some course takers might enroll out of sheer curiosity. And then they realize, what would they get from studying “Agile” or “Systems Thinking”? These technical topics can transfer to other contexts if you think about it – you can see its workings even in the most mundane routines such as home organizing or grocery shopping. Those in the ivory tower also often say that the best theory is practical. Pick up what you can from the online course and apply concepts to any pressing task.

5. “Learn as much, even if you don’t finish.”

Life can get in the way of education. Even if the online course is thoughtfully organized and has all the bells and whistles – videos, quizzes and interactive prompts, discussion boards – to keep you interested, some students are just bound to drop off. It’s a reality that many elearning courses remain unfinished. No matter, as long as you’ve started and learned a new insight or two, then elearning has served its purpose.

At PageJump Media, we try our best to create fun and information-packed elearning courses. We know that students have different preferences in terms of format, so we have video-based courses as well as instructor-led webinars. Perhaps a unique offering is our one-on-one coaching sessions (that, with well-planned worksheets, can be considered complete courses on their own). Take a look at our growing collection at Startable Learning – where your first step to mastering any topic begins.