Preparing to Learn Online at University
Need advice on how to study online? Discover study techniques and skills for learning online as part of your university studies.
Duration
3 weeksWeekly study
2 hours
Preparing to Learn Online at University
Improve your online study skills and get academic online learning tips
Learning online is very different from learning in an on-campus classroom and often involves independent study.
On this course, you will explore and learn about various different approaches to online learning.
You’ll develop practical skills that will enable you to become an effective online learner at a university level.
You’ll discover methods for collaborating and communicating online effectively and learn the best practice for conducting online research.
By the end of the course, you’ll have mastered the independent study skills and tools for online learning that work for you.
Syllabus
Week 1
Being an effective online learner
Welcome
This course will prepare you to become an effective online learner at university. Before you get started, take some time to introduce yourself and meet your fellow learners.
Online study skills
In this activity, you will learn how to study online and how to manage your time. You will explore some reading and note taking techniques to help you make the most of your time.
Reflective learning
In this activity you will learn what reflective learning is how it will help you develop and improve the way you learn.
Summary
Take a moment to reflect on what you have learned this week and look forward to next week.
Week 2
Communicating and collaborating online
Welcome to Week 2
Week 2 covers the benefits of communicating, sharing and collaborating with others online and explores methods of doing this effectively.
Communicating online
In this activity, you will learn the different ways to communicate effectively online and you will have the opportunity to practice your online communication skills.
How to collaborate online
In this activity, explore how online collaboration is different to offline collaboration, and how this can have key benefits and challenges.
Summary
Reflect on what you have learned from the week and look forward to next week.
Week 3
Researching online
Welcome to Week 3
Welcome to Week 3 of the course. The focus of this week is online research and critical thinking.
Researching your project
In this activity, you will consider how to start a research project and make the most of your online searches.
Critical thinking and success at university
Critical thinking is an essential part of your study. This activity explores how to critically analyse research sources and form your own arguments.
Summary
This final summary of the course reflects on what you have learned in Week 3. You also have the opportunity to check your understanding of the topics covered.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and learn at your own pace. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Develop effective online learning strategies that work for you.
- Produce useful and reflective notes to support your study.
- Contribute meaningfully to online learning discussions.
- Develop the skills to lead productive collaborative work online.
- Explore tools and approaches to find, evaluate and use online information to inform and develop your own opinion.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for undergraduate and postgraduate university students who need advice and tips on how to take their university studies online.
Please note this course will run without facilitation.
Who will you learn with?
Dean of Digital Education and Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Leeds. For more information see: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/education/staff/156/professor-neil-morris
Who developed the course?
University of Leeds
As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps, but you can complete them as quickly or slowly as you like
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn
Learner reviews
Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.
Join this course
Free
Join free and you will get:
- Access to this course for 5 weeks
Upgrade
Upgrade this course and you will get:
- Access to this course for as long as it’s on FutureLearn
- A print and digital Certificate of Achievement once you’re eligible
Unlimited
Buy Unlimited and you will get:
- Access to this course, and hundreds of other FutureLearn short courses and tests for a year
- A printable digital Certificate of Achievement on all short courses once you’re eligible
- The freedom to keep access to any course you've achieved a digital Certificate of Achievement on, for as long as the course exists on FutureLearn
- The flexibility to complete your choice of short courses in your own time within the year
Find out more about upgrades or Unlimited.
Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...
You can use the hashtag #FLLearningOnlineforUni to talk about this course on social media.
More courses you might like
Learners who joined this course have also enjoyed these courses.
Browse more in Study Skills