Discover the Secrets to Successful Distance Learning
As much as we love the convenience of studying in our pajamas, distance learning can be tough. It can be hard to stay motivated, focused, and engaged when you’re staring at a screen for hours on end. Trust us, we have been there.
But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. We’ve put together some practical tips to help you succeed in your distance learning journey.
Let’s talk about the importance of establishing a routine. Since our course requires approximately 20 hours of studying per week, it’s crucial to create a schedule that works for you. Take into account your other everyday duties and plan your study time accordingly. Maybe you’re a morning person and prefer to study early, or maybe you’re more of a night owl and find that studying in the evening works best for you. And if you have a busier week, try to make up for it by studying more on weekends. Whatever your preference, the key is to make a schedule and stick to it.
Try to establish a dedicated study space. While it may be tempting to study from the comfort of your bed or couch, this can lead to distractions and make it harder to focus on your coursework. Instead, try to find a quiet and comfortable area in your home where you can study without interruptions. In my case, it is the desk in my room where I have prepared my calculator, note pad and E6B. It may be silly, but even dressing in similar clothes whilst studying may trick your brain into study mode.
Staying engaged in your coursework is key to success in distance learning. While our program has additional engaging videos to help keep you interested, you can also find other relevant videos on YouTube to take a break from ordinary reading while still learning. Just be careful not to get too distracted and stay focused on the material at hand.
Another important aspect of staying engaged is setting regular study breaks. One popular technique is the Pomodoro technique, which involves studying for a set period of time (usually 25 minutes) and then taking a short break (usually 5 minutes). This can help you stay focused and avoid burnout. However, you can adjust the study vs break time to whatever works best for you. The important thing is to find a balance that keeps you engaged and motivated throughout your distance learning journey.
Bonus tip: One thing that can work is drinking water. When you start to feel a little bit tired or unconcentrated, drink a glass of water. It is even better to drink water regularly while studying to delay the point where you start to get tired.
Have you heard of spaced repetition learning? It’s a method that involves revisiting material at gradually increasing intervals (let’s say immediately after learning, at the end of the week, after two weeks …) to strengthen your memory and retention. It’s an important technique for successful studying, but we understand that you may not have a lot of extra time to devote to it.
That’s why we recommend using the “Select number of questions” tool in Aviationexam. Even practicing just 10 questions at the end of a week or subject can help you stay in touch with the content and reinforce your learning. Plus, it’s a quick and easy way to incorporate spaced repetition into your study routine without taking up too much extra time. Using Aviationexam has another very important aspect; you will get used to the type of questions which will appear at your ATPL exams and some of them are really tricky even if you understand the topic very well. That’s why it is important to practice. By doing so, it will be way easier to pass the progress & final tests ;), and more important ATPL exams.
If you come across a topic that’s unclear or difficult to understand, don’t get discouraged waste too much time trying to figure it out on your own (you could lose time to learn the rest of the required material)! It’s important to mark those topics and bring them up during consultation hours with your instructor. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, certain concepts just won’t click. That’s where your instructor comes in – by explaining it in person, it can be easier to understand and learn.
The most important thing is to not forget why you are doing this. Having the goal in mind of a fulfilling career in aviation will help you through the learning struggles and phases were you just want to say f*** o** ATPL. But with a little effort and determination, you can achieve your goals and make the most out of your distance learning journey. Good luck and happy studying!