5 tips for online course instructors and curators: how to help students master the material

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How can you help students successfully complete the course and get the most out of online learning? Based on scientific research, several key aspects can be identified. An important element is the creation of a structured curriculum that will help students organize their time and distribute the workload. It's also worth focusing on developing self-organization and self-motivation skills, which contribute to more effective learning.

Furthermore, actively engaging students in the learning process, for example through discussions and group projects, can significantly increase their level of interest. Regular feedback from instructors and the opportunity to ask questions also play a crucial role in successful course completion.

Equally important is the use of a variety of content formats, such as videos, text materials, and interactive assignments, which helps accommodate different learning styles. Thus, creating a supportive and stimulating learning environment can significantly increase students' chances of successfully completing the course and maximizing its benefits.

Familiarizing students with lecture content beforehand promotes better retention of information. This is confirmed by an experiment conducted by Chinese scientists, which involved three groups. The first group, before watching the educational video, familiarized themselves with a lecture outline prepared by a methodologist. The second group also received this outline, but additionally noted down the main points. The third group simply watched the lecture without any prior preparation. During the experiment, the researchers monitored the participants' attention and asked them to rate their engagement and answer a quiz at the end. The results showed that preparation for the lecture significantly increased retention.

Participants in both groups who were familiar with the lesson plan rated their engagement higher than those who did not receive such information. Eye-tracking data confirms that students who had studied the lesson plan in advance paid more attention to the material on the screen. Furthermore, these students performed better on quizzes than the group who simply watched the video.

When watching an educational video, the lack of a clear goal can lead to viewers failing to remember important information. Conversely, having a specific goal helps viewers focus on aspects that are meaningful to them. This is supported by research on goal setting. Goal formulations such as "I need to learn something new" are overly general. Althea Kaminske, Senior Director of Academic Performance and Student Success at Indiana University School of Medicine, recommends that students formulate specific questions about the class topic to determine what they want to learn. This approach promotes better retention and increases learning effectiveness.

A medical student may need to watch a video lecture on the history and treatment of a particular disease. It's important to ask key questions: If the disease was discovered long ago, what challenges were encountered in creating a vaccine to treat it? If a vaccine already exists, why isn't it available to everyone? These questions will help the student focus on important information during the lecture and improve its retention. Later, the student can review their knowledge and ensure they haven't missed anything important.

It's helpful to remind students before each lecture to formulate questions that will help them deepen their understanding of the material. Rather than providing general recommendations, it's helpful to offer specific question formulations that can be used to stimulate thinking and increase engagement in the learning process. This will help students master the subject matter more effectively and develop critical thinking.

Explain the importance of creating their own lesson notes rather than relying on a prepared presentation. Creating your own notes promotes deeper understanding because it requires active participation and analysis of information. This process helps you better remember and internalize key ideas and concepts. A prepared presentation may be convenient, but it doesn't encourage the same level of engagement and critical thinking as writing your own notes. In addition, individually compiled material allows you to adapt the information to your personal needs and learning style, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the learning process.

Written notes improve information retention. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo in collaboration with the NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting found that students using traditional paper notes remember more than their peers who take notes on a computer. The Norwegian researchers attribute this effect to differences in the cognitive processes associated with handwriting and typing. Handwriting activates certain brain waves, promoting the spread of alpha and theta wave activity in the brain. Alpha waves are associated with long-term memory formation, while theta waves are associated with working memory and the acquisition of new information. Thus, using paper notes can significantly improve learning and retention.

Written notes prove to be more effective at memorizing information than screenshots. Research conducted by the National University of Singapore involved more than 200 students who were shown a series of video lectures. Participants were divided into three groups: one group took notes by hand, another photographed slides, and the third simply memorized the information they heard and saw. Test results showed that students who took notes performed the best in memorizing lecture content. Meanwhile, participants who photographed slides performed just as poorly as those who simply listened to the lectures. These results highlight the importance of active participation in the learning process, which makes note-taking more effective for knowledge retention.

Note-taking is especially useful for students viewing lectures at a faster pace. This was found in a study conducted by researchers from the University of California. The experiment involved psychology students who were shown two lectures on new topics at different playback speeds. Some students took notes by hand, while others used laptops. The results showed that although students who watched the video at high speed retained less information than those who viewed it at standard speed, taking notes helped offset this negative effect. Thus, taking notes while viewing lectures at high speed promotes better retention and improved learning outcomes.

Taking comprehensive notes at high speed is difficult, but even brief notes can be very useful. They help retain key information and key points, making subsequent study much easier. Brief notes allow you to quickly refresh your memory of key ideas and make learning more effective.

Drawings and sketches are an alternative to traditional notes. Many educational practitioners and theorists argue that visual materials can significantly facilitate the learning process. However, it is worth noting that successful use of this method requires prior practice. Sketching lectures on the fly can be challenging, so it is helpful to develop skills in quickly and accurately depicting information.

Today, there are many effective ways to organize and systematize new information. Among these methods, online services are especially useful for students. These platforms help better absorb material, structure knowledge, and improve overall learning productivity. We recommend checking out a few of these to enhance the learning process and make it more engaging.

• Online flashcards - where a term or keyword is written on one side, and a definition or, for example, a formula on the back. The student then uses these flashcards to practice and test themselves. A joint study by specialists from Singapore and the United States showed that it's better to prepare the text for flashcards yourself rather than copy it - this way, the information is better remembered.
• Mind maps and flowcharts are a way of structuring complex information into a hierarchical system of elements. Online whiteboards are ideal for organizing learning materials in this way.
• Box method - on the same online whiteboards, what has been studied can be organized as lists in separate "boxes" (these can be blocks or, for example, stickers). This method is well suited for learning new words, dates, or just individual small topics.

Experts advise using several Types of notes, rather than limiting yourself to just one option. The key is for students to regularly self-check using these notes. This promotes better assimilation of the material and increases the effectiveness of the learning process. A variety of note formats allows for coverage of various aspects of the material being studied and promotes a deeper understanding of the topic.

It is recommended to use the Feynman method, which involves attempting to explain a new topic to someone unfamiliar with it. This helps both the explainer to better assimilate the material and the listener to understand it. The "listener" can be not only a person, such as a family member, but also a pet or even a toy. This approach promotes a deep understanding of the topic and the development of explanation skills.

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Taking notes effectively is an important skill that helps you effectively retain information and organize your thoughts. To make your notes as useful as possible, follow a few key principles. First, use a structured approach: highlight main ideas, underline key points, and use bullet points to simplify understanding. Second, use your own words. This promotes better comprehension and retention of information. Third, use various visual elements, such as charts and diagrams, to make your notes more visual. It's also helpful to periodically review and update your notes, which helps reinforce knowledge. Remember that notes should be easy to digest and convenient for future reference. Thus, taking notes effectively not only improves the learning process but also promotes effective learning.

Research confirms that reading text from paper promotes better comprehension compared to reading on digital devices such as tablets and laptops. Although the difference in perception is subtle, it does exist. One explanation for this phenomenon is that users often scroll through electronic texts, quickly skimming information. As a result, they may miss important paragraphs or stop engaging with the meaning of what they're reading. Therefore, reading on paper may be more effective for retaining information. Printing materials should be done wisely. While you shouldn't print everything, it's recommended to read particularly complex or important texts in physical format. Turning pages helps you better absorb information and focus on the content.

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Reading is an essential element of personal growth and development. It enriches our inner world, expands our horizons of knowledge, and helps us better understand the world around us. Reading not only develops your imagination but also improves your critical thinking skills. Books, articles, and other texts contain valuable ideas and information that help people make more informed decisions and achieve their goals. Regular reading improves concentration and memory, and also develops language skills. Therefore, it's worth devoting time to reading, choosing a variety of genres and topics to get the most out of this process.

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