6 Tips For the Independent Student
The Internet has become a huge source of information, and people are happily sharing their knowledge. Article bases like GoArticles, EzineArticles and Squidoo publish articles teaching every possible field, contributed by people from all over the world. Not to mention the fact that Wikipedia is always there with its huge base of academically reviewed essays. Do you wish to learn to play the drums? Have you always wished to know how to draw a car? The Net is there for you. For some, studying independently using the Internet is better than using traditional learning establishments.
If you are one of these independent students, you’ll need more than a computer to achieve your goal. The Internet is just a tool. The real work is to use it wisely. Having no teachers, tests or homework makes studying more pleasant, but not less demanding. These tips will help you focus on your studies:
1. Come determined. You want to learn? Excellent! No one will stand in your way. One problem though: there’s no one egging you on. So egg yourself on.
2. Define your goals. You must sit down and carefully draw up your studies’ goals. What would you like to study? What would you like to do with the knowledge you accumulate? In what ways would you like to implement this knowledge? Answer these questions so you can draw up an efficient study plan.
3. Create a study schedule. Since you’re working independently, you can study whenever you choose. But it’s still advisable to create regular study hours and make them into a weekly habit. In addition, check to see that the time you can spare fits the goals you have set for yourself. If you want to learn to speak Spanish fluently within a year, allocating 1 hour per week might not be enough.
4. Scour the Net. Let the cramming begin! Use the search engines and Internet knowledge bases.
5. Practice makes perfect. I know, no teacher will review your work, but you must still practice and implement the theoretical knowledge as best you can.
6. Enjoy yourself. This may not sound like a tip, but I insist upon reminding you to enjoy your studies. Working alone can be tiring and frustrating, but the satisfaction from acquiring knowledge is wonderful recompense.
Good luck!
By: Alison Peters