Study from Home

If you think about it, some aspect of your learning has probably always taken place online or at home. Have you ever watched a lecture recap recording, read an article in an online journal or downloaded PowerPoint slides from ELE? Have you set some time aside to work on an assignment at home? Studying from home as we now know it draws on skills that you already have.

​​​​Online learning, learning remotely, study from home – whatever you choose to call it – gives you more flexibility and control over your learning. To a certain extent, you can choose when you want to study and at your own pace. If it’s new to you, we have some good ideas and advice on how you can make the most out of the advantages of learning online and study effectively at home.

Top tips for studying from home 

Create a routine

Effective time management is key to successful independent study. Set a schedule to manage your time.

• Choose a calendar or planner and plot out the times when you should be online, time for studying and assignment deadlines. Synchronise your timetable with your Outlook calendar.
• Work at realistic times; don’t set yourself tasks to do when you aren’t likely to be awake or feel like working.
• Try creating a daily timetable or routine to give your day some structure. Break your day into sensible chunks of 30 minutes or an hour and remember to schedule time to disconnect and be social.

Find out more about how to manage your time effectively.

Be an active learner                                       

Always take notes during lecture recordings and when you’re reading. Participate in collaborative group tasks, ELE forums and live online teaching sessions.

• In sessions where you can talk, turn on your camera or microphone and ‘raise your hand’ on Teams or Zoom.
• In sessions where you can’t talk, use reaction buttons, vote in polls and use the chat window to type out questions and share thoughts.
• Use tutor or lecturer office hours and module forums to follow up on anything you didn’t fully understand.

It can take more effort to socialise, collaborate and communicate in an online learning space. The more you contribute and share ideas with others in your online class, the more likely you are to understand and retain the material. 

Connect with resources

Get familiar with useful online resources. Make sure you know where to find what you need and bookmark it to access it quickly. At the university, the main areas are:

• The Exeter Learning Environment (ELE) for your modules (lectures, class materials, assignments, past papers, module handbooks)
• Library catalogue for resources and search engines relevant to your subject
• Library subject guides for subject-specific content and referencing advice
• The MyExeter app for tools and content relevant to your studies
• The Digital Hub for digital skills and support