Making the Most of an Online Education

There are plenty of reasons to choose an online school. Many of us have full-time jobs, families, live overseas, or simply do not have the means to travel for an education in the arts. Now that you are part of the program, it’s helpful to have a plan of attack to really get the most out of it that you can. I know there are things I could have done differently, but overall I fell that I found success pursuing my photography degree and want to share some tips on how you can do the same.

Manage Your Time

The single most important thing that can help you successfully navigate your online duties is learning how to manage your time. It took me a few sessions to find a system that worked for me, but once I did life got so much easier! The first thing I always do is read through the assignments to get an idea of the type of work each class will entail. Shooting assignments, especially those that involve models, take much more forethought than something like a discussion question response.

What worked for me was creating to-do lists for each week, separated by class. When I created each list I’d have my personal calendar in front of me so I would know if I needed to account for a birthday or hockey game. Maybe a combined calendar would work better for you, or simply a printout of assignments with due dates highlighted. Whatever makes most sense for your workflow, stick to your routine so you get used to it quickly.

Find Balance

Many students I’ve met throughout my years in the program are wearing multiple hats: student, employee, mother/father, caregiver… While it may sometimes seem like there’s just too much to do, don’t give up! Setting aside specific times each day to work on school and leaving the rest of your free time for family and other duties will get you on the right track to succeed. Do your best not to let one push out the other. Family is everything, but your education can help contribute to that family in new and exciting ways. Keep that in mind when you budget your time!

Make time for family, school, and volunteer work or personal projects to keep you sane!  This is a shot I did of an adoptable dog for a Chicagoland rescue, Peace for Pits. Volunteering your talents is quite rewarding.

Have a Back-Up Plan

Most of your instructors will want to know that you have a plan in case your gear fails or you lose Internet access in your home. It is so important to know where there is a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi or who has a computer you can use in case your hard drive gets corrupted, because the classes move really quickly and missing a couple days will leave you far behind. With good time management, you’ll be able to incorporate back-up days for shooting in case there is bad weather, and have back-up models on hand in case the ones you booked bail on you (trust me, it happens!). The small amount of effort you put into booking your back-ups will save you a great deal more work (not to mention frustration) if you have to deal with last-minute changes and aren’t prepared.

Participate

When it comes to an online education, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. Because the online classroom does not exactly facilitate friendships and study groups like a brick-and-mortar classroom does, it’s really up to you to keep up with others on the class boards. Make good use of your fellow students and instructors by pointing out certain results you’re hoping to achieve to get feedback on how best to do so. Follow your peers as their projects progress to encourage them and help them polish their work. Active participation will keep you invested in your classes and help you build bonds with others, and networking is always a great idea.

Ask for Help

As our Saturday ambassador pointed out, talking with your instructor can help you “smash through the confusion.” If you are struggling with a class or specific assignment, don’t just suffer through it! Ask how you can best complete an assignment or what exactly is meant by a certain instruction that confuses you. To be successful and enjoy your time in the program, you can also make use of your instructors’ wisdom. I got my monitor calibrator (a ColorMunki) based on the suggestion of an instructor when I had no idea what to look for. You can pick their brains on anything from gear to technique, and they will be happy to see your interest and share their experience.

I hope that you take advantage of what online classrooms have to offer - flexible timelines, being able to go to class in a comfortable setting,  - without feeling lost in the digital world. By motivating yourself and working off of a schedule that makes sense for your life, you will do well and learn a great deal. Best of luck, and please do use this blog as a resource when you have questions about how to succeed!

-Friday Ambassador