What are the most common mistakes to avoid when taking an online clerical skills course?

2 Not setting a realistic schedule

One of the benefits of online learning is that you can study at your own pace and convenience. However, this also means that you need to have good self-discipline and time management skills to stay on track with your course. If you don't set a realistic schedule for yourself, you may fall behind on your course work, lose motivation, or get distracted by other things. To avoid this mistake, you need to plan ahead and allocate enough time for your online clerical skills course. Consider your other commitments, such as work, family, or hobbies, and find a balance between them and your course. Set specific goals and deadlines for yourself and stick to them. Create a calendar or a planner and mark the dates and times when you will study, do assignments, or take exams. And don't forget to reward yourself for your progress and achievements.

3 Not engaging with the instructor and peers

Another challenge of online learning is that you may feel isolated or disconnected from your instructor and peers. This can affect your learning experience, your performance, and your satisfaction with the course. To avoid this mistake, you need to actively engage with the instructor and peers in your online clerical skills course. Make use of the communication tools and platforms that the course provides, such as email, chat, forums, video calls, or social media. Ask questions, share feedback, participate in discussions, seek help, offer support, and network with others. This will help you enhance your learning, improve your skills, build relationships, and enjoy your course more.

4 Not reviewing the course materials

One of the most common mistakes that online clerical skills students make is not reviewing the course materials regularly. This can lead to forgetting important information, missing key concepts, or making errors in your assignments or exams. To avoid this mistake, you need to review the course materials frequently and thoroughly. Don't just skim through the lectures, readings, videos, or slides. Take notes, highlight, summarize, or paraphrase the main points. Use different methods to reinforce your learning, such as flashcards, quizzes, mind maps, or practice exercises. And review the course materials before and after each session, assignment, or exam.

5 Not seeking feedback and improvement

Another common mistake that online clerical skills students make is not seeking feedback and improvement. This can prevent you from learning from your mistakes, identifying your strengths and weaknesses, or achieving your learning goals. To avoid this mistake, you need to seek feedback and improvement from various sources. First, you need to get feedback from your instructor and peers on your assignments, exams, or projects. Pay attention to the comments, suggestions, or corrections that they provide and use them to improve your skills and knowledge. Second, you need to get feedback from yourself by self-evaluating your performance, progress, and outcomes. Reflect on what you have learned, what you have done well, what you have struggled with, or what you need to work on. And third, you need to get feedback from external sources, such as online resources, books, articles, or experts, that can help you expand your learning, update your skills, or solve your problems.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?