There are so many amazing things you can learn online. You can enroll in anything from personal enrichment courses to a full degree program from a university. In an online learning environment, motivation must come from the student, rather than being imposed from an outside source like a teacher. But even the most motivated student can suffer from online burnout.
Fortunately, there are steps students can take to prevent burnout and achieve academic success with online learning. Because this is a new educational system and educators are still learning to understand student reactions to the new environment, there is no one right way for very learner to stay motivated, and it can take some trial and error. However, there are some tried and true methods to keep learning fresh and student motivation strong.
What Is Online Learning Burnout?
Many platforms offer online learning courses, and many of them also run at an increased rate to maintain interest and help produce motivation to continue the lessons. This accelerated pace can lead to the first signs of online burnout for students who do not establish a realistic schedule, complete with relaxation periods. Taking on too much can set students up for failure.
Burnout manifests differently in different people and is most often a consequence of prolonged stress. Sometimes referred to as digital burnout, feelings of fatigue, hopelessness, isolation, frustration, and being overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of information can make students want to give up on their studies or find it impossible to concentrate on their work.
Understanding the Warning Signs of Online Learning Burnout
One of the best ways to handle online learning burnout is to recognize the signs early on and take steps to alleviate the factors contributing to it. Burnout can become more severe if early warning signs are ignored, so watch for the following in yourself or a student:
- The feeling of being overwhelmed is a significant sign of online burnout. Because of the fast-paced structure of online learning and the plethora of information available, you must be careful to strike a balance between online learning obligations, social and other life obligations, and relaxation time. If it feels impossible to meet your obligations, that’s a sign that you’re becoming burned out or overwhelmed.
- Another symptom of online learning burnout is the feeling of powerlessness. A direct result of becoming overwhelmed can be the sense that you aren’t good enough, that you lack the skill to meet your goals, or that no matter what you do, you won’t be able to succeed.
- Fatigue and irritability can go hand in hand with burnout. Stress takes a physical toll on the body, and it’s easy to see how a sense of unworthiness or a loss of hope that you can achieve your goals will take a serious toll on your mood.
- Exhaustion will occur if you keep focusing on your classes and nothing else and ignore your body when it lets you know you need sleep, food, or exercise.
- All of these factors can culminate and make you feel detached from assignments and tasks given to you. You will slowly become less interested in your online learning and find excuses to brush off assignments, not finish the course, or quit altogether.
Helping Your Child Avoid Online Learning Burnout
If you are a parent with a child taking online courses, there are plenty of ways to keep them engaged, avoid burnout, and maintain excitement and motivation. Much like practicing proper time management for yourself if you are taking an online course, you should keep a routine schedule for your child. Having a routine the child follows will help increase their retention and focus during their online courses.
Usually, you will know what form of technology students will be using for their online courses, and you can have them practice using it, so they get accustomed to the device and don’t feel overwhelmed solely by trying to navigate a device they don’t understand. Creating a dedicated learning space for your child will also increase productivity since they will be better able to separate school obligations from free time.
Having an open line of communication with your child’s teacher is essential. Discuss your child’s learning habits, things they are struggling with, and what you can do to help. This lets your child know that both parties care about them and are invested in their success You both can create achievable goals for the child, so they are always aiming for obtainable points in the learning process. This provides them with a sense of accomplishment and helps to stave off the sense that they cannot achieve goals. Feeling accomplished can also help drive their thirst for knowledge and create excitement around learning.
Taking plenty of breaks so the child’s brain can relax is extremely helpful. Take breaks for meals, snack time, recess, field trips, and other activities that let the child relax and absorb the information they have recently acquired. Taking breaks also gives the child something to look forward to other than work-related goals.
What To Know About CCA’s Resources for Parents and Students
There are plenty of resources for parents and students on the web, but CCA’s blog is a dedicated place for all your online learning needs and questions. CCA provides educational awareness and helps unlock the full potential of the person who is learning. They will focus on your child’s true passion and help them develop the skills needed to engage appropriately in their courses and achieve beautiful results.
Having a resource such as CCA’s blog and website is essential for the parents and the students involved in online learning. With all the services CCA provides and skillsets they teach, online education becomes a breeze and stops feeling like a burden. Visit the site today and propel your child’s learning to another level!
Experience Online Learning at the Commonwealth Charter Academy
Start your online learning the right way and visit the CCA website. Whether your child is in kindergarten or 12th grade, there are options for all age ranges and skill levels through their cyber school network. The dedication CCA provides, and their dynamic learning environments that are custom fit for each student’s learning ability will make learning less of a hassle and more of a fun experience! We will provide not only academic material, but time management techniques and other skills necessary to succeed. Our experience with online learning makes it easy to keep your student engaged and avoid burnout.
