Making use of online meetings with your tutor

If you’re studying online, you don’t get regular face-to-face interaction with your tutor like you would at a bricks-and-mortar university. So, when you have online meetings and tutorials, it’s important to make the most of them. Here are some suggestions to help you do this.

Make a list of the most important questions you have

When studying a complex subject, such as those in the DNP online course with Wilkes, you will come across things you haven’t covered before. That’s the whole point of learning. This means that you could have a lot of questions, but asking everything in one online meeting with your tutor could take more time than either of you have. Instead, make a list of just two or three of the most important questions and ask those.

Do research, but confirm anything you’re not sure about

For the less important questions, you can do your own research. If the answers you uncover still leave you feeling unsure, you can always email your tutor and ask if they can confirm the answers you’ve researched. This can ensure that you’re on the right track and have a solid understanding of the course materials without taking up too much of your tutor’s time.

Bring the materials you need

If the online meeting is a tutorial, ensure that you have all the relevant course materials and anything else you might need. This will prevent you from ruining your learning experience and missing something important if you have to go and look for them.

There will be other students in the tutorial, so the tutor can’t stop to wait for you or anyone else who isn’t prepared.

Remove distractions

In the same way as you would when studying alone, make sure that you remove anything that could distract you during online meetings with your tutor. This includes being somewhere without background noise, not having your phone nearby to distract you, and telling friends or family not to interrupt.

Even if low background music helps you when studying alone, it’s best to turn this off if you’re having a tutorial. You might intend to be on silent most of the time, but it only takes a moment of distraction to forget to mute and your background noise becomes everyone else’s.

Don’t be afraid to make notes

If your tutor or another student says something and you want to remember it, make a note. You might want to look like you’re paying attention with your eyes on the screen, but the point of a tutorial or online meeting is to help with your studies. Don’t rely on memory, as you could forget.

Your tutor will expect you to make notes, and will understand that you can still listen and make notes at the same time.

By making the most of your online meetings with your tutor, you get the best of distance learning, combined with the support of a professional team who will help you learn and pass your course.