Distance learning may be a difficult form of study. Sometimes it can appear to be a passive process. You may feel frustrated that you are not learning as much or as effectively as you would like. For this reason you must make yourself into an active learner. You need to work out your own method of learning, one that is built on the structure of the texts and that also conforms to your own preferences when it comes to studying. Active learning helps you become more engaged in your subject and more confident in your ability to solve problems.

At QMU we have included elements in your programme to help you with this active learning process. We have built into the structure of the text self-assessment questions, worked examples, links to other sources and included a large number of exercises for you to do, many of which will be useful in your final submissions. As you work through the activities and begin to find your own resources outside the core text, you will soon be able to see much more clearly how the exercises relate to the subject theory and in what areas you wish to concentrate your study. Each module will include a set of aims and learning outcomes. These are very important and as you work through the material you should refer back to the learning outcomes constantly. You will see that the emphasis in your assessments is on demonstration of what you have achieved and learnt in relation to the learning outcomes.

Enrolling on a distance learning programme is a major commitment and having been accepted to study with QMU you will now need to find the time and space to study effectively. Many students find this difficult and a workable solution to this problem should be your first priority.

Space for effective study

It is sensible to think about where you plan to study, essentials are a table or desk, a comfortable chair and somewhere to store your materials. You will also need access to an Internet-enabled computer which has Microsoft Office for word-processing and spreadsheets. You may find that you need more than one place to study as not all of your studies will be computer based. For some people, a computer can be a distraction, particularly when making notes, for this a reporter’s notepad or A4 pad, or even in the margins of your books is a much better solution. Ideally you should not need to set up your working space every time you want to study. Try not to study in bed. You are likely to find you spend as much time finding your notes and making yourself comfortable as you do working. Worse, in time, your sleeping patterns are likely to become disturbed, which will not help your studies either.

For some students, a quiet space, outside the home, may also be necessary. This can be difficult to organise, but you might consider studying at work, the town library, or a local educational establishment. When picking your space, try and find somewhere where you cannot be contacted or distracted easily. It will be difficult enough to find sufficient time to study, without being called away early on a regular basis. If you give people permission to contact you when you are studying, they will!

Managing your time

Managing your time is always a problem. Finding sufficient time for study and social activities involves planning strategically. Practical considerations such as booking computers or borrowing books from libraries must be planned in advance. However, if this time allocation is to be used effectively, broad goals and individual achievable tasks must be set. Sitting for two hours aimlessly reading is far less effective than setting a particular goal for that period of time, for example, reading and making notes on one chapter of a book. Working with a series of goals allows you to plan your work and monitor your own performance.

The time you will now spend studying you may previously have spent with your family, colleagues from work, old friends, shopping, paying bills, cooking, cleaning, playing football, relaxing and, very possibly, a million and one other things.

Activity - ‘Study time’

Your new module has arrived. It recommends that you spend 165 hours on it over a three-month period .

This works out at approximately 1hr 50mins a day, each day. Draw up a timetable showing what you did last week and suggest places where you might find two hours each day.

Towards the end of your module you will need to complete a short assignment. Having looked carefully at it, you decide that it will take approximately 18 hours to complete over about five days and the submission date is in 11 weeks. You will also need to allow two or three days for postage.

From this, you calculate, you will need to find 3hrs 36mins each day during the last week to complete your assignment. How will you do this?

However, before you can begin your assignment, you will need to complete the reading for your module. In this case, you have only 10 weeks to study the entire unit. The guidelines suggest that you will need roughly 14hrs 30mins each week. Where will you find the extra half-hour?

Over the course of your module, you find that while the last section appeared to require much less study than estimated by your lecturers, progress in this section is much slower. How do you choose to handle this? What reasons might explain this?

[This activity should take you about 40 mins]

Feedback

As a distance-learning student with QMU you should realise that your studies must be managed, as well as accommodated. Notes can be taken and your study materials can be read almost anywhere, for example whilst travelling. Your assignment work, however, will need a desk or some defined study space. You will also need to be able to access the Internet on a regular basis.

Although most people might choose to study in 40-minute periods, many students are slow to settle and may require more time still. Often, you can find small ‘free’ chunks of time during the day, for example, before leaving for work or going out for the evening. If you normally arrive for work 15 minutes early, consider arriving 30 minutes earlier and using this time to study: manage your time by using your video recorder to time-shift programmes into more convenient slots for you; consider shifting the balance of your studies towards the weekends or studying during your lunch-break. On the other hand, some people find that working for slightly longer e.g. 1.5 hours, helps them to concentrate and achieve more work rather than working in shorter chunks. When studying you may find you complete some sections quicker than others. There are many reasons for this, such as length, familiarity with the materials, the number and complexity of new ideas, personal distractions, but your study environment may have an impact too. Finally, take some time out for fun – a change of pace and time spent with supportive friends can only help your studies. Just remember to manage all your time; be realistic when balancing your work, study and personal life.

Depending on the level and size of your modules, you can expect to spend as much as 10 to 15 hours each week studying (including your assignments). While this may not sound a vast amount, try to imagine where you might find another two or three hours a day, every day. It’s not always obvious.

For some distance learners, it is useful to create a weekly diary showing how you currently use your time and where you might fit in your new studies. You will probably find that you will have to change your routine to accommodate your study time. Consider accepting offers of support for day-to-day tasks you may now not have the time for, for example with the ironing or shopping. You should not, however, simply cut back on your relaxation and rest time, as you will need this due to your increased workload.

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