Posted Monday, August 3, 2020 @ 9:40 AM By: Hannah Ward and Brandon Wilcox For many students, this fall semester will look very different from what they expected, but they will still be able to learn so much and get a lot of their first semester (and year!) at UCF. We are two graduate students at the University of Central Florida in the Higher Education and Policy Studies Master’s program and have been in remote classes for the past summer. We have gained a lot of experience when it comes to taking classes remotely so we wanted to share our knowledge and experience. Our hope is that you, as part of the UCF Family, can use this insight to help guide your student and encourage them through a great first semester. Here are 7 fantastic ways that will help your Knight to succeed and thrive at UCF! Have a routine Having a regular routine will help to keep your student on track and stay in the “school mindset.” Once the first week of school starts, encourage them to evaluate how much time they will need for each class and how to best structure their days. Remind your Knight to set aside time each morning to look ahead at the rest of their day (and week) to make sure that they are prepared for all of their classes and any upcoming assignments. They can also fit in time to get some exercise and catch up with friends. Self-care is even more important now than ever! Put the phone away! Once they are in class, put that phone away! As you can imagine, it can be tempting to respond to some texts or check social media, but your student will not be able to give their classes the attention they need. Encourage your Knight to treat these classes just like they would any normal in-person classes. Have an idea of your student’s class schedule so you keep yourself from texting them during class too. This will help them give their professors and classmates the respect they deserve and ensure that they will retain as much information as possible! They may try and tell you that they can multitask but let them know how important it is for them to focus entirely on class. Paper notes This might seem a little old fashioned, but paper notes will help to make sure that their virtual classes feel as close to in-person classes as possible. Speaking from experience, even though they might be able to type a little faster than they can write, paper notes will help them to retain the information better! I always make sure to take paper notes, regardless if my classes are remote or in-person. A best practice for retaining information includes rewriting notes. If they prefer to type them, they can still write them out on paper or vice versa. Encourage your students to find a note-taking style that works for them. While this may take some time, it’s important for ensuring success. Make connections (virtually and in-person) Besides all of the wonderful things that they will learn while studying, your Knight’s classes are the perfect opportunity to meet other Knights and make new friends. They can make study groups with them in order to ace all of their classes and even do virtual game nights! Technology is their best friend and can help them to make the most of their time at UCF. Is your student learning remotely and a bit further away from campus? Encourage your student to explore social media platforms to connect with fellow Knights that may be a little bit closer in the neighborhood. Most importantly, remind your Knight to stretch out of their comfort zone and make connections once classes begin. Create a regular study space Working and attending school from home can make it difficult to make a distinction between personal and educational life. By creating a regular study space that your student uses solely for academics helps create a boundary between school and home. This boundary relieves stress related to school when your student is not working in their designated study space. This allows students to think about school when they are in their space and leave all of their school thoughts and pressure at their designated study space. Be sure to encourage your student stock this space with writing utensils, paper, and any other school supplies your student will need to be successful in their classes. You might even want to go “virtual school shopping” before classes start to pick up these important materials! Stay organized Staying organized is the best way to ensure academic success during your student’s time at UCF. Whether your student purchases a planner, posts sticky notes on the inside of their laptop, or creates a weekly to-do list, organization is incredibly important. In my experience, writing both a weekly and daily to-do list on a sticky note and placing it inside my laptop was the most effective way to stay on top of my assignments and extracurriculars. Ask your student how they plan to stay organized. You can also encourage your students to add deadlines to their email calendar, so that they will get notification reminders on their phone! If you have questions, ASK! Not just you, but your student too. Professors typically understand that navigating virtual work is a large adjustment from being in-person and on-campus. If there is something that your student does not understand in the syllabus or about a specific assignment, encourage them to send their professor an email or attend their virtual office hours. Not only is this a fantastic way to better understand course requirements, but it is also a great way to connect with faculty. These connections can be useful for a letter of recommendation in the future (think: internships, job offers, etc.)! There is no secret recipes for success, but we know with these tips that you will be a great resource and coach to your Knights! Always remember to stay flexible and reassure your student that you are there to support and lift them up. You have helped them succeed so much and will now get the chance to help them to succeed in this new adventure. And perhaps you just need to refer them to a UCF resource, we have those too (see the list below). Charge on! UCF Resources: Student Academic Resource Center (SARC): SARC is the learning center on campus, providing academic support programs and services to help UCF students develop college-level study skills and achieve the highest standards of academic excellence. SARC is currently offering virtual tutoring and academic support services for UCF students. Visit their website here: https://sarc.sdes.ucf.edu/ Tech Commons: Tech Commons can be helpful for all technology needs when your student is on-campus. Students can use Tech Commons computer rooms to complete assignments or meet for group projects. Additionally, Tech Commons provides useful resources to help with notetaking and navigating virtual academics! Visit their website here: https://it.ucf.edu/techcommons/ The University Writing Center: The University Writing Center is available to helps students throughout the entire writing process. From brainstorming to citations, the University Writing Center staff are ready to help students create the best academic papers possible. The University Writing Center is currently offering virtual consultations for UCF students. Visit their website here: https://uwc.cah.ucf.edu/ Office of Student Involvement (OSI): OSI hosts many engaging events throughout the semester, while being the hub for all on-campus organizations! Attending an OSI virtual event or joining a club can be a great way for students to get connected and stay connected with their peers! Visit their website here: https://osi.ucf.edu/ Back