Five Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Online Learning Adventure

If your in-person trip to London or voyage along the Mediterranean was postponed due to the global pandemic, you are not alone. Fortunately, if you have a passion for lifelong learning and spending time with other inquisitive people — and a computer with a reliable Internet connection — there are still many exciting ways to learn about and explore the world.

In order to make sure you don’t miss a moment of learning, Road Scholar created its first virtual campus so that you can continue to discover the places and topics you’ve always wanted to learn about. Our Virtual Lectures allow you to take in expert-led presentations on a variety of subjects, while our Adventures Online offer multi-day immersions into some of the world’s most fascinating places while allowing you to get to know other learners like you.

If you’ve enrolled in your first online program and are wondering what to expect, here are five tips for making the most out of your educational experience!

Tip #1: Be Willing to Try Something New

It goes without saying that an online learning adventure is different from a traditional trip — but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a great time. While you won’t be able to physically walk the streets of Paris, you will enjoy virtual field trips through some of the city’s most important landmarks, led by your Road Scholar instructor. You’ll also be able to chat with your fellow Road Scholars online and get to know each other through a different medium. The best part? You can do all of this without ever leaving home!

Tip #2: Dedicate Time

If you were going on vacation, you’d consider that your personal time, right? Pretend that this is the same thing! Though you’ll be in the comfort of your own home, your enjoyment of your program will be heightened if you can block out any other distractions (like phone calls, visitors and so forth) who might interrupt your program. You might even put a note on your door that says, “Do not disturb: I’m in Athens!”

Tip #3: Prepare for Class

Like all other Road Scholar learning adventures, you’ll receive materials to review before your program begins — these let you know of any potential scheduling or programming changes, special events to keep in mind, books you could read to enhance your knowledge of the topic and more. To help things run seamlessly, please peruse these materials let us know of any questions you may have. You can also help to support Road Scholar by purchasing any of your suggested reading through our online bookstore.

Tip #4: Be Engaged

Communicating during an online program is certainly different than engaging with your instructor and peers on a traditional program. However, any learning adventure is more fun when everyone is participating! Don’t be afraid to ask questions — simply raise your hand or submit a question or comment in the Zoom chat box. The more we engage, the more we learn together!

Tip #5: Ask For Help

Technology can be intimidating, but we promise that we are here to help you along the way. Our Tech Support Team will be there to provide assistance to make sure that you can enjoy your Road Scholar learning adventure. While we are working behind the scenes, we ask for your patience as we fix any issues as quickly as possible!