UT Counselling Centre guidelines for efficient learning during the state of emergency
Info about organisation of studies during the state of emergency: sisu.ut.ee/eriolukord2/english
- Communication with academic staff
Follow the guidelines and instructions given by the members of academic staff about the reorganisation of studies, actively participate in the various activities of learning offered by academics and make use of the options available for consulting and asking advice. If needed, ask for clarifications and additional explanations on the format of remote teaching and on its content. Try to stay calm and be cooperative - both students and staff faced this emergency situation unexpectedly.
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Communication with fellow students
Learning together may help better understand the material recently acquired and may provide input for some additional aspects to be covered. Additionally, learning in teams may just provide some change to your daily routine of working alone. Create for yourself a virtual team, if possible. There are several options (Facebook; Zoom or Skype), find yourself the best option available.
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Plan your work
The plans made before the emergency state, if such plans were made, may no longer appropriate. Make a detailed list of all the tasks to be fulfilled in this semester and all the deadlines to be kept in mind. Also, try to assess the amount of work to be done. Although the number of assignments to be completed may have increased, each of them does not take an equal amount of time. It is useful to create a time plan/schedule separately for each course and then try to distribute workload on weekly basis. That enables you to see more intense periods and you can prevent having too many assignments to be completed at the same time. Plan a couple of hours of extra learning time for every week that you can use if you get stuck with some assignments or there is will be an unexpected task to complete.
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Deep learning
Set a goal to understand the materials to be covered, not just trying to complete the assignments. Active engagement with the material to be acquired is more stimulating and it is easier to maintain motivation. Before starting a new topic, take some time and think what you already know about it. While learning, try to differentiate important from less important. Try to understand how the course material acquired in one subject relates to the material to be covered in other subjects, including the courses to be followed in the future.
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Getting to know your learning techniques
Use the opportunity to practice self-management and learn more about the learning techniques or methods that are most efficient for you. Test different methods of learning and be open to using methods new to your usual style of learning (such as taking notes; designing graphs, figures; talking to yourself out loud (self-explaining).
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Environment supporting learning
If possible, arrange yourself designated learning space, even if the leaning space has only a desk to place your computer on it. Make sure you can be free from various interruptions (put your phone on silent mode, log out from social media platforms).
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Balance your work and free time
Plan your activities so that there is time-slot fixed both for learning and relaxing. One should not study longer than two hours, take a break in every two hours. During the break, take a walk outside or do some physical exercises. Of course, you can use your break for getting in touch via online options with other people or for any other pleasant activity. By doing so, you can stay committed to learning several hours per day. Differentiate between the days of work and relaxing. Most import is to follow the plan you have designed for completing the assignments.
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Take care of your mental health and well being
Follow suggestions given for maintaining your mental health. Take care of your body and social relations. Set yourself daily routine if you are required to stay (most of the time) only in one place. Take time for pleasant activities and relaxation. Don’t forget to use humour!
The UT Counselling Centre offers continuously advice regarding organisation of studies, career and psychological counselling to students of all levels of study via web (video call, call and e-mail). Please find contacts: ut.ee/en/counselling
Outside UT it is possible to get psychological support:
Via web: | Via phone: |
Palunabi.ee (for starting the conversation press „Alusta vestlust“ button in the lower right corner and insert your name) peaasi.ee (page is in Estonian, but you can use the browser translation options) |
State crisis hotline 1247, 24/7 |
See also governmental recommendations for mental health during emergency situation: https://www.kriis.ee/en/mental-health-during-emergency-situation
Do not hesitate to find and ask for help if you need!