Online learning has grown in popularity over the past few years as more and more people are looking for ways to further their education without having to attend a traditional college or university. Plus, technology has made it easier for students to access educational materials and resources from anywhere in the world. However, succeeding at online learning can be a challenge. Isolation, distractions, technical issues and bad time management all could work against you. Luckily, these can all be managed and overcome. 

In a recent edX talk, Olav Shewe, Educas CEO and instructor for Learn Like a Pro, remarked on why some students excel at online learning while others don’t:

“I used to think success in learning was dependent on some innate ability, but then I realised the techniques you use are even more important.”

Here, we take a look at five areas to focus on when preparing to study online and provide some tips to help you succeed.

Top 5 tips for self-directed study

1 Manage your time carefully

Unlike traditional setups where students attend classes at set times every day, taking a course online allows you to set your own timetable and learn asynchronously. This means you can access complete lectures, assignments, readings and other learning materials at any time that fits with your personal schedule. However, it does require some planning.

• Set a schedule: Establish a regular schedule for when you will work on your coursework. This will help you stay focused and motivated and ensure you meet deadlines.
• Prioritise your assignments: Review your weekly/monthly/yearly assignments and prioritise the most important or time-sensitive tasks. Start by making a weekly plan so you know what you need to do for the upcoming week, then divide your weekly tasks into daily ones.
• Use a planner: Use a planner or calendar to keep track of important deadlines and assignments. This will help you keep everything in one place and ensure you don’t miss any important due dates.
• Eliminate distractions: Remove distractions by turning off your phone, closing unnecessary tabs on your computer, and finding a quiet study space. Here’s a list of apps that help you focus and block distractions.
• Seek help if needed: Reach out for help if you’re struggling to manage your time. Your instructor or a Career Coach can help you develop a plan to manage your time more effectively.

2 Choose a dedicated study area

Some advocate for a quiet place in your home where you can devote yourself to your studies. Others encourage mixing it up, as studying the same material in different locations has proven to increase your ability to retain information. Here are some more tips to optimise your study space – wherever you feel the most productive.

• Minimise noise: Invest in noise-cancelling headphones or, if you’re willing to elicit some curious stares, a focus cap that’s said to block out visual noise, quieten mind chatter and allow you to enter a “super-human FLOW-state of optimal cognitive performance”.
• Block out time: Add a study block to your work calendar for colleagues to see, and put a printed calendar on your fridge at home so your family/housemates don’t disturb you during your dedicated study time. 
• Get yourself into the right physical space: If there are too many distractions at home, head to a campus or public library where there are plenty of quiet nooks. Being in an environment where silence is compulsory will help you settle in and focus.

3 Ensure you have the right tools

Studying online means you’ll learn in a multitude of ways, such as engaging with videos and graphics that break down complex concepts, working through quizzes and reading in-depth materials. To navigate these different learning methods, you might need to install different apps to attend webinars, live sessions and coding workshops.

In most cases, you’ll be given free access to a Learning Management System (LMS) with all the tools needed for an immersive learning experience. These include UI elements such as calendars, messaging, quizzes, discussions, assignments, modules, and videos. These platforms also often enable social learning via a student community and provide around-the-clock tech support.

You’ll need the following to get the most out of your online coursework:

• A laptop or desktop computer
• The latest software updates for your operating system 
• Internet connection (download speed at least 25 Mbps, upload speed at least 3 Mbps)
• Basics such as Microsoft Word and a PDF reader
• Microphone, speaker and webcam
• Zoom client

Note that for some of the more technical courses, such as the LSE Data AnalyticsCareer Accelerator, you will need a setup that can handle the same tools used by data analysts, such as Microsoft Excel, PostgreSQL, Tableau, Python, and R.

4 Set goals

Goal-setting is a powerful tool that can be used to build motivation, improve academic success, and bring meaning to your actions. Setting goals that are achievable is the most important to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

• Make your goals specific: Instead of setting a general goal, like “I want to do well in my online course,” set specific (yet realistic) goals that are measurable. For example, “I’ll complete all assignments by the due date,” or “I want to achieve 80% or higher for my online course.”
• Break your goals down into smaller steps: To make your goals more manageable, break them down into smaller steps. This will make it easier to track your progress.
• Use a goal-tracking tool: Use a goal-tracking tool, like the ones found in this list, to break down the steps toward a goal by separate tasks.  
• Review your goals regularly: Review your goals to track your progress, and check in with an accountability partner, like a friend, Career Coach or programme support provider, if you’ve fallen behind and don’t know how to catch up.

SAGE Journal author and online education expert Dr Linda Dale Bloomberg advises students who feel pressure to meet all their personal and study commitments and worry they won’t succeed:

“Keep the momentum going. Multi-task if necessary, but don’t procrastinate or give up.  Adopt an “I can do this” attitude! A constant eye on the end goal will help you stay motivated and on track.”

5 Set up one-on-one sessions with a Career Coach

Career Coaches play an important role in online learning by helping students set and achieve goals and boundaries, but also to align their dreams with their strengths and what they’re good at. Adele Leah, one of FourthRev’s Career Coaches, shares her approach to inspiring students:

“Balance the work you do with freedom, flexibility, growth and challenge – for your version of success – and not someone else’s.”

Here are ways one-on-one coaching can help online students:

• Study with intention: In career-focused education, a Career Coach helps learners prioritise their career goals from the start and work through the study programme with the focused intention of getting ahead professionally. 
• Develop human skills needed for the workplace: While a lot of time is spent learning hard skills, a Career Coach helps students develop career-specific human skills – such as personal leadership or critical thinking skills – that are crucial job requirements. 
• Enhance your personal brand: A coach helps you prepare your personal brand for entering the workplace upon graduation. This includes interview prep, creating an effective LinkedIn profile, and a winning CV. 
• Get into the right mindset: Online study can be isolating, making it difficult to stay motivated. A Career Coach helps build your confidence, define your short- and long-term goals, and provides actionable steps to stay focused and keep up in the course.

Accelerate your career through FourthRev’s online Career Accelerators

FourthRev’s Career Accelerators have been designed to make learning relevant, in-demand digital skills engaging and manageable for professionals who are looking to make a move in their careers. Presented by top university faculty and industry experts, the course content balances theory with practical application to ensure you put everything you learn into practice. This boosts your confidence and provides you with a portfolio of real-world evidence that you can present to prospective employers.

You’ll also have access to one-on-one support from a dedicated Success Manager and Career Coach. They’ll help you to establish what your career goals are and how you can work towards them during the six-month programme and going into the future.

We’re currently running two Career Accelerators, with more coming soon! If you’d like to find out more, please book a call with our friendly Enrolment Advisors.

• Book a call to find out more about the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator
• Book a call to find out more about the LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator

Over the last five years, I’ve worked at a handful of tech companies. While the industries differed, I found that I quickly fit in with my colleagues because of how similar we were in age. A quick Google search revealed that the majority of people who work in tech are in their late 20s. At Amazon, 54% of the workforce is between the ages of 20 and 30, compared to only 8% who are older than 40. At Meta, 48% fall into the former bracket and 11% into the latter. 

At my previous jobs, the older team members were typically in more senior leadership positions, and they often felt removed and unrelatable. When I joined FourthRev six months ago, one of the first things I noticed was the balance of older and younger people in all teams. For the first time, I, at 26, was one of the youngest employees. 

Being surrounded by colleagues who have several more years of experience than I do is very refreshing. I feel mentally stimulated every day, and because I’m working with people who have become experts in their field, I’m challenged to rise to their level. This experience has been very positive for me, as someone at the beginning of their career.

Ageism can be a real problem – especially for women

However, when I started looking into the topic of ageism in the workplace, I realised that, at many companies, there is a bubble of opportunity for women working in tech. You have a handful of prime years before the ‘risk’ of wanting to start a family arises, and you head downhill from there, fast. As Kathy Gurchiek writes, “If you are a woman over 30 in tech, you’re considered old. Once you’re a mother and in a tech company, you’re already an outsider and considered in a different category and class … marginalised.” 

I sat down to talk to one of the most vivacious and experienced team members at FourthRev, our Director of Market Development, Tara Rodoni, about her work experience over the years. “After you’ve been around for a while, you’ll often notice younger colleagues have a preconceived notion that your knowledge isn’t relevant or innovative. People are quicker to dismiss your input or leave you out of things,” she says.

While this is, unfortunately, the case at a lot of companies, Tara reassured me it’s not all doom and gloom. “If you can find an organisation that values your skills and appreciates what you can bring to the table, then things like gender and age don’t feel as big of a deal,” Tara says. She started working for FourthRev as a consultant before leadership asked her to join full-time. “It was an easy yes for me because of the people here,” she says. “Everyone here shares the same values. It’s always about the person first and what their strengths are. Mine lie in the knowledge, experience and extensive industry network I’ve accumulated over the years, and here that’s recognised as an asset.”

Prioritising an inclusive work environment

As a remote team that all have such different lifestyles, there are several factors we’ve had to take into account to make sure that everyone feels included and can do their best work. Tara shares a few that are most impactful for her:

Learning opportunities

Even though she’s found a professional position that she feels fulfilled in, Tara enjoys the learning opportunities and resources, like LinkedIn Learning and HubSpot training, offered by FourthRev. In addition to this, because we work remotely and use a range of tools and processes, different team members volunteer to host learning sessions on a regular basis. These sessions are all recorded and stored in a central place, which makes it easy for individuals to go back to in their own time. With the majority of the FourthRev team being based in the southern hemisphere, Tara says that this form of asynchronous connection is useful for her in the US because it helps her stay in the loop, even if it’s not always in real time. “I’m at a point where I’m not looking to climb the corporate ladder anymore, but I do want to keep learning and gain new skills.” 

In Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don’t Even Exist Yet, Michelle R. Weise writes that people’s careers are going to last 100 years. That makes 60 the new 30 for the modern workforce. In such an extended amount of time, individuals will have to upskill continuously as changes occur. As an organisation, implementing support structures that allow good people to keep adding value over time is going to be key. “FourthRev recognises the importance of ongoing skill development and gives all of us the opportunity to actively participate in it,” says Tara. “I like that the focus is on us as people. The company appreciates our strengths and does what it can to enable our growth. I feel like my contributions are relevant and add value.”

Flexible working 

As someone who has had an industry presence for a few decades, Tara says that FourthRev’s flexible work policy helps her maintain her network and invest time in professional interests, like serving on a board. “The team at FourthRev knows and respects that everyone will get their work done without having to set a schedule. This helps me meet my deliverables and keep up with other responsibilities that are meaningful to me.”

Regular opportunities to connect with each other

Beyond the meetings we have with our regular teams to discuss the projects we’re working on, we try to encourage engagement across the broader FourthRev team. Tools like donut and Shuffl make it easy to connect with different people for short ‘coffee chats’, and scheduled company-wide check-in sessions and quarterly updates create the opportunity for as many of us as possible to come together. “It’s good to meet people and put a face to a name that you otherwise just see on Slack or in your inbox. Interacting with someone in a way where they can get to know you professionally and personally is the best way to break down ideas that they might have of you after just seeing your picture.”  

If you’re interested in joining a team that values you for the skills you have – whether you’re 26 or 56 – take a look at the roles we have open on our careers page. 

Written by Summer Smith and Tara Rodoni

As we reimagine work environments with the return to offices and new hybrid models, we need to consider the challenges global remote workers – often in diverse time zones – face on a daily basis.

Local office co-workers can meet on a whim to discuss ideas or issues outside remote team members’ working hours to resolve issues or determine a new process affecting a team project. However, rather than contributing, remote team members often awaken to emails announcing decisions they were not involved in, resulting in a disconnect and a sense of isolation.

People who once felt connected and valued now struggle to uncover ways to contribute after the fact. Their function has not altered, their investment in the company values and objective has not varied, but the interaction between colleagues is more complex. Additionally, people who feel valued and connected to their team regardless of location are more likely to remain invested in contributing to the company’s success.

The most effective remote teams work asynchronously

During global lockdowns, companies poured resources into supporting employees’ remote working when it was non-optional, but have asynchronous processes truly become ingrained in company culture as hybrid or remote organisations, or are we reverting to synchrony?

As businesses scale, the struggle to maintain connections within global teams demands awareness and sensitivity. We need to ‘consciously decouple’ work from synchronous communication for it to be characterised as ‘remote’. That means cancelling a culture of hyper-responsiveness.

Synchronous work often requires teams to stop and wait on projects when certain employees are unavailable.¹ For things to make sense, like a conversation, an IRL meeting, a video call or grabbing a coffee with a colleague, someone else’s presence is always required. On the flip side, asynchronous communication respects independence and values flexibility. Tasks are mindfully set up to ensure their effects are independent of whoever planned or executed them.

A plethora of digital tools is available to assist in working towards complete asynchronous communication. A few that we use at FourthRev include:²

• Slack: We use this platform to communicate directly and in channels. To avoid the urgency that instant messaging platforms can create, we encourage our team to configure their notifications in a way that works best for them.
• Loom: Video communication tools, like Loom, allow us to screen share remotely and add comments to videos.³
• Confluence: We use this tool as our knowledge management software where we share internal ‘wiki’ pages on topics the broader team needs to know about, such as our quarterly OKRs or QA style guides. This platform also connects with project management software, like JIRA, making it easy to keep track of tasks the team is busy with.
• Asana: Task boards, like Asana, also give us visibility on what others are working on. It permits us to collaborate by commenting and asking questions on tasks that work towards the team or company’s bigger goals.
• Google Docs: Shared documents are a must for our team that works across time zones and at different schedules. The ability to track changes and comments in real time allows us to move fast.
• Miro: Visual collaboration platforms, such as Miro, allow us to whiteboard, brainstorm and do strategy work independently.

Leaders need to champion an asynchronous culture

Tools like the ones listed above only work with the complete buy-in of company leaders. An effective asynchronous culture comes down to trusting employees to do their work wherever and whenever best suits their productivity schedule. Moving away from real-time communication allows remote workers to maintain connections within global teams and better structure their days.

One of FourthRev’s Co-founders, Omar de Silva, signs off all of his emails with:

I’m sending this at a time that works for me.

Please only reply at a time that works for you.

When leaders lead by example, employees tend to follow – especially when it allows them more freedom. At FourthRev, we’re of the mindset that it’s okay to decline meeting requests, turn off notifications on Slack or take a long lunch sometimes. You don’t always have to be available.

“Monday to Friday, 9 – 5, always face-to-face… this model was built for an economy and world that no longer exists. Whilst some roles, companies and individuals will prefer this ‘traditional’ approach, there are as many – if not more – who will flourish with something different. It makes sense for all organisations to evaluate whether their norms are what is best for everyone, or if they’re simply following an old model for the sake of it,” says Omar.

Businesses successfully addressing this challenge enhance their advantage in recruiting in this highly competitive environment, both from the allure of superstars to the retention of key personnel.

If you’re interested in joining our global team, take a look at our careers page.

Notes

1. Why you should be working asynchronously in 2022. [Article]. 2022.[Listing} 2022. ↩
2. Remote work should be (mostly) asynchronous. [Article]. December 01, 2021. ↩
3. 10 types of asynchronous tools for communication & collaboration. [Article]. 2021. ↩

Written and compiled by Tara Rodoni and Marisa Crous

• A curriculum co-designed by faculty from the world’s best universities and leaders from tech companies
• All the technical, business and human skills you need to thrive in the digital economy
• A portfolio of industry-relevant projects that you can share with prospective employers
• Collaborate with your peers on a capstone Employer Project set by renowned employer partners
• Support throughout the programme from Career Coaches and your own Success Manager

Now is an exciting time to make a career move. With COVID-19 accelerating the need for digital skills, new gaps are opening in the market, which has seen employers expanding their recruiting efforts dramatically. That being said, they’re not looking for just anyone to fill these positions. With the world still adapting to the pandemic’s significant changes, employers are seeking out individuals who can add value to their organisation immediately. These ideal candidates have strong technical ability, a solid understanding of business operations and the right human skills to work well in a team.

From the outset, we wanted FourthRev’s career accelerators to empower learners to tick these boxes. To do this, we’ve employed a project-based model, whereby you engage with content created by faculty from renowned universities in collaboration with leaders from global tech companies and apply your learnings to practical projects set by employers.

“The more conversations we’ve had with industry partners, the more we’ve understood the value in providing learners with the opportunity to apply their skills in a real-world context,” our Chief Partnerships Officer, Mark Lester, says. “Companies are looking for candidates who can hit the ground running, and that means having the technical skills to do the job as well as the human skills to perform effectively within an organisation.”

Here’s a closer look at how our career accelerators have been designed to help you build a resilient skill set that will equip you with everything you need to make your next career move with confidence.

Learning material backed by industry

At a high level, each career accelerator is comprised of an orientation period followed by three six-week-long project-based learning courses, whereby you complete several industry-relevant projects. The final part of the programme features a capstone Employer Project, which has been set by an employer partner to give you an experience of what it takes to solve a real-world business problem.

Laying the foundation for career success

Faculty members from leading universities work closely with experts from tech companies to develop all the course content you engage with during the career accelerator. In the first three courses, you’ll work through modules that teach key technical, business and human skills. You’ll undertake practical assignments to put your learnings to the test and help you thoroughly understand how what you’ve learned is applied in the real world.

The Employer Project

The Employer Project serves as the final challenge of the programme. You will work with a small group of other learners to solve a business case that has been set by our employer partners. We work with different partners across career accelerators to present you with various problems to solve – whether it be analysing user-generated data from a fast-scaling tech business and making product recommendations, or building systems to help cities introduce greener transport solutions.

ThoughtWorks, one of the world’s biggest technology consultancies, is one example of a company we’ve partnered with to deliver the Employer Project. Danilo Sato, Head of Data & AI Services UK and Europe at ThoughtWorks, says, “Data strategy now sits at the heart of successful digital organisations, and these highly prized data analytics skills are essential to a company’s success. We are excited to collaborate on an employer project that will enable learners to put their newly acquired skills to the test and work together to solve the kind of business problem they’d be tackling at an organisation like ours.”

Building industry insight and the opportunity to solve problems that businesses face into the course content takes the quality education you get from a world-class university to the next level. Applying your learnings to real scenarios throughout the programme helps you grasp concepts more easily and envision how you’ll contribute to your next role. Working with your peers in the final leg of the programme also gives you insight into what it takes to work effectively as part of a team – a crucial skill that every employer looks for, no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

A portfolio of real-world projects

Every project that you undertake as part of the career accelerator has been designed to help you build a portfolio of evidence to share with prospective employers. The course creators have ensured that the outcomes of each assessment track your progress and provide a holistic view of the skills and knowledge you’ve obtained. Throughout the programme, you’ll be supported in gathering this information and presenting it in a way that best showcases your practical abilities as well as your understanding of business and human skills.

“The opportunity to develop a portfolio of industry projects and presentations is a unique way to demonstrate real-world experience. Working with industry, being presented with a challenge and then demonstrating the impact of your solution gives you a powerful story to tell, whether you’re interviewing for a new job or going for a promotion,” Daniel Cairns, our Head of Enrolments, shares.

Being able to demonstrate experience working on challenges set by leading companies will go a long way with employers looking for well-rounded candidates when you enter the job market or approach your manager to discuss your next move.

Support that focuses on your long-term career goals

Undertaking further studies is a big choice. By working through the content and practically applying what you learn, we hope that you’ll feel confident in your decision and your ability to move forward in your career. You’ll work directly with a Career Coach and your own Success Manager throughout the career accelerator to further encourage you to meet your career goals. You’ll meet regularly, and in between courses, you’ll engage in a “reflection week” with them to check in on your progress. This is to ensure that what you’re learning is aligned with your long-term career goals and personal development. “It’s not just about identifying where you are now, but how your choices open doors for your next opportunity and your overall progression pathway,” FourthRev Career Coach, Caroline Rae, says. “Our aim as the support team is to equip you with the tools and resources you need to drive your career, not just in this next move, but in the long-term.”

Find out more about career accelerators

If you’re looking for a change, but you’re unsure if you’ll get what you need to succeed from a short course, get in touch via our website or book a call with one of our Enrolment Advisors. We’d love to tell you more about our career accelerators and how project-based learning can serve as the springboard for your next move.

Written and compiled by Summer Smith