Online learning is now an integral part of studying at university, whether through blended delivery or fully digital programmes. Depending on your course, some content may be delivered online.
Online learning can be flexible and convenient, but it can also be challenging so it is important to develop the skills that are required.
Your online study environment
Creating the ideal personal learning environment for either independent study or attending an online class should include everything you need to compete the task successfully and to feel comfortable while studying. You may need access to resources, equipment and tools such as headphones, a microphone, Blackboard, lecture slides, module reading lists, online library resources, note‑taking apps as well as your physical study space.
Who, what, where and when?
Who – do you like to study on your own or do you prefer to work alongside others?
What – what do you need to study? For instance a laptop, dual-screens, a large desk, a specific app, space for a sketch pad?
Where – do you need to study in a place of silence, or somewhere with a gentle hum of white noise, maybe away from family/friends to reduce distractions? Is your study space safe – do you know how to contact security/get home safely? Is there somewhere to lock away your belongings if you need a break?
When – do you like to study in the early morning or late into the night, between school hours, at weekends? When can you access your optimal personal learning environment? Do you need to check the library opening hours or find out when family will be away from home?
Think about your optimal personal learning environment – what does it look like, what is available to you, what devices/software do you need, who is there (or not there) with you?
We don’t all have the perfect home office or the financial capacity to spend all day in a comfy café so remember to check out the library study spaces as well as the numerous study hubs located around the campus. There are different spaces to suit a range of study preferences with dual monitors, height-adjustable desks, breakout areas, lockers, and soft seating plus silent spaces and spaces for group work to choose from.
What makes a successful online learner?
Although online learning is flexible and convenient, it can also be challenging if you do not develop the skills that are required. The following are some of the skills you need to develop to enhance your online learning experience:
Online learning requires you to develop technical skills ranging from creating and sharing online documents, to accessing your module page on BlackBoard and using communication applications such as Microsoft Teams, Collaborate and Zoom. It is important that you are aware of where to seek assistance when facing technical problems or need to develop your skills.
Defined as the ability to confidently, critically, and responsibly use digital technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information in academic, professional, and everyday contexts, digital literacy is foundational to online learning. Online learning at university is likely to involve using tools like discussion forums, collaborative documents, and video conferencing platforms. You will also need to find academic sources of information using a range of online tools, be aware of your digital footprint, respect the intellectual property of others and remember the advantages and pitfalls of technologies like generative AI. Developing skills in this area will help to build your digital confidence.
Online learning requires you to develop confidence to create your own study plans and make decisions about your studies and assessment. It is important to identify ways of working that suit you so you can work independently and know where to seek assistance when needed. Your tutors and your Learning Developer can offer guidance on developing independent learning skills.
This is probably one of the biggest keys to success in online learning. It is important to reflect on how to persist when faced with technical problems or other challenges related to your programme of study. Do you seek assistance when faced with such challenges?
Active engagement and participation in live online lectures
Simply accessing online materials is not enough. Successful online learning requires active participation, and this is key to deeper learning. Preparing for online learning by working through suggested reading or exploring the topic independently will help you to feel more confident and keener to engage with the activities.
Ways to stay engage when attending live sessions:
- Contribute to online forums and discussion
- Ask questions or seek clarification when needed
- Take notes and, post-session, reflect on content
Active engagement helps reinforce understanding and builds academic confidence. Learn more about active engagement in class.
When studying online, it is important to focus on using your phone and/or computer for study purposes only, and not be distracted by games or using social media platforms to chat about things that are irrelevant to your study. Learn more about time management in Understanding and managing your studies.
Activity
We all get distracted at times.
- Take a few moments to consider what distracts you from engaging with online learning activities. Jot down your thoughts.
- Think about how you might deal with those distractions. For example, if you use your phone for online study and you find that you cannot resist clicking on notifications, switch them off. Or better still, why not investigate apps which allow you to restrict your access to social media or the internet in general.
Researching online
As an academic skill, finding information is particularly important in online learning environments where you may rely heavily on digital resources.
Finding information involves:
- Searching academic databases effectively
- Evaluating the credibility of online sources
- Being mindful of your digital footprint
- An awareness of the ethical use of information found online
These skills support high-quality academic work and critical thinking.
View your subject guide to get an overview of key tools for online searching provided by the library.
Collaborating online
The University provides loads of great tools to help you with working collaboratively online.
Check out the video below to find out about choosing the right platform for your team and some tips on how to best work together when separated.
Technical confidence and problem-solving
Technical issues are a normal part of online learning. Being able to resolve basic problems independently can save time and frustration.
You should try to:
- Ensure reliable internet and access to required devices
- Keep software updated
- Learn basic troubleshooting steps
- Find out how to access university IT support services
Take time to become familiar with the digital tools available to you and if you are unsure, to seek assistance from key university teams so you can focus on learning rather than struggling with technology. Confidence in handling technology contributes to a smoother learning experience.
Some tasks you may feel confident about, and others may take time to get used to. There’s lot of support available to help you develop your digital literacy skills. Our IT services, your tutors, librarians, learning developers, technicians and your peers can all provide support and guidance and the assessments you undertake as part of your course will give you time to develop and practise these skills.
Activity
Take a moment to view the IT training and certification information to get an overview of the basics.
Your digital footprint
Your digital footprint is the trail that you leave online. All online activity leaves evidence, even things like gaming and shopping.
There are two types of digital footprints that you should be aware of: your active and your passive footprint.
Active
This is the data you leave behind, for example.
- Posting on Facebook, X or other social media
- Subscribing to an online newsletter
- Filling out an online form or survey
- Agreeing to install cookies on your browser when asked to
Passive
This is the data that is collected about you or that you unintentionally leave behind, for example.
- Apps that use geolocation to pinpoint your location
- Companies who use your social media 'likes' and 'shares' to target you
- Sites that use cookies to trace your activity without asking your permission
- Being tagged into a photo on social media
Your digital identity
Your digital identify is the information by which you are known, recognised and authenticated online. It is important to be aware of your own digital identify for your own security and protection. Watch the video below for more information about what your digital identity is and why you should be aware of it.
Managing your digital footprint
Managing your online presence is important. Even if you don’t actively post photos of yourself on social media, others might post photos with you in them, and you need to be clear about the boundaries you wish to establish around your private and professional lives. Here are some top tips to maintaining a positive digital identity.
- Understand which online spaces are public and which are private and curate your digital footprint to reflect this.
- Only share publicly what you want others to see. People that might see them include family, and friends, but also tutors and future employers. Remember your reputation is at stake.
- Ignore negative tweets, un-tag yourself from photos you are not comfortable with and keep critical comments to yourself. Try to treat people with respect even if their opinions are not the same as yours. If you can’t think of anything nice to say, don’t say anything!
- Build a positive reputation by starting a vlog, blog or website that showcases you and your interests. It doesn’t have to be related to your degree subject, but should be about something that demonstrates your passion for a topic and your digital skills to a future employer.
- Remember to check the privacy settings of your social media sites. Don’t agree to anything that you feel uncomfortable with.
- Regularly check and update your content and maintain an interest in what others are saying about you. Google yourself and look at the results. Are they positive? If you don’t like what you see, ask the site administrator to take it down.
Activity
Use a search engine to search for your name/nickname/usernames.
What information is out there about you? Are you happy with that information being available?
Your university digital footprint
Whilst you are at university, you will have many opportunities to learn new online skills and your digital footprint will increase. You might join a Facebook or WhatsApp group with your classmates, or follow social media feeds from the library or careers service. Here are some tips for digital engagement:
- Joining professional networks or special interest groups will increase your access to up-to-the minute ideas and debates in your subject. Find out what your classmates, tutors and professionals in your area are using.
- Use a social media platform such as LinkedIn to connect with other professionals and share your CV.
- Use a sharing platform such as BlueSky or Instagram to join in with debates, ask questions and share your research.
Test your knowledge by taking the quiz below.
Ethical digital literacy
Finding material online and critically appraising it for quality is one aspect of research, knowing how you can use it ethically in your assignments and in your life beyond university is another.
Read on to understand what we mean by a ‘remix culture’ (Manovich, 2007), to know how you can respect the intellectual property of others, appreciate the values underpinning academia and know what ‘academic integrity’ means for you as a student.
What is remix culture?
You may have created a meme from a well-known cartoon or altered a photograph to share among your friends and family; you may have recorded yourself singing your own lyrics to a well-known tune and posted it on YouTube; or you may have used images that you found on the internet in a poster presentation. But have you ever thought whether using other people’s original ideas and creative works in this way is ethical or legal? According to Lev Manovich (2007) we live in a ‘remix culture’ and the combination of ideas from multiple sources is not only inevitable but creates exciting opportunities for creative and original thought. However, does everyone feel the same?
‘Mashing’ and ‘Remixing’ are two terms you will hear to describe this creative process. They are very similar, but the definitions below will help you understand the difference.
Mashing
Combining two or more original works such as pop songs and creating a new version
Remixing
Altering an original work
Need an example? Watch or listen to this:
To be confident that what we are doing is not infringing the intellectual property rights of another individual, it is advisable to choose material where we can be confident that the creator is happy for us to mash or remix their material. When searching for material, we should look for Creative Commons licences which state how we can use the content.
Manovich, L. (2007) What comes after remix? Available at: http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/what-comes-after-remix (Accessed: 15 July 2020).
What is Creative Commons?
Creative Commons is a global non-profit organization that enables sharing and reuse of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools. Watch the video below to find out more:
Laws that protect the reuse of creative content are not only limited to audio and visual media, they also ensure the rights of authors of websites too. This is known as copyright, and you should be aware that if you use material from online blogs, articles and e-books in your assignment without proper attribution, this can lead to charges of plagiarism. You may wish to read the pages on writing and referencing to ensure that you are aware of how to cite a source properly.
How can you respect the rights of others?
Imagine you wrote an essay and you emailed a copy to a friend at another university to read but your friend then adds a bit more to your essay and submits it for assessment on their course. They get a first, you got a 2.1. Understandably, you might feel gutted. Not only would your friend be cheating but their actions would have serious consequences. Authors of web content also feel upset when their content is re-used without attribution and they can challenge the use of their material. Sharing on the internet does not mean that the content becomes everyone’s to use. It is important to adopt good practice now and continue this into your working life:
Test your knowledge by taking the quiz below.
Key takeaways
Online learning will play a key role in your studies at university. You may find the flexibility it offers particularly valuable as you juggle your wider commitments with your studies. It is important to develop digital literacy skills to enable you to get the most out of research opportunities, online teaching and learning activities as well as to have the chance to thrive in online spaces, but you should also be aware of the need to manage your digital footprint and keep a close eye on your presence and safety online. Taking time to consider your own working practices and preferences will give you the confidence not only to manage your online learning but to really enjoy it.
Credit
Written by Claire Choong, Michelle Crowther, Kate Davies, Claudia España and Gaynor Williams
Last updated 2026