Digital students

The absence of psychical teaching places great demands on you as a student. You have heard that at the university “you are responsible for your own learning” – now you might realise what this phrase actually means.
The university is not closed, but we have digitalised all activities. This is extra demanding for you as students and for your teachers. It will take a huge effort from everyone to make it work.

Take responsibility to make sure you are learning what you are supposed to.
Read up on you courses, follow the digital teaching sessions, evaluate with your study group. Talk to your teacher if something is not clear. Structure your everyday life.
If you can manage all of this, you are already doing great.

This is a new situation for your teachers, and they are doing the very best they can. Make sure to align your expectations with those of your teacher.
Are there specific hours during the day where you can call and ask questions?  
Is it okay to interrupt the digital teaching session with questions or is there time for questions at the end?
These are little things which is easy to decode when we are together. It is much harder in the digital world.
Make sure to align your expectations as quickly as possible so everyone is on board with the new digital ground rules.
If there is something in the digital teaching that did not go so well, it might be a good idea to give good and constructive feedback to your teacher.

Preparation for your teaching sessions is just as important now as before. Perhaps even more so. Actually, there are more things for you to prepare now.
Of course, you must prepare academically: Read the lesson plan, read the course materials for your courses, and be ready to take notes.
You also must prepare technically: Make sure you have power supply for your computer, download your learning programmes and make sure to logon digitally in good time.
Make sure to minimise distractions: Make a pot of coffee instead of going to the kitchen to fetch several cops individually and prepare a lunch to take with you to the computer.
This way you will not miss any digital teaching.

It is in fact possible to participate actively in the digital teaching sessions.
Make sure to enter into dialog with your teacher. Write instant messages when something is unclear. Solve the tasks you are given. Reflect on your learning outcomes with your fellow students.
This way, you make sure, that you understand everything the right way.

You currently have a digital everyday life and it is important that you establish good study habits.
Think about where you do your best work. Make sure you sit properly. Divide your apartment up in different zones. Separate work from spare time.  
Get some structure into your everyday life. Divide your day up into timeslots, create a weekly schedule, use checklists and make appointments to meet with your study group.
Maintain your ability to concentrate. Work intensively for a long stretch and then actively fit in small breaks.
The most important thing: Make sure to take some time off to recharge.

You will need to learn to be digitally social with your fellow students. To be a student is associated with being social. It is important that you remember to meet up digitally.
Create a digital Friday get-together and invite the whole class to a meet up in Microsoft Teams
Host an online gaming event with your study group.
Move your weekly “cake get-together” online.

Make sure to share your experiences with fellow students, so you can learn how to be digital social together.

There are several platforms you may use to meet up, but we recommend Microsoft Teams. As students you have a license via Office and the programme is therefore free of charge. 
In Teams you are able to use instant messaging, talk, use video, record conversations, share documents and much more. It is a dynamic tool, and you properly also receive some of your digital teaching through Microsoft Teams. On this page you will find guidelines on how to use Teams. 

Just as with an ordinary study group meeting it is important with a good meeting culture. We advise you to think of the following:

• Use video when you talk with each other. You gain a greater contact when you are able to see one another
• Turn off the microphone when you are not speaking. This reduces noise.
• Remember to use headphones, this increases the sound experience.
• Share an agenda before the meeting so everyone knows what is happening
• Share your screen if you need to explain something from your notes.

You must remember the align your expectations. Your everyday life is far from normal and it is important that you talk about your current situation.

• Do you meet up more often digitally than you did physically?
• Do you meet on a specific day and time for the next period?
• What are your goals and expectations for the study group at this point?
• Do you need to be more social than usual?
• Do you need to discuss more of the digital teaching sessions than usual?
• Do you solve some of the tasks given by your teacher while you are online?

Remember to talk with each other about your current situation: Is one of you in quarantine? Is one of you home with children?
Have understanding for each situation and help each other out as much as possible.

The absence of psychical teaching places great demands on you as a student. You have heard that at the university “you are responsible for your own learning” – now you might realise what this phrase actually means.
You can help each other out in the study group:

• Prepare for the digital teaching sessions together
• Agree that you participate actively in the teaching sessions even though it is now digital
• Reflect on the syllabus from the teaching sessions with each other. Take turns in presenting what you think was the main points of the lecture – and discuss if you all agree

Remember to use each other so you continue to have the academic discussions you usually have at campus.

It is important to remember all the fun and social life that comes with being a student. Even though you are not allowed to meet up psychically. Look out for each other and take care of one another if needed.
Ask questions about each other’s situation and make time for small talk and share your worries.
Make sure to keep having fun:
Do you usually:

• Eat cake every week?
• Drink a beer every Friday at the campus bar?
• Host gaming nights?

Do it all but make it digital, so you are able to be together, but apart.