8 Ways To Decrease the “Distance” in Your Social Work Distance Education

by Dr. Veronica L. Hardy, LCSW

     Digital textbooks, discussion boards, online proctored exams, and virtual class sessions. Does this sound familiar? These are all elements of distance education, also referred to as online courses. How do you go about navigating the requirements for these types of courses? What are the elements for success?

     When I was attending my social work programs, it was during a period when there were still tape cassettes and word processors. In other words, there certainly were not as many “technology” tools as there are today. My recommendation to enhance your success in these contemporary courses is to use the vast number of tools at your fingertips and be intentional about communicating. Where to begin? Here are eight tips for navigating the distance education life, whether pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work.

1. Declutter Your Digital Space.

     Begin each semester by decluttering your digital space. Go through your saved assignments, learning materials, and other documents from the previous semester and organize them into folders. Review your digital spaces (e.g., laptop, tablet, phone) and delete information you no longer need. This gives you a fresh, decluttered space to use for the new semester.

2. Check for a Previous Syllabus.

     One way to begin organizing your semester before it begins is by seeing if a previous version of the course syllabus is available. If it is a course offered each semester or yearly, a previous syllabus may be accessible. Several universities post syllabi on their websites, or they may be available by request. To request a syllabus, visit the course listings from previous semesters, see who the instructor was, and send that faculty member an email to see if you may receive a copy of that syllabus. Overall, even if there will be changes to the syllabus for the upcoming semester, this can still give you a general idea of the primary focus and expectations for the course.

3. Take Advantage of Early Access.

     Oftentimes, instructors will make their courses available for early viewing and planning purposes. This may take place anywhere from several days to a couple of weeks before the course starts. If this happens, take advantage of that time to navigate the material available in the course, and to become familiar with the web-based learning management system (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle).

     Although you cannot engage in assignments until the official start date of the semester, take advantage of the opportunity to learn how to navigate your online learning site. For example, how do you upload assignments, see your grades, and navigate learning modules? Learning management systems often have multiple training videos, guides, and troubleshooting tips for students accessible through a “Help” button in the course. Here are a few links with examples of student tutorials:

Canvas — https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Student/ct-p/canvas_student

Blackboard — https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Student

Moodle — https://docs.moodle.org/20/en/Student_tutorials

4. Engage with Your Textbook.

     Whether using a digital or hardcopy, determine ways to engage with your textbook. How do you engage with a textbook? Here are a few ideas. Annotate notes in the margins about your take-aways, reactions to, and understanding of the reading. Do not assume definitions of words you are not familiar with, but look up the definition(s) and write these in the margin near the word’s location. Highlight information that you may need to study further through other means, such as looking up resources through the library, locating videos with instruction that elaborates on the topic, or use for discussion during question/answer portions of your classes. These methods enable you to engage with the text and better absorb the course information.

5. Break Away From Screen Time.

     When engaging in online courses, there may be hundreds of hours of required screen time, whether attending a live class via Zoom, WebEx, or other video meeting platform; reading digital textbooks; or navigating learning modules. As a result, when you take breaks, ensure that you break away from screen time. In other words, break away from your tablet, phone, laptop, and other digital tools. Instead, engage in a non-digital activity, such as going outside, cooking a meal, tapping into your artistic side by painting or drawing, or even spending time with loved ones.

6. One-to-One Sessions.

     Oftentimes, I encourage my students to schedule one-to-one sessions with me via Zoom or telephone to decrease the distance. The sessions can focus on course content, challenges, and successes they are experiencing as social work students, or even a discussion of their future career plans. If your course instructors invite you to engage in one-to-one sessions, be sure to take advantage of decreasing the distance by engaging in those interactions.

7. Build Your Accountability and Mentorship Networks.

     This was valuable to me when I was attaining my degrees. I had accountability partners within my cohort and at least one person, more of a mentor, who was a year ahead of me. Having both accountability partners and mentors may help you maintain your motivation as you exchange thoughts pertaining to hopes, goals, and challenges. They also support you in staying on track with assignment deadlines and other academic goals. 

     Overall, be intentional in planning how often you will meet and by what virtual method. Always show up with ideas for discussion, and even follow up on previous meeting topics. For example, did you all follow through with goals set during the previous meeting? If not, what blocked you from achieving your goals? What could have been done differently? Be sure to make your accountability sessions productive.

8. Save. Save. Save.

     After each semester, store your documents, study materials, and assignments in a repository such as a binder, shared drive, or other cloud application. Remember that your learning management system (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) may limit your access time, and close when the semester is complete. After that, neither you nor the course instructor will have access to the materials you have submitted. Remember, courses are designed to build upon each other over the semesters—therefore, take your previous learning with you. Your class notes and insights from previous courses will be helpful as you transition to the next semester.

     Over the past few years, there has been an increase in distance education learning across the globe. Whether you are new to distance learning or seasoned in navigating online courses, maintaining motivation and decreasing the sense of isolation can be challenging. Take steps to be inspired and organized as you enter each semester. Overall, be intentional about putting these eight tips into action and increasing your opportunities for success in the world of distance education learning.

Dr. Veronica L. Hardy, LCSW, is a Professor of Social Work at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Dr. Hardy is a social justice advocate, professional consultant, author, and mentor to new social workers and junior faculty members. She is the creator of The Social Work Lounge, a mentorship group facilitated via Facebook.