Hello! My name is Alisa, and I’m currently a 9th grader taking my first year of Cambridge International AS/A- level Mathematics with Pamoja Education
My online learning experience with Pamoja was absolutely remarkable. I felt thrilled to begin this journey as I would be studying a subject necessary for my future. The user-friendly platform made me feel very welcomed, and it did not take me long to get well-accustomed to the system.
Each week generally contains two to four topics to study, which features some reading material, a video and example questions to practice, each of which allows me to better understand the content. The discussion forums also help me gain an insight into the concepts involved, by creating and reading related opinions and responses.
Unlike the typical classroom, I could work at my own pace without distractions, so I could choose to take more time to research on unfamiliar topics, or immediately start trying out practice problems on more well-versed topics.
In addition, assignments were handed out on a weekly basis, compared to homework handed out daily, so I could choose to work on them whenever I’m free. Truly, learning online gave me this convenience and flexibility I yearned for that no classroom could offer.
Challenges faced and how to overcome them
Reflecting back on the past semester, the largest obstacle I faced, was undoubtedly time management.
Recalling the beginning few weeks, I had spent far too much time researching on the topic through websites and videos instead of attempting the activity itself, that my workload piled up towards the end of the week, and I almost got behind schedule.
To resolve this issue, I decided to create a schedule, contingent on the scale and difficulty of the topic, where I break down the task into smaller activities, then plan and control how much time to spend on these specific activities.
On the surface, this process may seem rather superfluous, but in reality, it really only takes about five minutes to work it out. Personally, I can ensure you that organizing and planning effectively enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high.
I also realized that by learning more productively, I can complete my assigned coursework earlier, and this leaves me with more time to study the topic for next week in advance.
Learn more about Alisa’s experience in her next blog post!
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