Studying an animal care course online offers flexibility, while still building the knowledge you’ll use in hands-on animal care roles. The theory you learn supports real practice, which makes staying organised, engaged and consistent an important part of your success.
Whether you’re studying animal care, vet nursing or any other of our online courses, the right study habits can help you manage assessments, balance work or placement, and apply what you’ve learned with confidence in real-world settings. You may find that study techniques such as shorter, focused study sessions (often called microlearning) are particularly effective for online learning.
The following tips are designed to help you get the most out of your online animal care course.
1. Embrace online learning practices
Choosing to study your course online is not necessarily an easier way to learn – it’s a more flexible one. To successfully learn online, you need to dedicate your time, consistently complete your units, remain focused while studying, and fully commit to your learning process, just as you would do for a regular course. When studying online, you can expect to:
- Communicate with our trainers and assessors when required and feel confident asking for help when you need it.
- Be, or be willing to become, comfortable using technology.
- Complete your learning tasks and assignments on time.
- Attend your work placement consistently and with a genuine intent to learn.
- Stay self-disciplined, which may sometimes mean reprioritising other commitments.
If you’re willing to commit to these expectations, online study can be a rewarding and successful experience.
2. Tech-savvy online learning tips
Technology glitches can happen at any time – often when you least expect them. Here’s some tips to develop good digital habits and avoid the grief of losing your hard work:
- Ensure you save your work regularly and backup your documents often.
- Use cloud storage products, such as Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive so you can access your files across devices.
- Use online editing products such as Google Docs, Google Sheets or Microsoft 365.
- Save our contact details on your devices in case you can’t access Moodle.
- Make sure you have reliable internet access to avoid disruption to your studies.
You can also use technology to study more efficiently. Tools such as time-management or planning apps can help you stay organised and make the most of shorter, focused study sessions. You may like to read our article: Top 11 Time Management Apps for Students.
3. Have a dedicated study space
Whether you study in your office or living room, ensure the space is quiet, organised, distraction-free, and available for use at any time. Your study environment should be one of your main concerns as an online learner, so make sure it supports your study routine.
4. Switch off from distractions
Ask your friends, relatives, and colleagues to respect your “study mode.” Turning off notifications, logging out of social media, and putting your phone away can help you stay focused and make your study time more effective.
5. Keep the end goal in sight
Staying motivated is easier when you keep your goals in mind. Understanding what you want to achieve by the end of your online course can help guide your study and keep you on track.
Take time to read your course requirements carefully, make notes linked to your learning objectives, and review them when starting assessments. You may also find it helpful to tackle more challenging tasks first, while your focus and energy levels are higher.
6. Use your AVT Training Plan effectively
As part of your course, you’ve received an AVT Training Plan. This plan outlines when you should start and complete each unit based on your course start and end date.
Using your training plan as the foundation for organising your study and personal commitments can help you stay on track.
Here are some tips to help you use it:
7. Ask for help when you need it
Independent problem-solving is valuable, but waiting too long to ask for help can lead to unnecessary stress. If you’re unsure about course content, assessments or expectations, use our online contact forms to reach out.
Asking questions not only helps you move forward with confidence — it can also support other learners who may be experiencing similar challenges.
8. Review, revise, repeat.
Regular revision helps strengthen understanding and improves long-term retention. Revisiting content you’ve already studied can make assessments feel more manageable and help you apply learning in practical situations. You may find it helpful to:
- Create your own flashcards for key concepts
- Quiz yourself on essential topics
- Explain ideas in your own words (even explain them to others)
Read more about tips on how to improve your memory
Consider having one or more study buddies or study partners by using our private Facebook group to connect with other like minded students. Working in a small group will offer you alternative perspectives on difficult concepts, motivation to achieve better results, and help you complete your online assignments more quickly by reviewing what you have learned.
Share your study notes and habits with your virtual classmates and support each other throughout the online learning process.
9. Take study breaks
Your performance will decrease if you are feeling tired or frustrated while studying. Integrate some personal time into your study routine, and you will be able to work more effectively on your online course goals.
You may find that breaking your study into short, focused sessions is easier to manage than longer study blocks. For example, concentrating on one topic or task at a time for 20–30 minutes can help you stay focused and retain information more effectively. This approach can be especially helpful when balancing study with work or placement.
When taking a break, make sure you get away from your study space; you need a change of scenery. A mild physical activity, such as a walk around the block, will help you maintain balance, renew energy, and go back to studying with a clear mind.
10. Stay motivated
Finally, don’t underestimate the effort needed to fully commit to your online course. To make sure that you stay motivated and engaged in your online learning experience, consider following these tips:
- Study at a pace that works for you
- Create an inspirational study space. Just think inspirational quotes and motivational pictures
- Remind yourself why you chose this course
- Accept that you will have productive and less productive days
- Keep healthy snacks nearby to boost your energy
- Reward yourself when you complete a challenging task
- Make time for rest and personal activities
- If you have a pet at home, studying with them nearby can be a great way to feel more relaxed. A quick break to pat your pet can help you reset and get back into your study with a clearer head
Follow these study tips for online learning, and you will be able to make your online learning a fun and enjoyable learning experience.
This article was based on the online article “10 Study Tips For Online Learners” by Christopher Pappas of elearningindustry.com. We have adapted Pappas’ article to suit the AVT online elearning courses, the AVT values and our students. References: Pappas, C. (2015). 10 Study Tips For Online Learners. [Online] elearning Industry.
If you are working in the industry and want more tips on how to juggle work and student life, read our article: 7 tips to juggle work and study in the animal care industry.
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ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care (Online)
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