Learn how to master distance learning with these 12 wine study tips

The coronavirus outbreak has forced many classrooms to close temporarily. Students are now required to complete their courses entirely at home. Many new Wine Scholar Guild students have switched to the Online Wine Study Option shortly. Many students now find they have more time to themselves as they must stay home and “socially distance” their daily schedule.

At-home learning requires different skills than classroom teaching. We’ve put together 12 study tips to help you get the most out of your wine education at home, whether you are new to distance learning or just looking for ideas to improve your practice.

Learning environment

It would be best to create a conducive learning environment in your home. It may be a slight adjustment if you’re used to working at home. But for others, studying in the same room where they sleep, eat, and interact with their family can be disruptive.

The following tips will help you to make the best adjustments for your settings:

Make a space dedicated to your studies

Having a commonplace in your home where you study is essential. This could be a table in the kitchen or an uncluttered desk.

Plan your study schedule and treat it as a job

Our online learning program gives you a full year from enrollment to complete your exam. Don’t use this as an excuse to procrastinate! Schedule blocks of study every week until you reach your goal.

For example, you should dedicate two hours daily to the Italian wine scholar(r) unit 2 – Southern Italy. You could schedule Monday and Tuesday 8 am-10 am for Campania and Wednesday and Thursday 8 am-10 am for Puglia. Then, you can reinforce the concepts learned the previous days on Friday mornings. Similar models could be used for other weeks.

It is essential to stay consistent throughout the course and have a plan. Having a routine and not “dabbling” at studying is necessary.

Is self-discipline not your strong suit? You can benefit from our online instructor-led program. It provides a weekly activity schedule and live webinars to help you stay focused and reach the finish line quicker.

Someone should hide their phone when they are studying

Eliminating distractions is one of the most challenging parts of home learning. The “Distractor-in-Chief,” your mobile phone, is the greatest temptation. Nothing can ruin a study session more than notifications from social media or push alerts sent by news media.

Ask someone to remove it from you each day. They can hide it or put it in a box for you to study. You’ll be surprised at how much it will help you check if the object disappears.

Tactical Advice

Here are some tips to help you retain what you’ve learned independently. These tips also apply in the classroom but are especially important for self-guided studies.

Avoid “cramming”

Several studies have shown that cramming as many facts into your head as you can at one time is more harmful than helpful.

Active recall

Close the book and read out loud the sections you have just finished. Review the pages and determine what you remember and what doesn’t.

Draw maps of regions

Reproducing maps on large sheets of paper by hand can reinforce the spatial relationships in a wine region even if the map could be better (freehand drawing Piedmont can be challenging! The process of drawing a map is essential. Wine Scholar Guild’s online courses include blank maps that can be downloaded to practice your wine geography.

Flashcards can help you remember what you struggle with

On one side, you can write the concept. On the back of the card, write only the most essential details. “Brut = 0-1.2% sugar, etc.”). Use active recall to review the cards and say the concept as loudly as possible.

The cards can be arranged in stacks. Depending on your local circumstances, you can take a bundle of cards on a walk. You can have a member of your family quiz you on the go. Flashcards can be used in a variety of ways.

Remember that the Wine Scholar Guild online program comes with virtual flashcards, which you can use to quiz yourself!

Color your notes

It can be a chore to take notes, and it can also be a drag to read over them. Color can be a simple solution. Use a multipack and assign specific colors to concepts—for example, red for important names, purple for critical dates, green grape varieties, etc. You can customize the colors according to your preferred learning style. This will make it easier to skim through your notes when reviewing them during study sessions and help you make connections.

Create tables

Tables are a great way to organize details in wine studies, such as appellation requirements. You could dedicate a row to each appellation within a particular region. Then, columns would be devoted to the grape varieties and their percentages allowed, oak and aging requirements, and minimum alcohol by volume.

Utilize mnemonic devices

There are times when you have no choice but to memorize information. A mnemonic device, a technique for retrieving data from memory by using specific cues, can be handy.

The most common are acronyms (CCROM, for the Valpolicella red wine) and name mnemonics. These mnemonics use the first letters from a funny phase to match the first letter of a list. (For example: “Some Japanese Canadians marry French Canadians making wonderful children” for the Beaujolais Cru village names from north to south). It can be helpful to put concepts into music. You and your proctor are the only ones taking the online exam. They probably won’t mind you singing if it makes them laugh.

Join our virtual tasting group

Virtual tasting groups are as helpful as sharing a wine bottle with friends. Join Wine Scholar Guild Facebook to meet like-minded students and arrange your Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom tasting!

Online tools from the Wine Scholar Guild are available to you

The Wine Scholar Guild’s website is to be noticed. Students have access to an array of study tools once they are enrolled. Click My Account and Online Courses to find eLearning modules, learning objectives, and flashcards. You’ll also find blank maps, a pronunciation guide, and self-evaluating quizzes. Join the forums to ask your most pressing questions and receive Wine Scholar Guild staff clarification.

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