Online learning dexterity, or the ability to effortlessly adapt to online learning situations, has become critical since the COVID-19 pandemic, but its processes are not well-understood. Using grounded theory, this study develops a paradigm model of online learning dexterity from semi-structured interviews with 32 undergraduate and postgraduate students from a university in New Zealand. Through students' online learning experiences during the pandemic from 2020 to 2021, online learning dexterity is found to be how students make online learning 'just as good' as face-to-face learning by creating and adjusting five learning manoeuvres according to developing online learning circumstances. Undergraduates and postgraduates re-use familiar study strategies as "deep learning manoeuvres," but undergraduates restrict "support-seeking manoeuvres" to lecturers. Technical problems with online systems and poor course organisation by lecturers affected learning productivity, resulting in the need for more "time optimisation manoeuvres." Social support helped students activate "persistence manoeuvres" to sustain online class attendance. However, undergraduates had more problems sustaining interest and engagement during class as they were not as proficient with using "learning presence manoeuvres" as postgraduates enrolled in distance learning programmes. The theoretical and practical significance of online learning dexterity for post-pandemic higher education is discussed.