Table of Contents

5 Ways Online Education is Changing the Way Students Learn

Online education has certainly increased opportunities for school students to get an education. It is also seen as a way to improve the quality of education and make it more accessible to everyone. But it has its drawbacks. One of the most common complaints is that online education can be very isolating and it can be hard to stay motivated.

It is also said that online education can be repetitive and boring. Students can find themselves doing the same thing over and over again. And they can get easily distracted by things that are not related to their studies.

How Relevant is Online Education?

In the initial stage of Covid, not many were ready for the digital switch. The students kept waiting for a response from the government and educational institutions. However, as time went by, the students had no other option but to shift to online education for completing their curriculum. Platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, not only became popular for corporate professionals but also for students. When needed, thankfully online education stepped up at the right time and the current situation is such that it has become the norm. Two years have passed and the end of the pandemic is nowhere to be seen and students and teachers have now become completely comfortable with online education.

Other than the school, the online education that is offered by ed-tech startups has also played a pivotal role. For instance, it allows the child to study at their own pace, and in addition to that, they also have the option of curriculum personalization. Both of these important characteristics are missing in the offline learning system. Also, this makes it possible for the children to study from home in a convenient manner. Further, many online education platforms make it possible for students to track their records very closely. The student also has the freedom to repeat and watch a single video lesson as many times as they want. Breaking the geographical boundaries of education, online learning is helping students from around the globe.

The Benefits Of Online Education

Online education can change the way students learn in many positive ways. Here are a few of them. Students no longer have to miss class for an illness or late-night study session, because they can view lecture material on their own time and access course materials from anywhere. Instead of talking to a substitute teacher, they can watch video lectures by professional educators. Instructors post additional resources online, like study guides and writing assignments, so students don’t waste time trying to figure out how to write a proposal or make PowerPoint slides that showcase their research findings.

5 Ways Online Education is Changing the Way Students Learn

1. Videoconferences

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, many students had to switch from classrooms to their screens. It became increasingly common for schools and universities to conduct lectures and seminars online via videoconferences rather than gather students in lecture halls, which had a major impact on how classes functioned in learning today.

Many students can now attend classes from far away, eliminating the need to be physically present on campus. In many ways, that greatly benefited some learners. Many save a lot of money that they would have otherwise spent on a college dorm, giving them greater financial freedom and easing their burden. Others save time and money due to the reduced need to commute to school.

2. Students need to learn more in less time

In the limited time students have, managing knowledge is an important skill. Thus, students are learning how to find information online, evaluate and analyze it, and apply it too.

Younger students need help with here. As a parent, you should help them develop these skills by finding reliable and appropriate sources for them. Once students get to high school, they are usually better at finding resources on their own. However, they might still need help when it comes to organizing their thoughts and materials.

If you don’t have time, online tutoring services like CrunchGrade can help manage the learning process of your child and provide you with timely feedback.

3. Networking with peers

The use of social media and online communication tools has encouraged students to engage in more collaborative learning. They are also sharing ideas and working together on projects more than ever before.

This type of collaboration is not limited to students. Professionals are also networking with each other online to learn new skills, find jobs, and keep up with the latest trends in their field. As a parent, you can help your children network with peers and experts in their field. You can also encourage them to use digital technologies to communicate and collaborate.

There is a rise in “microlearning”: This is where students learn in short, specific bursts, often on devices they are already using like smartphones and tablets. Microlearning is popular because it allows students to learn what they want when they want, and how they want.

4. More and more students are looking for flexible learning options

With education and tuition costs rising, students in high school, and sometimes even the middle class, are looking for flexible learning options.

Some students are taking advantage of the online format to take a course or two at a time, while others are opting for full-time online schools. Flexibility is not only about taking courses at your own pace. It is also about choosing courses that fit students’ interests and needs.

Flipped classrooms and blended learning options are also picking up. In flipped classrooms, students learn the theory online and apply it in class. This way, they can get more out of the limited time they have in class.

Blended learning is a mix of face-to-face and online instruction. It has been found to be more effective than either type of instruction alone.

5. Active life-long learning skills are necessary

Critical thinking, independent learning, the use of IT, software, and data within a discipline, and entrepreneurialism are global competencies students need to pick up if they want to cope with the rapidly-changing academic and professional environments.

You can help your children pick up these skills by encouraging them to take online courses, watch educational videos, and participate in online discussions.

How is Online Education Changing the Way Students Learn?

The Future Of Online Learning

While online education has only recently begun to make its mark on K-12 classrooms and universities alike, it’s been touted as a possibility for decades. Since 1997, more than 20 million students have studied online, and that number continues to grow. The advent of live video streaming services such as FaceTime and Hangouts are making these platforms accessible to more students across a wide variety of settings. In short, online learning is nothing new—but now it’s getting better.