As technology advances, the potential for online learning grows and evolves with it. Up until two decades ago, studying online in the comfort of your home was barely an idea that anyone thought would be applicable. But since then, technology has evolved, and we’ve been introduced to internet speeds that go up to 1Gb per second.
We have continuously impressed ourselves with the efforts we have made to move forward and improve our quality of life, and online education has been no exception. Online schools and colleges have continuously adopted new forms of technology into their teaching methods to make the learning experience more convenient and flexible for students.
As part of the bigger picture, the idea has always been to make online learning available anywhere and at any time. Nowadays, over 98% of public universities and colleges, offer some kind of opportunity for their students to study online. And if that’s not enough, last year, the University of Pennsylvania became the first Ivy League college to offer an entirely online bachelor’s program.
Going ahead, it seems clear that studying online will be the way to go. An increasing number of institutions will start to adopt online learning platforms that will give more people the chance to study online with immense convenience. Not only will people have the chance to multi-task, but they will also have flexible schedules that work according to their needs. But has online learning always been this way?
Constantly Evolving Model
With the passage of time, multiple educational institutions have started to adopt technology in distance education. Nowadays, with the help of sophisticated analytics, online course facilitators can understand which student needs more help in the course. Because of this, weaker students can get extra attention on topics they lack sufficient knowledge in.
With the help learner profiling, instructors can also evaluate a student’s learning patterns. With the ability to predict a student’s behavior earlier, instructors can focus their attempts on teaching methods that can easily resonate with the students they are teaching. This ensures that the course is catered to the requirements of different kinds of learners. This aspect also ensures that the sophistication of personal tutoring is available to thousands of students, without having a physical tutor teaching them.
Not only has this massive evolution made complex subjects seem more comfortable, but it has also made it possible for eLearning experts to teach more than a single group of students in a day.
Education Is Now Delivered on a Large Scale
The online platform has made it easier to deliver education on a larger scale. Even though education was previously available to anyone who wanted to get educated, an evolved online learning system has made it possible for a higher number of people. Previously, if you wanted to take a class at an Ivy League college, but you had a sick parent you had to take care of, attending a class physically was something that would not have been suitable for you.
Moreover, attending a class on-site is also not suitable for people with special needs. Even though they may have all the intellectual capabilities to take a class, their special needs restrict them from attending college. An online learning system makes it possible for them to get educated in the convenience of their homes.
Apart from offering benefits to people who could not get educated before, an online learning system also has significant benefits for people who want to follow their passions along with pursuing education. For example, if a high school student wants to pursue their dream of becoming a basketball player, but is unable to do so because of their tight schedule, an online learning platform can help.
An online learning platform allows you to create your own flexible schedule, so they could choose to play basketball in the first half of their day, and then devote their afternoon towards their education.
Experimenting With Teaching Methods
An added advantage of offering a course online is the added control you have over the classroom. Because an instructor is essentially monitoring the performance of every student on a digitized platform, they can easily see what works and what doesn’t. If a course facilitator teaches a class on-site and online, they can choose to experiment with new learning methods online first.
When you have the power of complex learning platforms aiding all the performance assessments you make about your students, evaluating yourself is easier too. Maybe it wasn’t the students who lagged behind, but it was the teaching method you adopted that didn’t resonate with them?
Technological Education for a Tech-Savvy Generation
As the world around us continues to transform, our workplaces and economies are changing. This makes it even more crucial to change and update our online learning system and give it a new meaning for students and employers alike. New initiatives provide students with the resources to take advantage of informal learning and to move away from traditional, brick-and-mortar learning systems.
It is our job to encourage more students to take this journey and help them make the most out of high-quality online learning. Online learning provides them with the opportunity of distance learning that can bring vital skills to an increased number of students. Moreover, learning analytics make educational opportunities a lot more effective since they personalize every curriculum.
The consistent growth of the online education system is redefining which skills are required to land a job in a top firm. This fast growth is making stringent demands on the traditional education system. It is clear that to move forward with quality education that is available to all; we need to adopt newer learning methods that make education accessible to a higher number of people.
Because of online learning, more people are now able to connect, grow, and learn on their own terms. Without many of the hurdles that traditional educational systems put forward for students, students expect a different experience from their education systems. No one can deny that online education has had a massive impact on how we pursue, learn and perceive knowledge.
