What is Online Learning like (with mPowerO)?
In the last 20 years, the world of the Internet has grown exponentially. From being nearly non-existent to being the largest, most accessible database of information ever created – the world of web technology has completely changed the way people communicate, shop, socialise, do business and think about knowledge and learning in the current day and age. Much more than just a new twist on the idea of distance learning, online schooling is the latest method that is changing the face of traditional classrooms and making education more accessible than ever before.
Thanks to the high-end research and rapid advancement of technology, online learning, online schooling or eLearning is a part of many institutions’ course offerings and teaching methodologies around the world. From nursery, primary to secondary, college and even certification and PhDs, impactful online learning is the Gen Y of education!
While online learning was gaining more and more positive impact, the current scenario of Coronavirus Pandemic has escalated the adoption of online learning methodologies to provide education beyond conventional bricks and mortar building. When social distancing is the only solution and technology is there to benefit your educational system, then why not deploy it?
More than 6 million students are currently enrolled in online courses as part of their higher education program. Moreover, 85% of students consider online learning a same or better solution than the traditional classroom experience. Well designed, advanced Learning Management System (LMS) providers have solutions that make online learning not only beneficial for students but also for teachers, faculty, principals as well as parents. Thus, online learning by state-of-the-art level LMS providers is a unified solution for all the stakeholders of an educational institute.
What is Online Learning?
Online learning is also termed as computer-based training, web-based training, internet-based training, online training, e-learning (electronic learning), m-learning (mobile learning), computer-aided distance education and online education in a variety of styles. The basic definition of online learning is as follows –
Electronically supported learning, which depends on the Internet for teacher/student interaction as well as the distribution of class materials.
This simple definition proclaims an almost infinite number of ways to teach as well as learn outside of traditional classrooms and away from college campuses. With online learning, students can join classes from anywhere with Internet access and a smartphone or tablet or laptop. It can include audio, video, text, animations, virtual training environments, online assessments and live chats with teachers and professors beyond geographical boundaries. It is indeed a rich teaching and learning environment with much more flexibility than a traditional classroom.
What are the benefits of Online Learning?
When used to its full potential, online learning has been proven to be more effective than conventional face-to-face instruction.
Engaging – It is equally engaging, fun and effective.
Personalised – Well-designed online learning platforms have added advantage of tailoring it to fit almost anyone’s schedule.
Blended – It provides a seamless self-paced learning experience beyond schools and helps the students study from anywhere at any time.
Easy Communication – Online learning helps in easy communication between teachers, students, management and parents with one click.
Auto-Correction – Online learning enables students to receive instant results of exams, where the teachers don’t need to review every copy individually.
Real-Time Analytics – It helps with customised dashboards for teachers, students, principals and parents, where one can assess the performance outcome holistically.
Savings – While the educational institutes save highly on extra hardware cost, the teachers and students save their energy and time of travelling, corrections and many more.
What are the resources available for Online Learning?
It is often misunderstood that online learning is difficult as teachers and professors cannot provide rich content to the students. Also, many think the resources offered for learning online is not of high quality, thereby decreasing the student’s learning experience. However, it is opposite in the case of online education.
For those institutions that have made the complete transition to using 100% online resources, students can learn using a blend of cutting-edge technological resources with no necessity to travel to attend lectures, exams or in-person discussion sessions. Teachers can curate study notes, lectures, online exam papers consulting their notes and online available ebooks, PDFs, articles, YouTube videos and many more. Also, they can use the same content repository time and again.
The online learning methodology officially registers students of the institutions to access the same resources from anywhere at any time as an on-campus. Advanced technology-supported LMS ensures the institution’s digital library is secured and doesn’t cross beyond the teachers or faculty and students.
The educational institute and the course instructor or teacher has the freedom and advantage to determine the format for each course or lesson and will select delivery methods that are best suited for the students.
A major way of absorbing a large amount of information in a relatively short amount of time is lectures or interactive sessions. With online learning, students can attend lectures from their bedroom or anywhere they wish, as many times the students want! Also, the teachers or faculty members don’t need to attend the lectures every time. They can record it, share it as their convenience and thus, the students self-paced learning is also not hampered.
The biggest challenge an online education provider faces is how to replicate the face-to-face interaction session like the in-person discussions that conventional institutions can simply provide.
The solution? High-end online learning management systems use a combination of discussion forums and interactive question-and-answer sessions to give required interaction between other students and instructors that the learner needs.
What are the myths of Online Learning?
Despite the growing popularity and online learning being the need of the hour, it continues to be seen in a negative light by some regulators and members of the academic community, especially by faculty.
Here are some myths which are often considered to malign this advanced form of instruction –
Reduces need for faculty –
Online education is not meant to replace the conventional form of learning, but to strengthen the current educational system. Many survey reports and interviews show that the success of a student majorly depends on the teachers or instructor and in case of online learning, it is also the same. The current educational system demands professors, teachers or faculty members to upgrade, revise old lessons, create latest assessments and other tasks to make learning more engaging and effective. Online learning management systems lessen the tedious tasks of the teachers and simplify the required procedures. The system does all the checking of assessments, test, while the teacher gets the time to sharpen his/her lessons.
Low-quality outcomes –
Research and study over many decades have shown that the outcomes for those studying at a distance do not differ from those in a classroom. There has been such consistency of finding in this regard that the phrase ‘no meaningful distinction’ has become the anticipated hypothesis in making comparisons.
Need to be a tech whiz to take Online Learning –
A well-structured online learning system provider makes online education platforms accessible, intuitive and simple. Such platforms don’t need sophisticated tech learning to access the applications. Age or technical ability is not an excuse for the teachers or students to not pursue the latest form of education.
Zero interaction –
Technological innovation has broken down the wall of miscommunication. The latest online learning applications not only help in the face to face interaction platform for students and teachers but also provide discussion platforms that can be accessed by teachers and students both from anywhere at any time. Also, classmates and partners can collaborate on the same platform and utilize advanced technology to study in an enhanced manner.
Online learning the next generation of teaching as well as learning and it is here to stay and empower new methodology of future education. Along with agility and flexibility, online learning platforms lessens the burdens on teachers and gives a better learning platform to the students.
mPowerO is a leading unified mobile-first eLearning solution, specially curated for schools, institutions and enterprises to give the next level education in the most simplified and cost-effective manner.
How advanced online learning is delivered – using an interactive platform like mPowerO?
- Provides anytime anywhere access
- Availability of online and offline content
- Automated corrections of online assessments and tests
- Connect students remotely with virtual live classes
- Ensured continuity in and outside classrooms
With our vast experience of teaching 2,50,000 students and having deployed the eLearning solution at several educational institutes and enterprises, we make online learning easy to adopt (in a few hours). We are a reliable partner to help educational institutes go live with their online learning needs in a day with all our stakeholders without any IT overhead or new hardware cost.
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