The grave situation of the pandemic has slowed down everything, including the world of education. Learning immediately shifted from offline to online mode. This was challenging for students as well as teachers. However, accepting this opened a wide array of benefits, including access to advanced technological learning tools. With online education, classes have become more engaging, and students are able to learn beyond the syllabus.
In this blog, we'll take you through the benefits of online classes and how can the classes be made more effective.
What exactly is online learning?
Online education is a type of learning conducted completely online. The only two requirements are a stable internet connection and a display screen. Online education allows flexibility and convenience. Students who cannot attend classes physically due to various reasons can learn from anywhere using the internet and online classes. Online classes are an excellent source of knowledge that students may access at any time.
Benefits of online learning
1. Flexibility
Online learning offers flexibility and convenience to students. Flexible timings make online classes more convenient for both students and teachers. Geography is no longer a barrier in education. Online teaching reduces the physical constraints of schooling and studying. In addition to this, diverse courses are offered to students from all across the globe. All you need is a strong and stable internet connection and a properly functioning display device. It further helps students to join foreign universities and even carry out distance learning. If any student is physically unwell, they too can attend the class from their home.
2. Commuting Time
In an offline class, commuting requires time and expense, but a time-consuming commute from one place to another is eliminated with online classes. That saved time can be utilized for a productive activity like learning more about the topic. Transportation is also a huge expenditure that consumes a major chunk of an individual’s budget. This helps students as well as teachers to cut down on unwanted travel expenses and save valuable time, energy and money.
3. Connections
Since online education has no time and location boundary, people are able to meet other people from diverse backgrounds and learn about their culture. The online mode of learning allows students from all over the world to learn together and form strong networks from various backgrounds and locations. They can collaborate on group projects and learn better through group studies.
4. Convenience
One of the most important aspects of online classes is the convenience it offers. It helps students to join foreign universities and even carry out distance learning. If any student is physically unwell, they too can attend the class from their home. Online teaching reduces the physical constraints of education and studying. In addition to this, diverse courses are offered to students from all across the globe. Online classes can be recorded, making the material available at all times.
5. Cost-Effective
Online education is cost-effective as it saves the expenditure of travelling and accommodation. There is no requirement to stay in a hostel, and hence, online classes are less expensive than offline classes. The only two expenses are a smart device and the internet connection (data or WiFi).
6. Comfortable Pace
All students do not learn at the same pace. They have different capacities to grasp new information and concepts. With online classes, students can learn at their own pace and ability. They can refer to the recorded lectures and even get access to additional learning material.
7. Increases Productivity
Since the online mode of learning is time-saving, it allows for increased productivity. With everything being digital, more work can be carried out in lesser time. With the help of teacher apps, tasks like making different question sets evaluating assignments and tests have become extremely easy.
8. Seamless communication
Online classes provide seamless education. Students are able to initiate connections with teachers on a deeper level and learn more. Many online teaching platforms will allow recording for live sessions, so students have the option to revisit those classes for better note-taking or clarifying doubts. Students who are shy to ask questions can have a one-to-one interaction with the teacher or even type out their doubts and questions in the chatbox. Now teaching and learning can take place without disturbance and more effortlessly with the online classes.
Tips for effective online learning
· Make the class interactive through debates and discussions
· The classes should be ideally between 40 – 45 minutes because online classes can get exhausting for certain students
· The last five minutes can be kept for doubt clearing and answering questions
· Students can be assigned creative assignments and group projects to keep the class engaged
· 10 – 15 minutes of break should be provided to the teachers as well as students between two classes
· Students are advised to use a chair and table instead of the bed for attending classes
· Students must type out questions or doubts for instant clarification
· The technical errors should be fixed before the class begins to conduct a smooth online class
Conclusion
There are many advantages to online learning, like flexibility, convenience and increased productivity. Teachers can make online learning a powerful tool with efforts and slight command over technology. Students can find enormous possibilities that online education has to offer for their own perks and benefits. With online learning, it's never too late to educate yourself and learn what's required for your career.
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