Real-Life Benefits Of Online Schooling
During the COVID-19 pandemic, everything went digital across the world, whether it was businesses, meetings, transactions, or even universities. But one thing that amazed us all was the online classes facilitated by schools. The immediate shift to online education drove various advancements in the education system. Hence, online schooling came out as a newly emerging concept in education.
Working with the ideology of taking the whole institution onto the smart devices of the learners, online schools provide flexibility to their students. A full-fledged online school allows its students to attend classes from anywhere across the globe. Here's how online schooling led to an upgrade in the 250+ year-old education system of India.
How Online Education Became The Need Of The Hour
Digital development has been witnessed growing at a very impressive pace because of the internet revolution. A very recent instance of development is the fifth generation (5G) of cellular, mobile, or data networks that is only a few steps away from implementation all over the world. Today one does not have to step out from their comfort zone to get anything done, from attending vital business meetings to getting the food you like—all you need is a smartphone device and the internet. Thus, the advancement in technology and the immediate need to safeguard against the pandemic resulted in the shift to online schooling for students.
What Is Meant By An Online School?
As the name suggests, an online school is a school/institution that functions on digital platforms known as Learning Management Systems and Student Management Systems (or LMSs/SMSs in abbreviation). Digital institutions either develop their online platforms on their own or outsource them from external IT sources. The complete online platform that helps the school operate on both education and administration ends is known as a digital infrastructure.
Leaving the technical part aside, the online schooling system allows the learner to access the academic content from any desired location. An enrolled user only requires a smart device and an active internet connection to begin the learning process and attend classes online. The concept of online schools is already well-established and successfully used in developed countries like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
How Is Online Schooling Making The Future Secure For Learners?
Students preparing for early success in the future must make the most productive use of every spare hour of their day [1]. Hence, the curriculum in an online education system is crafted in such a way that every student can follow their interests/ambitions while maintaining their academic records effortlessly. In traditional schools, a student usually has to spend around 8–9 hours daily, which ultimately consumes 1/3rd of their day, whereas, in an online school, a student only spends about 2–4 hours a day on academics, leaving a lot of time for other skill-enhancing activities. Apart from flexibility, affordability and accessibility are the two important aspects that parents consider when choosing a school for their children.
- Affordable costs: paying only for the tuition
There are various hidden costs like school conveyance fee, developmental fee, project fee, and miscellaneous fee that one has to pay in a physical school. Studying digitally is comparatively affordable for students as one has to pay the tuition fee, and that’s all! - Flexible learning: learn anytime, anywhere
Students find studying in a virtual school extremely accessible as there is no permanent location for learning. The learners simply log into the portal from any location on the globe and start studying. - Effective education: no compromise with education quality
Parents may be skeptical about the quality of education in an online school. Despite flexible learning, the quality of education is not compromised here. All the academic content that a student requires for their course is always accessible on the online platform.
How Does It Help In The Personal Growth Of The Learner?
Online schools make more sense when it comes to the personal growth of the learner. They enhance digital literacy and increase the confidence, technical skills, and communication skills of the student. Not only this, but the virtual schooling system also supports the student to stay self-dependent and self-disciplined. This segment of the article explains the personal growth that a student experiences after enrolling in an online school.
1. Digital Literacy
This refers to the knowledge and ability to find, analyze, and communicate information using digital resources and platforms. Learning in an online school directly educates the student about technology, IT, and the digital world. It is assumed that most of India’s future population will be digitally literate because of the online education revolution [2].
2. Confidence
Both educators and parents are very well aware of the importance of confidence in a student’s life. To achieve this, teachers and counselors have to pay great attention to the communication skills of every student. It has been observed that students feel more confident after they are encouraged to attend virtual classes in an online school.
3. Technical Skills
Studying in an online school helps students improve their technical skills by using them regularly. Because the mode of education is online, students have to face several challenges that teach them numerous technological facts and tricks. This prepares them for future challenges that they may face while using technology.
4. Self-Dependence
The culture of spoon-feeding information to students in traditional or physical schools makes the learner dependent. On the other hand, online schooling makes the learner independent as students have to perform various tasks according to the automated system's schedules within the deadlines given.
5. Self-Discipline
Students automatically learn about self-discipline and self-reliance while studying in an online school. There are several aspects like class timings, collection of academic content, and timely completion of tasks that ultimately make the student self-disciplined. Students, in fact, begin preparing planners to manage their day and become more efficient. Fun fact: with an online school, learners won't miss their classes even if they wish to travel. One can just carry their school with them, no matter where they go.
