Effective Digital Learning: Discussing Its Future And Role In The Education System
In this ever-growing digital age, an increasing number of students are slowly but steadily moving towards online digital courses in almost every field including business, arts, engineering as well as programming languages and technical tools. Also commonly known as eLearning, digital classrooms are coming up rapidly in all streams around the world, and the learners are eagerly filling up the seats. Not only is digital learning a vastly advanced technological medium but it also provides the learners with a great deal of flexibility, allowing them to study at any time from any place at their own convenient speed without worrying about timetables and schedules. The students, for the first time, also have the liberty to choose what they what to learn and what they don’t. This advantage has made digital learning hugely popular, not only among engineering students but also students involved in many different fields. There are a few basics which, when applied to digital learning classrooms, improve student engagement as well as their interest. These basic principles are applicable to all kinds of digital learning courses be its language skills, process training skills or even soft skills etc. For engineers, the digital learning platform is a blessing as it allows students to grasp the most fundamental concepts sitting in the comfort of their rooms.
Enhancing Effective Digital Learning
Digital learning can be made extremely productive by using the following basics:
1. Relating Digital Learning To Offline Learning
When a student is able to connect and relate what he studies in the classroom with what he learns online through digital classes, it improves his/her level of understanding and helps in grasping engineering concepts easily. Creating this co-relation makes digital learning a relevant and rewarding experience for the student. For example, to study a mechanical engineering eLearning lecture, the student will require a recap of the topics studies previously to be on the same page. This process ensures better comprehension of crucial concepts.
2. Learning Practical Application Of Knowledge
In engineering, if the knowledge is not applied practically, cramming up a lot of theory may become tedious and unproductive. Hence it is imperative to know practical applications of the topics being studied. An effective way to do this is to include real-life demonstrations, scenarios and artificial simulations coupled with the theoretical concepts. This would provide a complete and thorough understanding of the subject for the student. An exhaustive digital learning engineering courseware along with the right applications can ensure effective learning for any engineering student.
3. Getting Continuous Feedback And Analysis Of Progress
eLearning programs for engineering come with assessments and tests that help students in assessing their knowledge and tracking their learning progress. The platforms also provide students with a feedback section where they are encouraged to add their suggestions, grievances or any other feedback that would help in making the eLearning platform better. This sort of an ecosystem is very advantageous to students in the long run as gradually the digital learning platform adapts to their specific needs.
4. Enabling Social Engagements
One of the biggest advantages of eLearning platforms is that they allow engineering students to socialize, collaborate and interact with fellow learners on the web. Students can work together, pool in their resources, study together and share milestones while working towards a common goal. Moreover, students can leverage this feature to engage and experience a higher level of group learning.
5. Learning Through A Mixed Approach
Research shows that custom-designed, mixed programs tend to enhance the knowledge retention power and learning skills of students. Digital learning courses can be clubbed with other learning mediums like videos, podcasts and even multimedia courses to improve their learning curve.
How Digital Learning Is Helping To Strengthen The Education System
Vast technological advancements have been made possible with the support of education as the main driving force.
Digital learning has proven to be beneficial in several significant ways:
- It Has Made Education Infrastructure More Robust
In some areas where classroom education has not been effective, digital learning has offered great benefits to students. Nowadays, most reputed schools and colleges around the globe have incorporated learning in their curriculum. Many engineering colleges have turned to smart-classrooms, where students are taught using advanced eLearning tools. This kind of pedagogy has made it easy to teach complicated concepts to students by using 3D animation and graphics where the learner actually experiences the practical scientific process. - It Has Given A Competitive Edge To Engineering/Technology Students.
It has given a competitive edge to students who are studying engineering or technology that not only needs classroom training but also requires practical application and expertise. Most eLearning portals nowadays offer online courses, covering both the theoretical and practical aspects of different subjects. Such tools and technology have taken engineering education to the next level where students can study any subject at their convenient time and pace. - Digital Learning Has Also Proven To Be A Superb Tool For Transferring Knowledge And Upgrading Skills.
It is a very flexible medium for studying sitting in the comfort of one’s own room. Students can now study, experience, test their learning through self-assessment and even keep a track of their progress and milestones. - The Digital Medium Has Also Been Ideal For Corporate Training.
The online learning platforms are portable, efficient, flexible and robust mechanisms. Corporate companies have now started using digital learning tools extensively to train their employees, help them upgrade their skills and provide seamless sessions for knowledge transfer.
To sum it up, digital learning puts the entire power in the hand of the students. They can control what they wish to study and when, that has led to better performance and results, thus strengthening the education system and its objectives.