Online Learning Is The Future Of Education: Here’s Why

The 7 Most Promising Features Of Online Learning
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Summary: Online learning has been on the rise in recent years, largely due to the convenience, cost, and accessibility the system offers compared to traditional learning. This growth has only been fueled by the coronavirus pandemic that forced down the shutters of universities and schools worldwide.

Will Online Learning Replace The Classroom?

The meaning of traditional classrooms has changed over the years, especially with technology permeating some, then all, domains of the classroom environment. From projectors to smart screens and everything in between, technology has changed classroom learning as we know it. And now, online learning serves to switch up what we expect from learning environments, processes, and experiences. Many of the perks offered by traditional classrooms are now being provided by eLearning platform services, with a few additional features. The public’s appreciation for online learning has only increased over time, with 46% of surveyed recent graduates having taken an online course already. The variety of eLearning platform features, accessibility, lower costs, and access to high-quality education from all parts of the world have contributed to this rise. While the question of which online learning platform is best is still up in the air, all learning platforms offer distinctive benefits to those who enroll in their courses.

The Rise Of Online Learning

Online learning is also enthusiastically adopted by companies training their employees, professionals looking to upskill, and career veterans looking to enter a different industry. According to HubSpot, 75% of professionals surveyed prefer to learn using online training videos; similarly, 68% of professionals trust the online learning platform of their choice.

For employees, online learning is critical to advancing in their careers. Online learning offers the chance to achieve these goals while balancing their jobs and schedules. Online learners can develop their skills at their own pace and keep records of their learning for future reference. This way, they gain education and knowledge while fulfilling their responsibilities within the company. Companies will not have to build eLearning platforms of their own to train employees, they can still gain a higher-skilled workforce by making an initial investment in an eLearning platform for enterprises.

The 7 Most Promising Features Of Online Learning

The best eLearning platform will be able to tick most or all of these boxes. So arm yourself with information to make the right choice, whether you’re a student looking to learn or a company exploring how to create an eLearning platform.

1. Online Learning Offers Convenience And Flexibility

Most professionals found they couldn’t continue with their education or upskilling because they couldn’t fit studies around their work schedules. Those shifting to online learning platforms will find that online learning offers convenience and flexibility in timings and pace, allowing you to learn in your own time. Many online courses have strict timings only for submissions and deadlines; those looking to brush up on their skills can use tutorials and videos between jobs to have the best of both worlds.

2.High-Quality Student-Tutor Interactions

Online learning allows for better quality interactions between students and tutors. This is because tutors have various teaching methods at their disposal. Additionally, they can focus on individual students a lot more than they would in traditional classes. Most online learning courses that rely on live streaming have a cap on the number of students who can enroll, ensuring that each student gets adequate attention and advice from their tutor.

3. More Students Can Enroll At Once

Online learning classes that depend on pre-recorded videos and tests can have an unlimited number of students enrolling. So many popular courses today have thousands of students simultaneously enrolled, and since there’s no need for physical classrooms and seats, more students can enroll in a single course at once.

4. Web-Based Learning Will Grow In Popularity

As time goes on and social distancing rules become more concrete in everyday life, it’s expected that web-based learning will experience a surge. Web-based learning includes a variety of setups including live streaming, video-on-demand, seminars, webinars, talk shows, interviews, and more. Regardless of what mode is chosen by the communicator, it’s a given that the convenience and flexibility of web-based learning will make it more popular in the years to come.

5. Better Learning Experience

Given that students are allowed to learn at their own pace and are encouraged to gain hands-on experience over memorizing textbooks, online learning can offer a better learning experience. It also helps that students can attend classes from places they’re comfortable being in, which makes them more likely to approach learning with a positive attitude. The lack of pressure from commutes, class timings, and personal schedules leaves students with more energy to attend online classes.

6. More Cost-Effective

Online learning is priced lower than traditional university courses and is also worth the cost. The fees often don’t account for accommodation, textbooks, equipment, groceries, transport and other factors that contribute to the full learning experience in traditional schooling. Online learning slashes most of these costs at least by half, leaving students to make the most of the affordable prices they’ve paid. Lower costs don’t mean a decrease in quality; lower costs ensure that a wider audience has access to universities and courses that were once reserved for those with higher budgets.

7. Retention Rates Are Higher

According to studies, retention rates are higher in online learning than in traditional university courses. This is likely due to the decrease in stressors and pressures otherwise present in traditional schooling systems. Students are allowed to learn and practice at their own pace; their course material is also available for a lifetime, in case they want to come back and refresh their memory.

Conclusion

Every top eLearning platform offers distinctive benefits over traditional classrooms to students. Online learning features in the future of education; if your company has considered exploring how to build an eLearning platform, it’s the most convenient time to start.

Originally published on July 18, 2020