E-learning has been gaining popularity over the years, which can be seen as a response to the changing times. With the world quickly developing in the technological era, it is only logical to change our conventional ways of living. As a result, learning institutions are slowly embracing the use of electronic resources for day-to-day teaching and learning.
If you ever wonder whether e-learning is the future of the education sector, here’s what you need to know:
E-learning makes education flexible
E-learning has opened up the learning and teaching process to an ocean of possibilities. It has proven effective when it comes to facilitating the interaction between the teachers and learners each time the traditional education systems are disrupted.
For instance, many students have benefited from e-learning during the covid-19 pandemic.
Having a flexible educational platform leads to higher learning efficiency as the learner gets to choose which environment and learning condition suits them best. E-learning is the future because learners always require to thrive when they get to learn at their most appropriate and convenient pace, time and location.
It boosts individual skillset
E-learning provides the learner with a wide range of educational resources. These include educational websites, e-books, and video tutorials for practical lessons, among others. A good example is the availability of short courses such as Azure Fundamentals offered by Microsoft which help in building IT skills.
Furthermore, learning through the internet provides you with general skills. For example, spending more time on your computer improves your research and computer-based skills, such as typing, graphing, printing, web design, computer commands, among others.
Connection to the internet can also help you interact with people from a wide range of societies, enabling you to sharpen your social awareness and critical thinking. All these acquired skills can be applied in education and increase your work performance and interpersonal relationships.
It provides a path towards better teaching
In 2020, a survey by the government showed that only 30% of teachers in Australia had been trained on e-learning. One-third of them still felt unprepared to provide successful online learning, meaning that most teachers are unable to give the learners adequate education, especially in the current pandemic.
E-learning naturally provides teachers and instructors with more skills to better teach in and out of the classroom. These include basic computer skills, digital resource preparation, presentation, and learner assessment out of the traditional classroom. A well-trained teacher results in a well-learned student, and thus, a successful teaching process.
It improves learning
To an extent, learning depends on the ability of the learner to remember what they are taught. E-learning allows for teaching and learning in an environment where the student is most comfortable, resulting in a tremendous impact on concentration. You are likely to find less distractions in a student’s private learning room compared to a fully packed traditional classroom.
A higher concentration level translates to a higher retention rate, and thus, a more successful learning process.
Online learning has a positive impact on the environment
The world is on course to creating a more sustainable environment. Therefore, a reduction in energy use leads to a greener environment. It’s true that schools impact the environment negatively. You see, with the rapid population growth, there has been a higher demand for larger learning spaces for the high number of students.
A high number of school goers means that there are many road users, which increases the volume of carbon dioxide emissions and building resources that include timber and manufactured building materials that impact further on the environment.
Moreover, food waste in Australian schools account for around 36 percent (by weight) and 11 percent (by volume) of waste. Food scraps in the waste bin are sent to landfill, which comes at a high cost to the environment. It directly results in wastage of the energy and funds used in food production and transportation.
E-learning allows for a virtual learning environment that directly reduces the natural environment’s exploitation, bringing the world closer to a more sustainable ecosystem.
E-learning saves on study time
Traditional classrooms require that one moves from home to school and back, which always leads to a wastage of time. E-learning, on the other hand, provides an option for asynchronous learning. In this case, the teacher and learner do not have to interact in real-time. Instead, the student follows an online set curriculum at their own pace with readily available assessments.
Students finish courses in brief periods compared to physical learning, allowing them to spare time for further education, talent development, work, among others.
Cost efficiency
Education is generally a costly affair. You have to pay a handsome amount for tuition, learning resources, assessments, and examinations, as well as indirect costs, such as meals and transport.
E-learning helps in cutting down some of the costs of education. For example, it allows students to study from home, thus cutting down on transport costs. They also reduce the amount they spend on educational resources as there’re always free or cheaper resources online.
Online learning the future of education because it makes schooling a lot easier. E-learning is also the key to saving the environment for a sustainable future, reducing education costs, and making education efficient and rewarding. So, why not try an online education program today?
