Communities are closely tied to the Internet that it is becoming impractical to hold a conversation about the former without mentioning the latter. Digital technology has changed our way of life for the better. Education is one key area that immensely benefits from this technological advancement. The way we approach schooling today is different from the way it was considered before the Internet infiltrated our lives.
Online schooling has introduced great flexibility in the acquisition of new skills and certifications. Parents, professionals, and students who feel constrained by time prefer this kind of approach to studying. Read on to learn more about Internet schooling, its benefits, as well as the drawbacks.
What is online schooling?
Online schooling is a broad term comprising of any education disseminated via the Internet. Other words used to refer to it include online teaching, distance learning, e-learning, virtual learning, web-based training, and distance education.
Online schooling is characterized by a course explicitly delivered through the Internet as opposed to the physical classroom where you have a face to face encounter with the professor. It does not entail courses taught through CD-ROM or DVD, mainstream TV, or videotapes.
The way online schooling is done is dependent on the institution offering it. In most cases, the professors or educators pre-record the lessons and upload them on their sites where students log into their portal for learning. The uploaded learning resources can be in the form of videos or text.
In other cases, live online sessions are held for learning purposes via video calling apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Here, students get the privilege of asking questions which the teacher or professor responds to as they would in a physical classroom. In the case of pre-recorded sessions, you can still email your tutor a set of questions and wait for the response.
In online schooling, the learning materials are often categorized to follow a particular sequence. You decide how fast you want to complete each stage. At the end of the period, there may be quizzes to test your knowledge before you are allowed to move to the next step. Online schooling is a proven method of learning, and more people have embraced it as a modern approach to education.
Benefits of e-learning
- Flexibility – The physical classroom limits individuals in that one has to attend when the tutor/professor is around. That is not the case with e-learning. It gives you the flexibility of joggling between your busy schedule and schooling. That is why a more significant percentage of those who go for e-learning have other commitments.
- Lower costs – The overall costs of acquiring a degree through online learning are far much lower than the latter. The online student does not worry about costs associated with commuting to the classroom, maintaining their car, or fuel expenses. In addition, the fact that you study from home means you are more likely to make homemade meals and not eat in cafeterias, which can cost more.
- More student-instructor time – Traditional classrooms may fail to accord more personalized time to the student. In most cases, the professor gets done with the lessons and will meet with you in the next session. That is not the case with online learning. An essential part of e-learning is the continued interaction with the tutor via email and chat platforms.
- Life-long learning – When you learn a course and forget its content after a couple of weeks, you can always refer back to it at any time.
As you get ready to take advantage of the benefits that Internet schooling has to offer, there are some drawbacks to watch out and devise ways to overcome it.
- Can set the precedence of regular procrastination
- You may have to create your learning path
- You are entirely responsible for your learning
Conclusion
As Internet connectivity increases, online education continues to present more benefits to students. Get a reliable and stable home Internet installation to take advantage of digital learning.