In today’s world learning outside the classroom is more common than ever. There are plenty of tools and software that help kids get a similar experience that they get in a classroom. The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown everything in a loop. Kids only go to school part-time and parents are required to be there for them so they are understanding everything that is going on. So it is time for people to understand what eLearning is and how they can best be prepared to handle it. Even after this pandemic is over, there are things people can take away from all of this.
Understanding eLearning
eLearning is learning using electronic technology to access educational curriculum outside of the normal classroom. In most cases, it refers to a course, program, or degree delivered completely online. It is not a course that is delivered via DVD, CD, or television channel. To be considered eLearning, it must be remote and there must be an actual teacher out there teaching the course. It is an interactive thing where one can communicate with the teachers or other students in the class. Sometimes it can be made a “live” thing where one can electronically raise their hand. While other times it can be a “lecture” type event where students log into the class, listen to the professor, and take notes. Usually, the lecture version can be pre-recorded. No matter what, there is always a teacher present and interactive with the students. They hand out tests and give out grades just like it was in a classroom.
Benefits of eLearning
The biggest benefit of eLearning is that one gets to learn the material at their own pace. While it does take some discipline, if one can maintain that, the benefits can become limitless. The material can be covered when one wants it to be. Not getting something? Now the student can go over it as many times as they want without ever having to travel to the classroom. There have been some studies that show students that learn via eLearning actually retain more information than students that sit in a classroom all day.
When it comes to eLearning there are many methods of doing so. There are classroom management systems that will allow the student to see things like blackboards, whiteboards, and interact with other students. Other methods are text to speech mp3 where the student’s device relays what is on the screen via a computer-generated voice. This method works best with students who have a reading/learning disability.
In the end, thanks to the current times, eLearning is becoming more and more prevalent. Understanding what it is and how to use it is important as it is a major asset to use. It is now not uncommon to want to take your courses online. Students that have a better understanding and grasp will have a head start on their peers. The biggest challenge one can face from school is stressful. eLearning can help that in so many ways. It is time to take it seriously.