Transforming Education Through Online Learning Platforms

You probably have noticed how fast everything has changed in our world recently. Almost every aspect of our lives has changed significantly due to technological inventions and continuous improvements. If you think education stayed apart from these changes, I will convince you that it didn’t and has undergone severe changes in recent years. Keep reading to discover how that happened. 

How technologies changed the learning process.

In the 2000s, only 47% of U.K. households had a telephone; now, 84% of U.K. adults have their own smart device, and 98% of the population are Internet users. The same trends are also noticeable in the education sphere. If, in the last decade, each classroom had one or two computers that pupils shared, now everyone has their own device and can use it at any moment. Let's list some of the key changes that technologies brought to education. 

• More comprehensive access to education for everyone

If, in the past, the education materials were hard to get (you needed to pay for them, print them, or go to a specific location to get them), now everyone can get as much information as they want with a few instant clicks. If you did not understand quite well what was said in the lecture, that is not a big deal anymore; just open your phone or laptop and search for it. You will probably get dozens of available information. 

• Increased opportunities for collaboration and communication

What does collaboration in education look like without technology? Now, it is hard to answer this question, but the classrooms were isolated years ago, and communication or cooperation was limited to the students in the same classroom, building, or town in the best case. What happens now? Students sitting in a school in the U.S. wanting to learn about Africa can follow the expedition of a group of scientists who went to Africa, read their blogs, view the pictures they post, email them their questions, or even organise a video call with those scientists to collaborate with them more effectively.  

• Improved time efficiency 

According to Shane Malik, Senior Recruiter at Simplam, an IT staffing agency, Many programs now let us do everyday tasks faster and more efficiently. Taking attendance every day is tedious and time-consuming, but now, some programs allow students to mark their own attendance, which is far more swifter than traditional attendance. Or the grading process of a test. While grading many student tests, manual errors are a very possible thing. But what if a program will do it for the professor? That will be faster for sure, and the possibility of errors will decrease noticeably. 

• More interactive ways of learning

Will a usual lecture catch the attention of Gen-Z students? I am not sure about it. They constantly consume tons of digitalized and visual content and spend at least six hours on their phones. It is hard to amaze these students with a monotone lecture. However, technology allows teachers and professors to implement tools and methods to make students' learning process more engaging. For instance, gamification is an excellent solution for this. They can actively participate, motivating them to study and learn simultaneously while filling out a quiz about the lecture. Some argue that a typical school teacher does not have the proper skills to create a digital and interactive quiz for students. However, let me contradict you. There are tools, such as the WordPress Quiz Plugin, that allow you to create fascinating and advanced quizzes in minutes. 

Can online learning replace offline learning. 

We cannot indeed claim that online learning will replace traditional education any time soon; this is because, as with any other invention on earth, online learning still needs improvement and has many flaws that will prevent the full transition from classroom learning to online learning. Although the E-learning platforms try to mimic the traditional classroom features, they still need to work more on it. They can message each other, comment on each other’s work, or ask questions to the teacher, but still, these features cannot replace face-to-face talks with their friends or the communication between students and teachers. 

It is more plausible that in the future, the hybrid learning model will enter the stage where both online and offline learning will work together. This will give the maximum benefit to students. For instance, if you want to attend Harvard Law School but live in a village in Poland, you can just attend the online lecture sessions instead of moving to the U.S. and going there whenever some offline lectures will be held to maintain a good level of collaboration and communication with your peer students and professors. 

This kind of educational structure is the best way to achieve success, empowering students to learn what they want and where they want by creating the best options and environment.  

What are the disadvantages of online learning․

Although we listed some major changes that changed the way of learning, we did not mention some important aspects of online learning that may create challenges for learners. Let’s also understand what are the flaws and downsides of online learning.

• Creates a sense of isolation

Seeing people from your screen and not having a physical presence in the classroom can cause a sense of isolation for some students. It makes making connections and communicating with peers through screens very challenging. Isolation not only makes people feel discomfort but can also have other more severe consequences, such as stress, anxiety, or negative thoughts. 

• High risk of motivation loss

To complete an online course, one has to have strong determination and motivation not to fall out of track. When attending a face-to-face class, human communication, peer activities, and strict deadlines and schedules push students to study and reach their goals. But with online courses, this is not easy. One must have strong self-discipline and time management skills to manage everything. It is also about someone’s determination and the ability to stick to their goals to be successful. 

• Technical issues

Of course, when dealing with online stuff, we should always consider the possibility of Internet connection issues. Although Internet connection has improved significantly in the later years, it is still not flawless. When the Internet connection is lost during an online course or the video is not loading well, it immediately affects the concentration of students. 

• Higher cheating rate

Students take the tests and assessments in their desired environment and with their own devices, which makes it easier for them to cheat. When students take the tests on-site and under the supervision of instructors, there are higher chances of discovering cheating. However, in online platforms, detecting cheating is still highly challenging, even when the video is on. 

• More theory, less practice 

Conducting workshops or practical classes online is definitely more demanding and requires prior preparation. Hence, a big part of online courses occupy theoretical lessons.

What tools are used for online learning

Not every learning tool is the same, which is the good part. Each of them has unique features that will improve the learning experience uniquely. Look at the list below to understand what kind of online learning tools you need that will fit your needs the best. 

• Communication tools - Some of the most widely used tools for communication are Zoom and Google Meet, which allow you to organise online meetings and have features that maximise meeting efficiency. These tools offer practical learning experiences, collecting data, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

• Course management tools - For online courses, a platform that will allow you to put the reading materials, set deadlines, or arrange the content of the course is a great help. It will improve student’s experience because they can better understand their assignments and manage their time more effectively. One of those platforms is Google Classroom or Moodle. 

• Gamification tools - To make the classes more engaging and interactive, turn everyday activities into fun games. For instance, for making polls to get new ideas or let the students make predictions about the class, you can use the WordPress Poll Plugin to create interactive polls. Use Kahoot to create learning games or trivia quizzes for your classes. In addition, effective communication with students and sharing course updates can be facilitated through email marketing, which helps in keeping them informed and engaged.

• Learning resources - As we already listed, one of the advantages of online learning is the accessibility of information. Many platforms have explanatory lessons on various topics, for instance, Khan Academy or Udemy. 

Conclusion

In Conclusion, Technology has changed and continues to change the educational system. It has its benefits and flaws, and it is essential to consider both of them before deciding on your education style. We hope that in the future, we can get the utmost benefit by joining the traditional and online learning practices, but before that, use the resources and opportunities online learning provides and enjoy your learning process.