5 Reasons to Switch to an Online School
Online schooling, or eLearning, has been on the rise in recent years. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has seen a dramatic increase in popularity, and it’s not hard to understand why. We’ve seen a global shutdown of schools, and this has prompted many of them to make the shift to digital learning because it allows students to adhere to safety precautions advised by the World Health Organization (WHO), while conveniently continuing with their education. As a result, many are left to wonder, what will be the impact of online schooling, and will they replace traditional learning? If you’re considering attending an online school, below are five reasons to make the switch.
It’s flexible and career-enhancing
Unlike traditional in-class schooling, eLearning allows both you and your teacher to choose a personalized schedule, which means you’ll be learning at your own pace; this makes digital lessons more convenient than traditional learning in a physical classroom setting. Your teacher can keep track of your progress by assigning homework, sometimes custom-made tasks, after each topic. The International Business Management (IBM) has found out that students learn five times more in eLearning courses than in the traditional classroom sessions, and this improves their chances of gaining employment or increasing their salary. The flexibility presented by online classes means you’ll be able to maintain a healthy balance between school, work, and your personal life.
It’s cost-effective
The price of courses varies from one program to the next and your fees are determined by what you choose to study. With that said, the average tuition fee for online platforms tends to be very affordable. There are payment options that will allow you to pay in installments per course, and similar to traditional campus-based schooling, there are scholarships issued to students that cover the entire or partial tuition cost of your classes. Also, studying online reduces, if not eliminates, the cost of commuting and classroom materials. Online educators will often offer you endless free referral resources and that translates to less debt and more cash in your wallet to spend on your essential needs.
It’s green!
Online learning is environmentally friendly. Because you won’t need to drive to school to attend your classes, you’ll conserve energy and reduce your CO2 emission. Promoting this form of learning will also significantly reduce the number of trees that are cut down for the sake of book production as all the referral material will be online. And this will assist both you and educational institutions to do your parts in terms of environmental conservation and protection, making digital lessons the greener option.
It’s engaging
Another benefit of online learning is that it’s proven to improve content retention, triple note-taking, and reduce distractions. The Research Institute of America has discovered that eLearning has increased the student retention rate from 25% to 60% since content from online lessons can be more engaging, and the more engaged you are, the less distracted you’ll be. A great and effective way that online educators address distractions and lack of engagement is by providing you with pre-recorded videos, which will allow you to pause and rewind when you need to. And this will improve your ability to retain information and take notes more efficiently.
It’s easily accessible
Online classes are available anywhere there is an internet connection, which means that you can travel or accept job opportunities abroad and continue with your studies; you’ll no longer have to choose between once in a lifetime job offers and school. Also, during online open forums and class discussions, you’ll meet students from all over the country, or world, who share the same career objective. So, not only will you make new friends but professional connections, as well. Online schools grant you access to a pool of the best academic staff and industry experts from all over the globe.
Will eLearning replace traditional learning?
No. Although technology is advancing and eLearning presents many benefits, it’s not expected to replace the classroom any time soon. The measures taken by educational institutions due to this pandemic has allowed many to see that online education can be just as effective and credible as the traditional method, which has gone a long way in reducing the stigma of possessing an online degree. Once it’s safe, online and traditional schooling can work side by side, compensating where the other falls short, to create the best environment for students to learn.
The final take
During this period, where the coronavirus outbreak has paralyzed almost all industries, in the education sector, online learning has come out as a better option over traditional classroom learning. eLearning platforms enable anybody to learn from anywhere in the world, and this is due to its convenience; it’s easily accessible, engaging, and flexible enough to fit into any schedule. It’s just as effective as traditional learning, and it’s cheaper, allowing you to save money, as well as the environment and time due to the zero commute required. Although it will not replace traditional learning, online schooling has proven to be an effective and convenient option with endless opportunities.