Is e-learning the future of learning? How effective is e-learning? Let’s find it out.
According to the Meta-analysis, it shows that students who are too young or studying in schools, especially K-12 education pursuing students are less likely to get benefits from e-learning.
These students need to be regulated and focused more, they need more guidance and attention so eventually e-learning might be less effective for them.
But for students who are in colleges or universities, e-learning shows more positive outcomes. These students are mostly self declined and motivated to learn, they need less guidance and regulation. So for these students, e-learning might be more effective.
What are e-learning platforms doing about it?
Even though the effectiveness of e-learning depends upon a certain age group, there are many e-learning platforms customized according to the age of the students.
For example, e-learning platforms like BYJU and khan academy are platforms for kids that use very engaging and entertaining content as per the behavior of the kids. And e-learning platforms like Udemy and Coursera are for adults.
These e-learning platforms customize the contents and way of learning differently according to the behavior and age of their students.
Covid 19 Pandemic and Online Learning
Globally, 1.2 billion were out of classrooms due to the covid-19 pandemic. Many people got introduced to e-learning during the pandemic since there could be no physical meetups or gatherings of people during the pandemic for safety precautions.
A lot more people were using e-learning platforms during the pandemic. Offices started to use platforms like zoom and google meet to have their general and important meetings and also to discuss work-from-home updates.
Many schools and colleges also pivoted to online learning. All the teachers and students had to meet virtually for their classes instead of having traditional styles. Even some exams were held online, due to the surge of the covid-19 pandemic.
Adapting to online learning is a very good practice for pandemics like covid-19 to maintain safety and hygiene precautions and to stop the spread of diseases.
E-learning also helps in Climate crises, where if physical classes can not be attended due to any unfortunate climate online classes can be held easily.
Online learning helps to unite teachers and students virtually on a global level. For instance, a teacher who can not travel during times of pandemic for his/her class can use online learning.
E-learning brings a lot of benefits for students. For example: if a student is affected by covid-19, or he/she is not able to attend a class physically, they can get access to learning easily.
There were many e-learning platforms even before the pandemic but during the pandemic investments in e-learning platforms started to grow.
Covid-19 was a very rapid and unplanned growth for e-learning.
How e-learning has replaced traditional learning?
E-learning has changed and replaced traditional learning in many ways. Especially during the pandemic, when schools and colleges had to remain closed.
The schools and colleges operated online and due to this, there was a change in the way students, teachers, and the schools or colleges function.
Not only schools and colleges but other organizations like banks and companies adopted e-learning. They used e-learning to provide pieces of training, have formal and informal meetings, and regulate (WFH) work-from-home operations.
Moreover, e-learning has replaced traditional learning with many benefits. In e-learning, you do not have to physically be present you can just open your learning device for studying.
E-learning reduces all the cost that needs to be spent on the operation of running physical classes like spending on teachers, resources, and materials used in the physical environment.
There are many e-learning platforms and with these platforms, teachers find it easy to communicate effectively and efficiently with their students through video meetings, group chats, and by sharing resources online.
9 Reasons why eLearning is effective
Here are 9 reasons to prove that e-learning is effective. But of course most of the time it depends upon individuals too. Some might learn too much while some learn nothing, these are the reasons why e-learning can be effective for all.
- Time Flexibility
When you choose e-learning, most of the learning time is scheduled by yourself. You can manage your own time according to your needs and feasibility.
If you are provided with the materials when you actually want to learn rather than being forced with someone else’s timing you tend to learn more effectively.
- Customization and Freedom
In e-learning platforms, you can go through the reading materials any number of times and you can take all your needed time for understanding the resources.
You can go through the resources at your speed, if you are comfortable with a topic you can give less time to it and vice-versa.
Basically, in e-learning, you can customize your learning, which might be effective as you can read according to your needs at your own phase.
E-learning provides you with freedom in learning. You can take breaks in between your classes whenever you want and also you can repeat the content.
- Work and study life balance
Learners find it easy to adapt to e-learning while pursuing their careers and balancing their work life since it provides flexibility.
For example, physical or traditional learning requires you to sit in a classroom at a specific time for long hours and this might be very difficult for a working student to balance his work plus study life.
Traditional learning does not offer much freedom and control so it is better to choose e-learning for those students who want to make their work and study life balanced.
- The Environmental aspect
E-learning gives you the benefit of being learning accessible from anywhere. From the comfort of your home to anywhere your comfort lies.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, a lot more people have become conscious about their health and have avoided physical meetups and public gatherings.
Due to these reasons, people have started adapting to e-learning methods in organizations like banks, companies, colleges, and universities. E-learning offers a safe way of learning, which is beneficial and effective during the pandemics like covid-19.
- Short content
E-learning provides a short duration of video classes, which is easy to consume. In physical classes, we are compelled to take long hours of boring classes where a teacher is talking in front of a number of students.
While in e-learning they have fun and entertaining videos to keep the content attractive.
- Engaging contents
E-learning platform provides engaging and entertaining content. The video courses they offer include fun aminated videos, easy demonstration of subjects, and short and easy-to-consume video durations.
This is much better than physical lectures that include a teacher teaching in front of a number of students, with less fun and engagement. Due to the engaging content, the effectiveness of e-learning might be more than traditional learning.
- No traveling
With e-learning, you do not need to travel anywhere for your classes and you plus your traveling cost is saved.
Not having to travel saves a lot of your time. Not having to get up and travel for a lecture somehow motivates a learner as it is relatively easier to just open your learning device and study.
- Easily accessible resources
You can get transparency in e-learning, you are provided with all the resources and materials needed right in front of you. You can even know all the contents of the curriculum of your course before starting it.
You can view the feedback through visible ratings and comments on the platform, and all the details about the instructor are provided to you too.
- Less distraction
In e-learning, you can choose to learn from the comfort of your home. While learning from your home, there will be less distraction from your classmates.
As you will be learning in your comfort, and alone in peace, you tend to get less distracted by other factors.
Conclusion
E-learning platforms are easier to adapt to a lifestyle rather than traditional learning. Here we looked at 9 reasons why e-learning is effective. But of course, it also depends on how much a learner is motivated towards learning.
E-learning needs self-discipline in an individual to achieve effectiveness. E-learning might not be as effective for some people as they might not have proper access to the internet or learning devices. And the effectiveness of e-learning also varies from the age of the learners.
