With the advent of advanced technology and communication, the concept of learning keeps evolving with each passing day.
Gone are the days when the only mode of education for a student was to attend the physical classes and institutions.
As its name implies, E-learning, or electronic learning, refers to the concept of attending classes or courses and gaining knowledge over the internet. Instead of the typical face-to-face classes, all the students are added in their respective virtual classrooms. Now, the classroom setup is according to the preference and affordability of the institutions. A wide range of software are available that enhances and complements the idea of the classroom, virtually. With the help of these teleconferencing software, irrespective of your time zone and location, you are able to access the course material and hence, the class.
E-learning is pegged to become an extremely popular trend in education, especially in this year i.e. 2020. The start of this year was significantly characterized by the deadly coronavirus epidemic. In the matter of days, the COVID-19 was declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The world had to undergo either a complete lockdown or observe smart lock downs. Only the essential workers were allowed to go for work, others were quarantined in their own homes.
In these extremely hopeless and uncertain times, the education of the students from all over the world was greatly affected. Hence, the schools and other educational institutions had to come up with smart ways to continue the learning process of their students. Thus, software programs like Zoom, Google Classroom and other innovative educational platforms were utilized for this purpose.
In this article, we have enumerated some of the key reasons behind the widespread e-learning concept in the year 2020. Read on to know the various benefits of shifting to the e-learning trend.
It’s a Safer Option
One of the most apparent and practical reasons why e-learning will be the trend for this year is that it’s a safer option to learn, particularly for young children.
As of writing, the pandemic that struck the entire world in December of 2019 still hasn’t been completely resolved. While some countries have already won against this fight, there are still many that are struggling to cope with the situation.
In the beginning, schools and offices have shut off for the safety of everyone. People were asked to stay at home. However, seven months later, industries and the academe must now adapt to the “new normal” way of life. Learning can’t be stopped forever, as students also have an academic goal to fulfill.
This paved the way for online courses to become even more popular. Even pre-pandemic, this type of learning already existed and was in use by many. But now, it’s the norm in the academe. To put it bluntly, students have no other choice but to learn through the online platforms, as it keeps them safe in their own homes.
It’s Flexible
Online learning gives you the benefit to access your class from any location and at any time, hence, it’s flexible in this regard. Thus, you can tailor it around your existing schedule. In turn, this makes you more effective as well in learning. This also forms a significant part of the reason why e-learning has become even more popular this year.
As the whole world has to make changes to their new way of life, this also means working from home for the office staffs. Particularly parents have the flexibility to manage the learning demands of their kids, while at the same time also do their job.
It’s Cheaper
As long as you have an existing computer or laptop with a stable internet connection, there’s very little you have to spend for with online learning. This is made possible through various LMS software systems. To understand the process, you may also begin by going through a quick LMS consulting, particularly if you’re reading this as an educational provider, or a tutor and teacher.
Since you’re not travelling to and from your classroom, nor are you paying for campus utilities, this essentially drops the cost of education even lower. It’s safe to say, therefore, that e-learning is often a cheaper option than it is to attend traditional classes.
For this year, this lower cost of obtaining an education is advantageous because of the challenges people had to face due to the pandemic. As of writing, even for the countries that have already opened up establishments while adjusting to the new normal, many employees are still suffering the economic effects of unemployment for a month or even several. The salaries they earn today may have yet to be used to pay for loans that they incurred when unemployed.
For parents, most especially, this cheaper cost of sending their kids to school is a very much welcomed recourse, as they try and recover from the economic effects.
It Offers More Accessibility
This applies to the student who wish to learn on a global platform. For this year, there may also be some students with travel plans that are disrupted due to the pandemic. These travel plans don’t just mean a holiday per se, but also for their pursuit of education in a foreign land.
Thankfully, with e-learning, these students can still attend their courses in that foreign university, without physically setting foot on that campus. Until travel restrictions are lifted, they now enjoy access to their classes, even from thousands of miles away.
The academic pursuit of the learners shouldn’t be postponed due to the ill-effects of the pandemic.
In Closing
Thankfully, the rise of brand-new technologies and the internet has made learning even more accessible than ever. Especially this year 2020, people can now still validly obtain a degree or a course, right from the safety and comforts of their homes. E-learning or online learning is now identified as the new normal in this pursuit of education. As long as you’ve got a computer, go ahead and give e-learning a try. It may be quite different from the traditional mode of education, but it’s still as effective nonetheless.
