Elearning is a fast rising option to increase one’s knowledge. The convenience of being able to study online is one of the main reasons why people are choosing this method of learning.
There are two main groups of learners that can benefit from online learning. The first group are students and the second group are working professionals. The learning done by the professionals may be initiated by the company as a training program or by the individual to help them improve their knowledge and skills. Elearning is ideal for these people because they are busy and it is convenient for them to take care of other things while they pursue their education.
For students, it seems that elearning is more appropriate for college students. Since they will be entering the corporate world very soon, getting them used to technology is a good idea – something that they will encounter with an online course. But what about using this method of learning for K12 students?
Well there are a couple of benefits to using this type of learning in K12 education.
- It is a new way of learning. Anything new is exciting and students will find it refreshing to learn this way. It does not mean the lectures will all happen online. But teachers can use online learning for homeworks, tests and assessments. This will help make all three more appealing to students. In fact, they could turn it into a game so students will be more encouraged to participate and do well in answering them.
- Learning online is easily associated with gamification. The only times that children access online – at least during their K12 learning years, is to play games. This is why putting some of the learning processes online is great. They can associate it with gaming and teachers can actually use gamification to deliver tests or group projects. It will help boost the interest of students and will not make it hard for teachers to convince them to complete the task.
- Monitoring struggling students become easier. Another benefit of using elearning in K12 education is the ability of teachers to monitor students who are struggling more than their peers. In a classroom setting, everyone is performing at the same time and it is difficult to identify those that are confused with the lesson. The only time that teachers will notice them will be when tests and assessments are over. In most cases, it would have been too late to help them out. One of the features of an online learning program is the learning management system. This enable teachers and instructors to collect data that will give them an idea about the behaviour of the learners as they go through the activities included in the course. If they notice one student taking a longer time to go through a certain activity, they can monitor this kid early on to see how they can help out.
- Tutoring can be done online. Using the concept of elearning courses, teachers can reach out to K12 students and tutor them online to help them catch up with the class. This will make things more convenient for both student and teacher.
- More students can opt for homeschooling. The last benefit of elearning for K12 students is the opening the way for children to be homeschooled. There are instances when children have a hard time going to a physical school and this becomes a hurdle for them to get the education that they need. It could be the location of their home or a physical condition that keeps them from travelling to school. Online learning can make it possible for these children to get their education at the right time.
It is a tricky thing to use online learning for K12 students because social learning is still very important to them during this stage. Although there is a form of social learning online, it is different when you do it face to face. But nevertheless, the opportunity to learn is greatly enhanced thanks to elearning.
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