During the initial stages of the coronavirus pandemic, schools and coaching institutes across the country shut down. This was due to a government-initiated lockdown that required non-essential businesses to be shut for a few months.
This, however, wreaked havoc on the education space as exams were rescheduled, graduations were postponed and time was passing by with no progress in terms of learning.
In order to combat this, schools and coaching centers adopted the online instruction model. The online model allows teachers to teach their students to face to face via a video conferencing tool and deliver lectures as they did before.
This became the perfect approach to teach students, as it allowed for social distancing and enabled remote learning or hybrid learning, which meant that students could now get back to their original timetable.
Some pros of this new technological wave in the education space are as follows:
Benefits of Online Tuition
Convenience and Comfortability
A major benefit of online education is the convenience of it all, allowing students to log on when they see fit. With the wide availability of Wi-Fi connections, students can be logged in from anywhere in the world. As students are increasingly accessing the Internet anywhere and everywhere, so too can students access their classes and education, often from the comforts of their own home any time of the day.
Availability and Affordability
With online courses, the opportunities available to students are boundless. Online college courses and degree programs can be found through a myriad of sites, such as edX, a trusted platform from Harvard and MIT with more than 2,500 online courses offered from 140 institutions. With the option to attend college from your living room, many students are saving on commuting and housing costs as well.
An added boon on virtual learning is the flexibility of studying remotely, a talent that poises many students to be uniquely prepared for a professional marketplace where remote options are commonplace. As the coronavirus pandemic pushes students to alternative education routes, online learning provides the benefit of easing the financial burden of traditional college.
Geographic Flexibility
As many cannot travel during this pandemic situation and may be based in their home towns or places away from college and institutes, another advantage of online education that relates to flexibility involves prospective students’ geographic location. Many of the nation’s top colleges and universities offer online degrees and certificates, meaning that learners do not have to relocate to attend a premier school. They do not incur moving expenses since they can study from any location. This flexibility also saves money, as the cost of living among different cities can vary greatly.
More Comfortable Learning Environment
With the ability to study anywhere, online learners can complete coursework at home, a coffee shop, or a library. This advantage of online learning allows students to work in the environment that best suits them. As new online degree- and certificate-seekers research different places, they should focus on those that offer a reliable internet connection and few distractions. Another factor to consider is space requirements, as some facilities’ tables may lack the space for a computer and reference materials.
Schools and colleges have been adapting to this new normal and even this hybrid learning approach seems to be here to stay with a bright future, To help institutes deal with this technological adaptation, we have mentioned a few steps that one can take to successfully implement a hybrid learning model.
Also published on Medium.