This is a time of great transition for many educators, as online education is a necessity lately due to Covid-19 and safety restrictions on groups, campuses, and other gathering places.
Luckily, Instructional Connections has years of experience with online and distance learning, and we wanted to share our knowledge with you.
Online education has many benefits along with some hurdles – let’s go over them together.
Benefits of Online Education
Added Flexibility in Learning
Few can quit their job or put their life duties on hold while they fully focus on gaining a higher degree, which is one of the largest benefits that online education offers – flexibility.
If your students or potential students are juggling work and life along with school, online education is a great way to reach them and help them succeed. Online programs provide individuals with the opportunity to learn and gain credits towards their degree while still working and growing professionally – all on their time and within their schedules.
Improved Self-Motivation
Being independent and self-motivated are skills that many top careers look for. Gaining a higher education degree online means that students need to take the work, scheduling, and timelines into their own hands and motivate themselves.
Online instructors expect students to be independent, to learn on their own, and to engage with the material that they are teaching. And this is exactly what is expected in the workforce.
Better Technical Skills
Online learning can also improve technical skills, as it stretches experience with online platforms and systems. This can equate to strong technical skills in the workplace – something that is highly sought after!
Most likely, online education classes will utilize new digital learning materials, getting your students familiar with new tools and software, and helping them to critically think and troubleshoot common technical issues.
With companies currently working online as well, it is likely that remote work trends, or working from home, will become more common as this new decade continues. This means that ‘practicing’ online work ethics and abilities will behoove your students when they enter the workforce.
Better Time Management
Often, online education or online programs do not have as strict of times in which everyone has to virtually meet, and instead allows students to use their own schedules to dictate when they work on homework, projects, do the readings, or participate in online discussions.
Every online class and program are different, but there is often a much greater ability to manage schedules on an individual basis, allowing for each student to find the workflow that works best for them and their life. This also means it’s up to the student to proactively reach out to faculty about questions, complete assignments on time, and plan ahead – life skills that will be helpful in their future careers.
Check out these tips for how to be a successful online learner, which includes scheduling tips, even a sample schedule to help new online students get started.
Hurdles of Online Education & Instructional Connections’ Solutions
Online education has some of the same hurdles as benefits, as increased flexibility and an emphasis on time management and self-motivation might be difficult for some students to master, especially as many universities have had to rapidly move to online education courses.
Additionally, if technical skills aren’t natural for your degree program, it can be difficult for students. However, as the world is moving further and further into our technological age, it is important to find ways to integrate technology into education.
The final hurdle of online education is, of course, the coursework and alterations from traditional in-person courses. Luckily, Instructional Connections has years of experience with Academic Coaches who can supplement and support your professors, staff, and students.
Learn more about our Academic Coaches on our About Us Page and below!
