eLearning emerged as a savior for continuous education when the schools, colleges and universities shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic. eLearning, with its online mode of education through various mobile devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc., has been on the rise for the past half a decade. But the outbreak of the pandemic truly stood as the turning point for understanding the importance of eLearning.
Online learning provides the convenience of staying at home and continuing the learning process despite the restrictions on outside movement. It delivers tools and techniques using which teachers can keep their interaction with students ongoing. There is no dearth of available eLearning options for comparison before investing in a suitable one. Teachers have the benefit of designing courses on these platforms according to the specific needs of their students.
Despite many advantages dished out by digital learning options, there’s growing scrutiny and scepticism around their viability as a substitute for traditional classrooms. A majority of direct and indirect stakeholders are still on the fence about the possibility of switching to digital classrooms full-time because of plenty of prevalent misconceptions. In this article, we shall discuss the reasons why digital classrooms are every bit as effective, and sometimes even better, as traditional in-person classrooms.
- Ease of access
Digital classrooms are exceptional in terms of taking education to the homes of students. When the students have the option of sitting inside the comfort of their homes, they can focus on learning without any distractions. Accessibility of online learning enables students to pursue their other extra-academic activities and learn more skills than just the conventional ones, making them more rounded individuals. Digital classrooms also allow for revisiting their classes once they are over if the teacher makes them available for re exploring.
- Availability of a plenty of course options and subject experts
eLearning provides numerous course options in every field of education. The bounty of courses provides a deep pool of knowledge to choose from. Many top schools and universities from different parts of the world have started offering their courses online, either at free or nominal rates.
Also, many subject experts now offer courses on online learning platforms, making it easier for students to learn from the best of the best. The availability of so many options helps students curate a customized learning experience according to their convenience and learning goals.
- Inclusiveness
Online classrooms enable students with special requirements, such as hearing and visual impairments, to continue learning. Tools and techniques such as closed captions and text-to-speech offer the advantage of not missing out on education. The cost-effectiveness of digital learning also allows students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to gain access to quality education. All of this promotes inclusiveness in the domain of education, creating a level playing field.
- Real-time doubt resolution and feedback options
Learning management systems provide tools and techniques to institutions and teachers to monitor the progress of their students. They also dish out the option to resolve student doubts instantaneously. Using the LMS App, students get a mechanism to provide real-time feedback on their learning process — helping teachers to make changes accordingly.
- Gamification of education
Digital classrooms contain eLearning games that help stimulate the minds of students. These games and quizzes are based around the course material for making students work towards a reward in the form of points, etc. Gamifying education increases learner engagement, makes learning fun and interactive, and improves knowledge absorption and retention. It also provides the learners with the opportunity to view the real-world applications of their study material.
- Affordability
The traditional classroom model inhibits access to education to a great extent for many prospective students because of the cost involved. eLearning is disrupting this trend by providing cost-effective and affordable alternatives with better accessibility. The price of enrolling and subscribing to a top-quality online learning program is way cheaper than that of traditional learning through classrooms, with the added benefit of saving travel costs.
Conclusion
Digital classrooms have revolutionized how we perceive education, and the disruption is here to stay. The benefits offered by eLearning are numerous and worth considering. To answer the question if digital classrooms are as effective as traditional ones: well, sometimes they are even better!
