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How You Can Benefit From Online Learning During Lockdown

During this pandemic, everyone is forced to stay at home to decrease their chances of contracting the virus. People are also left with no choice but to find ways to entertain themselves constantly. Isolation can be excruciating—thus, most people find themselves clinging to the Internet for dear life.

The sudden rise in the number of Internet users caused developers and marketers to create enhancements on their platforms to give people something new to explore. This keeps people entertained at home and less bothered with the current pandemic.

Services are also being offered such as online courier services, online shopping, and even online advertising. Moreover, online learning has become the only safe option as a learning method. Schools have adopted this kind of arrangement ever since the pandemic immobilized onsite learning institutions.

What Is Online Learning?

In its simple definition, online learning means attending classes through online platforms. People also call it distance learning. Instead of waking up early to prepare and travel to school, with online learning, you just need to get up from your bed and turn on your laptop or computer. Plus, you can access all your learning materials with just a few clicks. You can even eat your meals while attending the class. It is indeed a modern and more convenient way of learning.

All your learning materials will be uploaded online and downloaded for offline use depending on the platform that your professors use. Moreover, learning materials can be a combination of different types such as videos, PDF files, PowerPoint slides, and others. You can easily access and review them when you’re preparing for a big test.

Types of Online Learning

There are currently two types of online learning that schools and other learning institutions follow. If you’ve enrolled in a course, you’re probably familiar with the terms by now. But for those who are new to it, online schools adopt both synchronous and asynchronous learning.

1. Synchronous. Synchronous learning is mostly applied in grade school and high school, and sometimes even in college. The learning process is similar to an onsite classroom setup—where you will be attending live online lessons and interact with your teacher. Likewise, you will be assigned homework that you’ll need to complete before the set deadline. Exams will also be conducted by providing a link to a platform where you are supposed to take the exam. At the same time, you are also required to turn on your camera for surveillance purposes to prevent cheating.

Synchronous learning allows teachers to easily monitor the performance of their students. As mentioned previously, it’s almost the same as being in a classroom. The only difference is that the mode of interaction is through video calls by using apps like Zoom, Google Meet, or other platforms that are utilized by institutions.

2. Asynchronous. Asynchronous learning is commonly used by college instructors to provide crash courses or certificate courses. In asynchronous learning, your learning materials are all pre-recorded. This means that your professor already recorded his discussion of the topic through a video-sharing app or program. You can view the discussion again anytime to refresh your memory about the subject.

Aside from videos, other learning materials will also be sent to students such as worksheets, PDF files, and PowerPoint slides. All these resources will be uploaded to the platform you are using, be it Google Classroom or a website that has been assigned by the school.

Nevertheless, both modes of learning are good. With the new technological advancements, students can easily record the lectures they attended and re-watch them later in case they missed something.

Little girl online learning

Benefits of Online Learning

How can students benefit from online learning during lockdown? Students have been adapting to this new learning setup and little do they know, there are numerous advantages that online classes offer. They don’t realize it at first since everyone is still getting used to this new educational system. Here are some of the benefits that one can get from online learning:

1. Staying at home. You can pretty much wear your house clothes when you attend online classes, except when you’re having a synchronous learning arrangement, of course. You can even attend classes in your pajamas. Likewise, you can eat while classes are ongoing. That bag of chips is your best companion while attending an online class.

Aside from staying in the comfort of your own home, it is also very hassle-free because you don’t have to wake up early. As most online classes are self-paced, you can sleep in without having to worry about snoozing your alarm for five more minutes before you decide to take a shower. Travel time is also reduced to a few seconds as you walk from your bed to the study table, instead of an estimated 30 minutes travel by the bus—plus the heavy traffic.

2. Flexible hours and self-paced learning. As mentioned earlier, you are given the liberty to choose when you want to start learning your lessons. There is no time limit in asynchronous online learning arrangements. When you take certificate courses, you can access your learning materials anytime and re-watch them as many times as you want until you understand the whole discussion.

If you’re having a hard time adjusting, this learning method will allow you to take your time and explore your learning capabilities. Online learning is all about expanding the student’s knowledge without neglecting their mental health. You are always given ample time to finish your coursework.

3. Better time management. With all the time you need in the world right at your fingertips, you will understand the value of time management better. Your online learning experience is self-paced and very flexible, but taking this for granted might cause you to be more lethargic and unmotivated. This is because you will find more solace in other things and forget that you’re supposed to be studying. Thus, your attitude in treating this arrangement is important.

Online learning will teach you how to manage your time, and if you’re having trouble doing that, you need to take matters into your own hands. School is a love-hate relationship, but once you get the hang of it, you will be able to reap what you sow. You can make learning more fun and easier by organizing your daily schedule. This can be done by mapping out your calendar and setting a few hours per day to concentrate on your learning experience. Following a set schedule will motivate you to work more efficiently and reduce the possibility of burning out.

4. Pronounced independence. As you deal with new adjustments and the pain of learning how to navigate online programs and applications, you will be able to practice independence. In online classes, while you have classmates taking the same courses, you will not be able to sit beside them and converse. Typically, when you’re in a classroom and something is unclear, you can easily ask your classmates for help. Now, in the time of a pandemic where online platforms are the only methods of communication, you can only rely on yourself and your problem-solving skills.

You will learn to be independent because no one else can assist you. Thus, you are challenged to pay more attention to every given discussion. Also, you need to review and read other references related to the subject to further expand your knowledge. These situations will efficiently hone your independence and resourcefulness in learning effectively at home.

5. You’re pushed to your limits. When you’re only left with the study materials uploaded by your professor, you’re bound to make do with what you have. Sometimes, the lessons are easy and self-explanatory, but there are times when you have to do more research about a given topic. Research involves a tedious and time-consuming process—this will push you to do more, knowing that this is one of the most effective ways to learn new information. After the painstaking task that is studying, you can then reward yourself with a bowl of ice cream or an episode of your favorite TV series.

6. Improved virtual communication abilities. Engaging in conversation is easy, especially when you’re used to socializing among your peers about easygoing topics. It’s quite different, however, in the virtual setting. Non-verbal cues don’t apply, so you have to enunciate and express your ideas in a clear and careful manner to avoid being misunderstood.

Virtual communication involves complex discourse. Here, you will be sending emails to submit your homework or be compelled to speak during video calls. Thus, you will have to learn proper etiquettes in doing so, such as sending appropriate replies to emails and talking to people without the help of actions or facial expressions. Everything has to be expressed verbally, and that is a superb way of honing your communication skills as well.

7. Become more culturally immersed. No matter where you choose to enroll yourself, diversity is always present—especially when you’re studying in an international school. Online learning will allow you to enroll anywhere you want around the globe without the need to travel. This is an opportunity that online learning can exclusively provide during these trying times.

These institutions practice different kinds of methods to ensure that their students get a premium educational experience. Through this, you will learn to appreciate different learning environments, cultures, and values.

8. More resources available. The Internet is a vast dimension, and you can access it anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. You can use your phone, tablet, laptop, and even your television. There is nothing that the internet can’t provide. You are one click away from the world’s modern repository of knowledge.

With that, you will have access to more materials that you might need to aid your studies. Professors are fond of giving research assignments and projects. Back then, students have to wait for the libraries to open so they can find some references for their research. It also gets chaotic as the books are limited, and they need to fight for their turn to borrow these books. Just imagine going through that ordeal without the internet.

You can effortlessly go to different websites and type in a relevant keyword to find what you’re looking for. Some PDF files of published books and journals can be accessed effortlessly without going through the catalogs.

Zoom Learning

9. Technical improvements. Technology changes over the course of time. We need to adapt to these changes to make our lives easier. Through online learning, you will be introduced to new applications that will allow you to efficiently complete your studies. Examples of these commonly used applications are Zoom, Google Meet, and Gmail.

a. Zoom. Zoom is an application that allows you to connect with your peers in real-time through a video call. Through this app, the instructor can divide the class into groups, then assign you to break rooms where you can speak to your group members about an assigned homework.

b. Google Meet. Google Meet works almost exactly the same as Zoom. However, they differ when it comes to interface and the length of time you can use it for free.

c. Gmail. Gmail is a messaging application where you can send emails to your teachers and classmates, especially when submitting your homework. You can also send them inquiries through this application.

10. Land a job easily. Most hiring companies find people who have finished online courses more preferable. This is because of the complexity of online learning. On a side note, students can now gain accreditation through online courses, which is also helpful in job hunting. Taking online classes takes a lot of concentration, hard work, and dedication—employers know that. That’s why you’ll most likely get hired because they know you will give the same dedication and perseverance to their company.

If you’re doubting yourself while attending online classes, we hope this article helped you realize that you made the right decision. Online classes are not supposed to be easy. This learning method could be a bit of a hassle at first, but the benefits outweigh the negatives. Just remember that learning is not an easy process, and you need to go through hurdles to surpass it.


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How You Can Benefit From Online Learning During Lockdown

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