Ten
years ago, if I would have been asked to sign up for an online course
instead of enrolling myself into an actual college, I would have
strongly declined the offer but today learning by means of virtual
reality is not only flexible but it allows to accommodate more than
one task at a time.
Nowadays
people who are working all day, those who hardly have time for
themselves and can’t afford not working, they can learn different
skills and expertise through the comfort of their home.
Distance
learning has its own pros and cons, one must know how to make the
best of it and for that, the instructor and the learner must be on
the same page and both of them must follow some do’s and don’ts
in order to meet the end goal of the online engagement.
Now
let’s shed light over some factors that are likely to make your
online learning experience a good one.
- Integration of Multimedia
Online
courses already have an edge over regular courses because they have
the capacity to differentiate themselves from boring books. The
learners can be presented with the information in different and
creative ways so that they don’t lose their interest and are hooked
onto the lecture.
Different
videos, charts, podcasts can also be included which can’t be
integrated in normal books and this will keep the learners engaged
more as compared to reading long texts with no diversions.
- Self-Dependent Learning
The
online instructors must keep in mind that the learners are adults and
can manage work on their own, hence, the attention to tiniest of
details must be avoided such as assignments being dictated thoroughly
which is just going to frustrate the learner.
Moreover,
the online courses must leave room for self-discovery and exploration
of different aspects of the subject by the learners on their own and
it must also allow freedom of choice and must not dictate everything
repeatedly.
The
learners are also required to practice self-discipline because they
have to manage work on their own without others reminding them to do
so, scheduling and staying on the same pace as the class is crucial
for a successful outcome.
- Peer Connections
One
of the major lacking of an online course is the isolation of the
learner and if this isn’t properly handled, then the learner is
likely to feel out of place and over worked. Successful online
experiences involve the students interacting through online forums,
the discussion boards where the learners are free to communicate off
topic in order to develop understanding and a sense of belonging.
The
instructors can also encourage the learners to improve interaction by
working together on group projects online and this is likely to help
in fostering connections and a chance to make friends all over the
world. Knowing you have someone on the other end, doing the exact
same thing as you does comfort you because you both can relate and
handle each other’s queries.
- Reliable and Latest Designs
Nowadays
many courses are designed in a stylish and flashy way using a whole
lot of hosts that the learners have to download. Since the learners
are widespread, some areas don’t support such technology and this
can prove to be a major interference in learning and the traffic to a
specific learning site may reduce just because of that.
The
videos must use designs and technology that are universally
acceptable and used.
Also
the design of the material presented in the video must be creatively
integrated that enhance learning and maintain the learner’s
interest, varied designs and presentation of information will improve
retention and motivation to learn.
- Active Reading and Practicing
One
of the major factor of successful online learning experience is not
to skip anything present on the screen whether it’s a video or an
animation. Graded assignments are of greater importance but the extra
material on the course is added by the instructors to aid the
learning even further and if it’s skipped just because it doesn’t
have marks attached then it’ll be the learner’s loss since skills
can’t be gained through marks alone.
- Meeting Requirements
The
learners must not delay the deadlines till the last day and must take
the course seriously, successful learners view online courses as a
feasible way but not as an easier way to learn.
The
instructors on the other hand must try their best to avoid having one
way communication and to present proper feedback to the learners
whenever they can so that they can assess themselves, they must
present quality content that’s interactive and encouraging for the
learners to give their own input and achieve the milestones in a
successful manner.
The
factors discussed above will definitely make the online learning
experience a successful one and will make sure that the interaction
is inspirational and educational at the same time.
Author
Bio
 |
Faiza
Farooqi is an Online writer at Simply
Studies who help students pursue career enhancing certifications
and talks about career counseling around the internet.
