No one is unaware that we are living in a changing world, which is changing at a very high pace and so is the method of learning. In a few years back, learning used to mean visiting a school or a college and being in a classroom and listening to a teacher. That was because it was the only way and no one ever really doubted it. However this is not the case of today due to modern technology we can avail ourselves with something different and that is online learning. I believe that online learning is the kind of thing that has been transforming the lives of more or less people although it has not raised much of an uproar about it.
I am a Bangladeshi and to be very frank, education system has never been unlimited here. It is not all that receive good teachers or good institutions particularly those living long distance away to the cities. Therefore, when I initially discovered the way of online learning in a proper way, I believed that it is something that can be of great help to a vast number of people who happen to be in the same situation. It provides access to the people that would have no other access.
Online learning has several ways and I believe that is certainly not bad. One of these is the video lectures. Numerous websites have taped lectures at which a student can watch, pause, rewind and learn at his/her own pace. I consider this to be very useful as not all people grasp things at the same level and in a conventional classroom, there is no possibility to rewind. The other form is the live online classes in which a teacher and students communicate video calls. It can be described as rather similar to a physical classroom though screened. I believe this is very effective in the case of most students since they have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the teacher at personal level.
The discussion forums and online communities exist as well where students may express their ideas, clarify doubts and support each other. In my opinion, one of the most valuable things is learning with others and such platforms allow doing it even in case individuals are located in different regions of the world. Self paced courses are also extremely hit today as a student enrolls in a course and examines it at his own pace without any form of time and schedule pressure.
Naturally I believe it is also appropriate to state that online learning has its difficulties as well. It is extremely easy to trail behind or lose interest since there is no one physically present to push you when it comes to a lack of proper discipline and motivation. I have been witnessing numerous individuals begin online courses with much enthusiasm and drop out of it halfway. The lack of a steady internet connection is also a major issue in most of the global regions including my nation. These are actual issues and I believe that we cannot overlook them.
However on the whole I think online learning approaches are causing less disamenities than good. They are turning education into more flexible, more accessible and less expensive to individuals with any type of background. Even a student who does not afford a large institution would acquire a valuable skill using an online platform. I believe that is something to be appreciated.
And the trick is that one should take online learning seriously and regularly. The means is present and the means available. The thing is that we just need to use them.
