With the introduction of Digital Technology in all fields of life, the dynamics and progression of the concerned portfolio have utterly changed. Despite traditional education have been gaining substantial ground but the novel concept of e-learning has plugged the loopholes that were considered hard to be fixed. In fact, online learning has offered people the benefits of cost-effectiveness, access to standard material, and communication with world-famous universities.
Paul Levinson said, “Online learning can be a lifeline to those with obstacles, such as geographical distances or physical disabilities.“
Simply put, online education is a form of education delivered and administered using the internet. The techniques usually involved are the Learning Management System in which students can view their course syllabus and academic progress, as well as communicate with fellow students and their course instructor.
In the present-day world, those countries which have been successful in revolutionizing their education portfolio through online platforms, are ruling the rooster. They have shaped the destinies of their people as per their wishes. On the other hand, the nations which still lag behind in education are just the followers of the developed nations.
The underdeveloped countries are out of the scheme. In the comity of nations, online education is treated as blood in the veins of a nation and strength in the muscles of a nation.
Current Trends Regarding Online Education The World Over
E-learning and LSM have captivated the attention of researchers. Looking at the sociocultural and geographical barriers, it has been trending in the world variously.
In the following paragraphs, we shall put a cursory glance at the trends of online learning in various parts of the world.
Online Education Trending Due to Help in Navigation of Shifting Labor Market
First, e-learning is being accessed increasingly due to the help to navigate today’s ever-changing labor market. It has been reported that the online learning portfolio Coursera recorded 20 million new student registrations.
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E-Learning As An Important Tool To Help the Ever Widening Skills Gap
In the same way, an online learning platform is an important tool that helps in closing the widening global skills gap. Following the COVID-19-induced shift to remote working, people are increasingly looking to digital learning to develop the skills to navigate today’s constantly evolving world of work.
Regional and Global Trends
Regionally, Asia Pacific saw the biggest student presence on the learning platform with 28 million new online learners enrolling for 68 million courses followed by North America, Europe, and Latin America. By comparison, just 3 million online learners came from Africa, joining 5 million courses. However, Africa saw the highest growth in student registration up to 43%, and course enrollment up to 50%.
At the Country Level
At the country level, the US topped the standings with more than 17 million people getting enrolled in online learning, followed by India with 13.6 million. A sizeable gap separated these two nations from Mexico with Almost 5 million, with Brazil and China completing the top five list. The highest rate of new learner growth came from emerging economies, however, led by Paraguay with 98% growth totaling 110,000 learners.
Lebanon saw 97% growth in learners with 158000 in total. Although the Philippines saw 85% learner growth the South East Asian nation registered 1.3 million learners in total. Other emerging nations with high student totals that saw more than 50% growth in 2022 include Indonesia, Kenya, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan.
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Shifting Trends In The Portfolio Of E-Learning
According to the WEF’s The Future of Jobs Reports Cloud computing, big data, and e-commerce look set to remain focal points for big business along with advances in digital encryption, non-humanoid robots, and AI.
Elon Musk said,
“If kids can be super engaged in video games, there is a way for them to be super engaged in education as well.“
Benefits of Online Education
Let’s take a glance at the myriad of benefits that online education offers to the modern world. The benefits of socio-economic and geographic nature are under its umbrella.
Added Flexibility And Self-Paced Learning
First, not many people have the ability to take time off from work to commit to a full-time graduate program, and others often travel for work. For those who still need to juggle working and going back to school, the flexibility of an online learning program provides individuals with the opportunity to learn while still working and growing professionally.
By earning a Master’s degree online, you can on your own schedule. Rather than leave the office early or skip family dinner to commute to campus, you are logging on when it is convenient for you- at a time that does not interfere with other commitments. That flexibility allows you to balance work, life, and graduate school.
Additionally, students do not always feel comfortable asking professors to repeat a point they made in their last lecture or dive into deeper detail on a specific topic. When learning online, you can revisit past material or stop the lecture to perform additional research or organize your notes. You can work through the lesson plan at your own pace to ensure you are really mastering the material before moving on to the next section.
Better Time Management
In the same manner, one of the most wanted lists of things we want is that manage our time effectively. It’s never enough to be at your desk on time in the morning and stay through the end of the day. Most of us are expected to get more projects done in less time.
Online classes keep you on a regular schedule of making and meeting deadlines, allowing you to practice managing your time and staying productive week to week. Employers often appreciate the time management skills needed to complete online degree programs and view these skills as a valuable asset in potential employees.
Demonstrated Self Motivation
Similarly, by successfully earning your degree online, you are demonstrating that you can practice time management and are self-motivated which are among the top employability skills employers want to see in new hires. By succeeding in earning an online degree, you prove that you can tackle multiple tasks, set priorities and adapt to changing work conditions.
Instructors expect students to be independent, to learn on their own, and to engage with the material that they are teaching. It is the same thing in the workforce, employers want you to be self-motivated, go after things that interest you, and seek new opportunities and ways of doing things. The more you put your heart into it- whether it is learning online or working for your employer more you will succeed.
Improved Virtual Communication and Collaboration
Much of the same applies to the point mentioned. Learning to work with others in a virtual environment can make you a more effective leader. You will develop critical leadership skills by utilizing specialized knowledge, creating efficient processes, and making decisions about best communication practices.
In the online program, you will also participate in discussion boards with your classmates communicate with your professors via email, and collaborate through various software programs. You will get better at pitching your ideas and making strong, succinct, professional arguments through text.
Participating in discussion boards is a lot like participating in a virtual team. Communicating your ideas clearly, getting responses, and projecting a professional image are necessary skills in a virtual workplace. Instructors just like managers, expect you to write respectful, thoughtful, and polite communications, respond to different perspectives, and build a rapport with your peers. Luckily, in an online program, you will refine this skill quickly from course to course.
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A Broader, Global Perspective
Likewise, students in online programs come from across the region or world, or country. Because of this ability to log on from any location, class discussions feature a broader range of perspectives, helping you enhance your own cross-cultural understanding.
How To Succeed In Online Education?
Now, we shall dissect the stated facts about how to succeed in online education.
Establish A Productive Learning Environment
Working on assignments from a slouched position and streaming Netflix at the same time is not ideal if you aim to be productive. Dr. Hatten, who specializes in online learning, recommends that students choose an area in their homes that is free from common distractions.
“The couch is probably not the best place to be at“. Dr. Hatten says.“ Get up and go to a place in your house that you can make your workplace.“
Set A Schedule for Completing and Reviewing
Furthermore, working on three courses at the same time can cause an individual to experience a high level of stress but this can be avoided if you allocate specific times to work on each class. This schedule allows students to create a type of structure often seen with traditional in-person classes.
“My belief is that most people end up either procrastinating or getting too involved that they won’t shut off.” Dr. Hatten
Seek Virtual Interactions With Your Peers
Studying with a group of peers in the library or simply receiving on-the-spot clarifications from classmates is obviously not possible during this time. However, forming virtual interactions through platforms such as GroupMe or Microsoft Teams is a feasible action you could take in order to maintain that sense of collaboration and community.
Use the ‘Chunking’ Strategy to Section Out Tasks
The term ‘chunking’ refers to taking a large amount of information and dividing it into smaller units. Instead of starting at a computer screen for three hours at a time, Dr. Hatten suggests that students chunk their time by following a specific pattern.
Try To Increase Your Interest in the Work
There may be times when you go over an assignment or task that seems rather tedious. Instead of waving it off as the day go by, think about how you can turn the assignment or task into an engaging one. Using this strategy means using your imagination to creatively modify the work you will turn in.
Make the Work Online, More Personally Significant
You may experience a lack of motivation when you feel unconnected to an assignment or task being given. Dr. Park encourages students who are confronted by this feeling to think critically about how that assignment could be useful in helping them in the future.
“You have to find a way to connect the task to what you are interested in already. If you are at the graduate level, you may want to consider using those completed assignments or tasks for the conference presentations.” Dr. Park
Imagine Yourself on A Path Toward Mastering the Subject
This kind of talk is executed when you think out loud about the goals you are trying to accomplish. Dr. Park shares an example of how answering this question can produce a continuous response that starts with the credit you earn for the assignment, then the grade you receive from taking the course finally ends with landing the dream job you will have after graduation.
Problem Solve on Your Own
As you adjust to working online, it is important that most questions can be answered when you read instructions carefully and when you go over each module properly. Professors are prepared to answer your questions instead of sending multiple emails throughout the day for each problem you are facing. It may be more productive to first try to resolve the issue yourself through a Google search.
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Focus on Your Self Care
In the same way, it is completely understandable if you need to step away from the computer for a few hours or if you need to take a day to sleep in. Taking the time to recover is necessary and you should not feel bad about it.
Have Compassion For Others
Last but not least, remember that individuals everywhere are going through many of the same experiences you are having right now. Have patience with those who might not know how to set up a video chat or who may be taking a long time to adjust to this new normal.
Wrapping Up
To sum up, we may deduce that online learning has given a lot of facilities to online learners like giving a broader world view, cost-effective learning, good visual communication, etc. But to be successful in the online education platform demands a lot of self-motivation, dedication, patience, scheduling, etc. We hope that the online learning portfolio will change the dynamics of education for the better.
