Photo: Julia M Cameron/Pexels
Worrying and parenthood go hand in hand. You have most likely been concerned about your kids being disadvantaged by online learning throughout the pandemic. If it has been playing on your mind, you might be pleasantly surprised to realise it comes with a host of benefits. Here are just a couple.
You Can Spend More Time where you Need it
Most kids have a more challenging time in some subjects than others. When in a classroom environment, there is little flexibility to spend extra time getting your head around algebra equations or French pronouns. I spoke to a friend who (just quietly) happens to be one of the best VCE tutors in Melbourne, and they reported that they are seeing some of their students thrive with this extra bit of flexibility to focus on the areas in which they struggle.
It Teaches You Independence
Time management is one of those skills that you will need at every stage of your life, no matter what job you choose to do. With such carefully structured days carved up into 50-minute periods, high school kids often don’t have a chance to practice time management. When they get to university or into their first paid role, they can struggle to prioritise tasks and manage a timeline. However, online learning forces them to be more independent and self-reliant, working through the lessons to ensure they meet the set deadlines.
E-Learning Offers Good Practice for Remote Work in the Future
Another side benefit of the rise in online learning is that it is excellent training for the future of work. Experts have been predicting a shift in how employment looks for several years now, with a rise in part-time jobs and the gig economy.
Today’s teenagers may well be the remote workers of tomorrow, with companies saving on overheads and offering flexibility to staff through the use of virtual and serviced offices. From that perspective, 2020 and 2021 could be considered important training years for the future!
It’s Undeniably Comfortable
Have you ever had a nightmare where you turn up to school in your pyjamas? For the youth of today, such nightmares will be unheard of. Wearing pyjamas to school can be their daily reality when learning from home.
They may need to take a leaf out of mum and dads book and adopt a “business up top and comfort down the bottom” approach when participating in video conferences with their class, but for the most part, students learning from home can study in whatever they feel comfortable wearing.
The benefit extends beyond pupils having to worry about whether their school shoes are shined. It means that they don’t need to worry about whether their clothes are on-trend, their make-up is up to standard, or their hair is perfectly styled.
Student Generally Retain More Through E-Learning
The Research Institute of America has investigated the retention rates of face-to-face training vs. online learning and found that people retained 8-10% with the former method and a whooping 25-60% with the latter. That is an impressive jump in retention and should put our youngsters in a good position for exam time.
As students head back through the school gates, the pre-existing platforms and communication tools set up at super-speed to cope with the pandemic’s shift are still there. Having these online tools and resources will likely prompt an extensive change in how learning is delivered and supported on an ongoing basis.
