Online learning is now an extremely popular way to increase skills and learn a new subject as well as refresh on a certain topic as part of continuous professional development (CPD).
Many people that have not chosen online learning before and may be considering it will be reassured by these top 6 reasons people choose online learning.
1. Balance
Holding down a day job, juggling children’s school times, mealtimes and walking the dog are already extremely time-consuming and demand their own schedule as it is. Therefore, as a student or learner, you may choose an online learning course as it can fit around everything else. Once the children go to bed. Maybe you are not a parent and just find that the hour commuting is a great time to increase your knowledge and learn.
2. Flexibility
As I just touched on briefly in the first point. The options can be to learn anywhere at any time. On the train, at home, during your lunch hour. Many courses with the support of a learning management system make it possible to learn on your mobile, laptop or tablet. Much more choice and you can take the course wherever you go. Even on holiday in some cases.
3. Accelerated
Many online learning courses are on demand. No waiting for term time or to schedule time off work. If you have a week off, then you can learn as fast as you want to. Consider lockdown many learnt new skills while they were at home. If only college or classroom training had been available, then this would not have been the case.
4. Lower Costs
Online learning courses are often less expensive than the classroom training option. Mainly because it does not have specific classroom delivery required by a trainer. Also, it does not require you to take a holiday or time off from work. No commuting costs, hotel, food or beverage costs. Also, all materials are downloadable online in many cases and therefore cost less in stationary or textbooks.
5. Access to Earn Prestigious Awards
Many universities can now allow you to earn a full degree from home. This is an added benefit of those mature students that have found a new passion or want to achieve degree status. During lockdown, you could even take Harvard courses from anywhere in the world. The list of awarded courses is endless and definitely can help with the next career step or progression.
6. Self-paced Learning is Found to be More Effective
We do have some amazing teachers, lecturers and trainers out there. This challenge has always been there and will continue to be. We know from feedback and from extensive evaluation forms that the pace of the learning in a classroom setting will not suit every learner every time. For us to learn anything then it must be meaningful. This means if we are distracted, tired or not focused within a classroom environment, the extent of what is being taught can be missed or is not as memorable to us. Online Learning and eLearning courses can be taken within a person’s own time as they are self-directed. There fore some people can learn at a slower pace and those that are quick learners can work at the faster rate that they desire.
These 6 top reasons give you a flavour of whether online learning and e-learning can be the answer for you or maybe for a team you have. People still really enjoy the classroom experience for the atmosphere and social aspect although it is always good to look at other options for what may be more suitable for you. Many choosing a combination of learning or training options. We have even seen more practical courses now start to be delivered online.
Anything is possible with the right attitude, educators and content.
The Modern Mind Group are emotioneering human performance not engineering it. As a learning and performance consultancy, we work with your business to identify and improve performance gaps so that you can be more profitable and professionally develop your people. Over 10 years of expertise in learning and performance with results to back it all up. Why settle for the average when there is a world of possibility when you know how to achieve it? Untapped potential - Let's go get it!