Different forms of online teaching
Distance learning, e-learning, or online teaching are terms that are gaining more and more ground in current education. These are broad terms whose exact meaning is unclear to many.
This article aims to clarify the situation and show how one can learn online. Three types of online teaching will be explained in particular. First of all, it should be noted that online learning is increasingly taking place in the classroom, i.e., in person. In schools, people are increasingly working with laptops, tablets, and smartphones. However, we will not discuss this type of online teaching in the rest of the article; we will only discuss distance learning, i.e., learning from home.
1. Distance learning with teachers
In this first form of teaching, we are talking about the teaching as it was provided during the lockdown due to the measures taken during COVID-19. Students and teachers are at home and have no contact with each other except via the internet.
Students connect via a platform like Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. The teachers do the same. Then, the lesson takes place live, the teacher gives explanations and tasks that the children and young people solve immediately during the lesson.
This form of teaching does not differ much from traditional teaching, as there is basically interaction between the teacher and the class . Group work is easily carried out thanks to the platforms as part of breakout rooms or other additional channels.
2. Distance learning without teachers
There are online platforms that provide students with work materials. Students download the work materials independently and then try to familiarize themselves with them. There is no teacher present to give instructions on when learning should take place.
Self-discipline plays an important role here, as students must organize themselves and stick to the plan. The temptation to procrastinate – or procrastinate as it is also called – is great. Nevertheless, the freedom of time and space can be an advantage, as it allows for flexibility.
The course materials in this form of teaching are multimedia and interactive. They can vary between films, audio files, podcasts, texts, online exercises, interactive presentations, video tutorials, and other media, which makes teaching attractive and varied.
3. Online tutoring, as offered
Tutoring platforms such as these offer learning videos, summaries, and exercise sets that allow students to work on relevant academic topics. Additionally, these platforms often offer solutions for self-assessment. Online tutoring courses complement teaching.
Distance learning as a complement to regular teaching
Traditional classroom teaching is certainly not going away. And that’s a good thing. This is especially true given that, in addition to regular teaching, there are now several complementary offerings that allow students to review what is taught in the classroom.
Thanks to platforms such as t, students can flexibly use additional learning materials to improve in areas important to the school. What is certain is that the freedom to choose topics, as well as the multimedia and interactive nature of online learning, have a motivating effect on students.
Benefits of Online Education
One of the advantages of online learning is saving time :b learning in the comfort of your own home, you save the journey to school and therefore time. Instead of taking the bus to school, for example, you can sit in front of your tablet and review vocabulary, solve calculations, or do reading comprehension exercises.
In addition, some forms of online learning allow you to manage your own time . This allows you to remain flexible and organize your time as you wish. In many cases, distance learning is independent of location and time, which gives students a lot of freedom and can be a great advantage.
Another advantage is the pace . With distance learning, there is no need to take into account students with more difficulties or stronger ones. Everyone can therefore learn at their own pace. Slow students do not suffer from time pressure and fast students do not get bored. This guarantees individual progress , which is not always possible in the classroom.
Another advantage is the multimedia nature. Since online learning allows the use of different media such as films, podcasts, audio files, online texts, online assignments, interactive presentations, video tutorials, and other media, learning becomes attractive and varied . He often has a motivating effect on students.
Disadvantages of Online Teaching
The main disadvantage of online education is the high degree of self-discipline required for e-learning. Online learning requires a lot of energy to apply, as people often get distracted more easily at home. Since there is no monitoring, instruction, or assessment from a teacher, it requires more willpower than in a typical classroom.
Learning from home also leads to a certain degree of isolation, a major disadvantage. Online education does not provide the social environment that is available in the classroom with teachers and other students. Therefore, the risks of isolation are greater with this type of education than with traditional methods.
In addition, online education presents the risk of accessing misinformation . Without a teacher to consult in case of doubt, students often use the internet as a tool, which is often very good, but sometimes provides false information.
A final major drawback of online teaching concerns language instruction : there is a lack of practical practice in oral expression . To master a language, four skills are necessary: ​​reading comprehension, listening comprehension, writing skills, and oral expression.
Conclusion Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Teaching
Online teaching—e-learning, distance learning—like almost everything, this form of teaching has both advantages and disadvantages! It’s just as wrong to think that digital teaching is the perfect solution as it is to claim that traditional teaching is the ideal solution. The truth—if it exists—lies somewhere in between: a mix of digital and traditional teaching probably allows students to learn better than any other form of teaching.
