Five Examples of Why Studying from Home Is the Best Way to Learn

The opponents of online education have always relied on one main argument: nothing can replace the level of socialization that students get in the real classroom setting. But with the new reality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the social setting is the biggest problem. 

Whether we like it or not, students will have to get their lessons online. Yes; the educational system will resume its usual activities as soon as we start managing the situation properly. But for now, educators have to think about adapting their teaching style to the online environment. Students have to get used to the new reality, and their parents have to support them through the process. 

This change is for the good of the entire community. However, teachers and students will gain benefits from it as well. Studying from home is not as challenging as most people assume.

5 Examples: Why Studying from Home Is Better Than We Assume

• The Online Environment Imposes the Need for Creativity

If teachers only give their lessons and ask students to write assignments, online education will not work. “I’ll let the lecture play in the background while I play games, and then I’ll hire those services that offer writing an essay for me.” That’s how most students think. We have to predict their wish to avoid learning, so we have to think of more creative homework assignments. 

We’ll have to take examples from the successful courses on Coursera, Khan Academy, and similar platforms. 

Instead of encouraging them to go to EduBirdie essay writing website by imposing boring assignments, we can ask them to discuss a topic between each other. They can use online resources to support their arguments, so we’ll encourage them to research as well.

• Teachers Are Encouraged to Make Their Lessons More Fun

In the classroom, teachers have authority. When someone isn’t following the lesson, simple eye contact can bring the student’s attention back. They can warn the students who disturb the learning environment, and they simply have more control over the situation. 

Things are different when they give online lessons. They can’t make eye contact and warn each and every student. They have to work harder to make their lessons interesting, so the students will be naturally engaged. 

This is why most online courses are based on storytelling. It’s a great technique that adds character even to the most boring lesson of all.

• Online Learning Imposes the Need for Self-Discipline

Even the most relaxed online courses take time and effort to be completed. When students set a goal to study online, they have to organize their time and stop making excuses. 

Online learning takes a higher level of self-motivation. It may be difficult at the beginning. The teachers must make great efforts to keep the students engaged. But once the learners get on the road of self-motivation, they learn a valuable skill for a lifetime.

• The Learning Material Gets More Digestible

Traditional textbooks are too dry. They force the students to memorize dates and facts without any substance to the information. Online learning is different. 

Let’s take the US history courses on Khan Academy as an example. The learners don’t get boring textbooks to learn from. They get interesting videos and lesson summaries that make learning effective. With this type of learning, the information is more likely to stick within the student’s long-term memory.

• Group Chats Can Make Up for the Lost Social Element

Socialization is still a concern. It’s a fact: young learners lose the most during these times of physical distancing. If they have to learn online, we’ll need to find a way to keep them communicating. 

Zoom, Skype, and other tools are great for coordinated group chats. These are video conferencing tools, so they are perfect for young students who still can’t write. The teachers can encourage the formation of study groups. They can set different discussion prompts each week. They can find online games for the students to play together, so they will become friends even if they aren’t physically present in the same classroom.

Studying from Home Is the New Reality

Those teachers who’ve never engaged in online teaching are concerned: how will they revolutionize their practices all of the sudden? Parents are concerned as well. They will have to spend more time encouraging their children to learn from home. 

But we have to stop making excuses and face the problem. At the moment, governments from all around the world are seeking alternatives to traditional education. Online learning is the best one.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are the personal views of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)