There is a wide variety of online courses available to those who opt for distance learning.
Online education is a modality of teaching and learning carried out through the use of a technological device with Internet access (from a computer or laptop to a tablet or mobile phone).
For electronic learning , popularly known in English as e-learning , platforms and tools are used that contribute both to the transmission of information and to the interaction between those who dictate the content and the users who are nourished by them.
Instant messaging applications, videoconferences , educational e-books , forums , online tutorials and webinars , for example, are of utmost importance when it comes to clearing up doubts and learning remotely.
Features of online education
Although the distance modality in the academic field already existed before the COVID-19 pandemic , the characteristics of online education achieved shocking notoriety when, in times of confinement, it was decided to resort to virtual teaching in order not to fail. the study processes that until then were developed thanks to traditional face-to-face classes.
Firstly, it is necessary to emphasize that online education can be adapted to all levels and subjects or disciplines. These adjustments are convenient for students because they avoid interruptions in the student's career, although in the case of children, the intervention and support of a senior manager is essential for the virtual experience to be fruitful.
Young people and adults, for their part, need organizational power, optimal time management, responsibility, discipline, motivation and self-control to take advantage of online training .
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The options that diversify online education are related to the times in which information is provided and consumed. In addition, there is a modality that allows combining traditional teaching and that born from the massive use of the Internet .
Thus, therefore, it is possible to distinguish between a hybrid type of distance training , a framework in which face-to-face classes are developed and the virtual resource is used, in a complementary way, with the aim of expanding knowledge using multimedia materials that are share online.
Educational podcasts and blogs are some of the means for transmitting digital educational content.
There is, on the other hand, an asynchronous learning model within the universe of virtual education . In this scenario, the interaction does not happen in real time, but rather the exchanges between students and instructors arise at moments in which each one connects to the platform or virtual classroom , without them being coincident. The contents are created and available when each person sees fit, or can, access them upon receiving them in their email account, to indicate one possibility. This style, since it does not provide instant feedback and has a slower pace, is not usually recommended for children who attend primary school or for young people who have just arrived at the secondary level.
The case of synchronous learning is different, in that the meetings are simultaneous to, in parallel, transmit knowledge and learn. When it is a face-to-face dynamic, the group receives lessons in a specific space and time. A similar agreement can be established for the online modality , agreeing to virtual meetings on a platform where students and educators connect by listening to each other live, participate via chat or using the microphone in order to have an interactive pedagogical experience.
Advantages of online education
There are multiple advantages of online education , which is why there are more and more alternatives available in terms of virtual education and people interested in this type of training .
The possibility of accessing personalized learning environments adapted to the times and needs of each individual, the flexible schedules offered by virtual training and saving money (since online training avoids spending on transportation and snacks, for example) are part of of the benefits appreciated by those who choose to learn remotely through a technological device with Internet access.
Those who use this system do not hesitate to highlight, in addition, the convenience of not having to travel to an educational center to present in classes and the speed of digital feedback between students and teachers. Collaborative online work , spaces for direct communication between fellow students and online discussion forums are also enriching.
Videoconferences are useful for virtual classrooms since live-streamed classes allow interaction between students and teachers in real time, being agile and dynamic.
Nor should we overlook that, unlike the in-person format, borders, nationalities and geographical locations are not impediments to pursuing a degree or doing a workshop. Nowadays, if someone living in Uruguay wants to expand their knowledge by accessing a seminar given by European experts who are distributed in different nations, they can fulfill their purpose just a click away.
Of course, beyond dozens of benefits, there are certain issues that require a careful approach in order to avoid complications or inconveniences from choosing online education , a system that can accentuate social isolation , demotivate those who have not achieved a deep mastery of technology or it does not work for people who lack perseverance and self-discipline or who need support or monitoring that is not achieved in the virtual environment .