Online learning platforms are great for learning but they don’t determine student performance. Academic performance still depends on how well a student understood their material. As a teacher, you can help optimise learning outcomes using several simple but effective strategies.
Let’s dive into some of those!
Strategies to optimise online learning
Here are some useful strategies to optimise learning and improve student performance.
Present materials in a way to pace student learning
One key way to optimise online learning is to ensure material piques your students’ interest. If the subject matter is complex, then you can present the material in a more digestible format. For example, try to keep the course session at 30 minutes or less. This ensures that there is no information overload and improves memory retention.
Besides course planning, you want to ensure you have presented learning material in an optimised format.
For example, if you are using PowerPoint, then ensure that you keep one idea or concept to one slide. This way, students have an easier time coping with the material. Similarly, don’t overwhelm the slides with detail, keep it to three to five points per slide. When presenting learning material, always keep in mind pacing, be sure to break up text with graphics and audio.
These small strategies can optimise online learning because it helps students stay focused. They can maintain a consistent learning pace, which helps with retention.
Use the branching learning exercise
If you know about branching exercises, then you know how effective it can be. If not, let me explain. Branching is an interactive learning technique where the exercise will respond to the user’s answers.
The best part about this virtual education exercise is the degree of interaction. For example, the branching technique can be a quiz. When students get an answer wrong, a hyperlink will take them to the source material so they can review it. But the right answer will take them to the next question.
With the branching technique, students will know if they went wrong and correct themselves. This process of learning from mistakes will improve a student’s academic performance, optimising the studying process.
The best part about the branching technique is that it can work on any platform. Branching exercises can be as simple or as complex as they need to be, depending on what you have time for. As an example, a well-thought-out quiz with hyperlinks (which can be created on any online education platform) is perfect for a branching exercise.
Use scenarios to solve problems
One of the key skills you want to develop in any student is their problem-solving skills. Unfortunately, abstract, theory-based questions alone are not going to cut it. You need to test problem-solving skills using situation-based questions.
Situational questions optimise learning by encouraging students to exercise skills, like critical thinking. It also encourages learners to apply their technical knowledge in different situations, which helps with skill development.
You can even have students discuss their answers on forums or make group presentations. Using scenarios can help optimise learning for several reasons: It keeps students focused, and develops several skills, like critical-thinking and problem-solving.
Invest in an LMS system that can scale
There are plenty of online learning platforms on the market but you need to find one that can scale to your needs. Some systems are great because they work for a small student body. However, when you reach a certain limit, using the platform may become a nuisance.
This hinders the quest for an optimised learning experience because it becomes that much harder to perform your duties as a teacher. For example, tracking progress and managing students become much harder.
An online education system that can scale up to dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of students can be a huge boon in the long-run.
Optimise student outcomes with the right online learning platform
If you are looking to optimise learning and improve student performance, then the right LMS can make all the difference. The Reelae online learning platform can help you optimise learning outcomes. There are several features that can help you optimise learning to make every second count. Some of these features include analytics that analyse learning outcomes, the ability to create custom quizzes, and the option to upload learning materials for students.
