Online learning platforms for schools are here to stay.
It might sound a little audacious to make a statement like that, but we feel comfortable making it. The lockdown accelerated what was already a growing trend – the increasing adoption of online learning into the school curriculum.
With schools forced to stop classes, educators had to re-examine the teaching process to accommodate a virtual learning environment. While we have seen the mass adoption of online teaching apps, I think we are going to see virtual learning surpass traditional lessons as the new norm in education.
Here are a few reasons why.
The market for online education is growing
According to a Bloomberg report, the market for online education will grow by over $319 billion by 2025, which is a massive increase from $187.77 billion in 2019.
There are several reasons for this trend.
For one, increasing internet penetration has helped spearhead market growth. Internet access is becoming more and more accessible in some of the more remote regions of the world. At Reelae, we’ve been working with some fantastic partners who are trying to bring online education to children living in certain remote regions of Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Secondly, there has been an unprecedented rise in cloud technology. Cloud-based platforms bring a greater degree of security and reliability, making it easier to pull off several services, especially when it comes to carrying out different learning activities.
Most schools can afford online learning
Cloud technology has made investing in online learning platforms for schools much more affordable. This is great news for smaller education institutions that don’t have the deep pockets to invest in online learning systems, making virtual learning a more accessible platform than is usually the case.
In light of the newer online teaching tools hitting the market, schools no longer have to worry too much about server capacity, network capacity, or cutting-edge hardware. The only thing really required is a steady internet connection that most organisations already possess.
There is a great deal of flexibility in online learning
There is no denying that online learning platforms are a much more flexible method of learning, compared to conventional learning methods.
Students are free to learn at their own pace, instead of sticking to a rigid schedule. Teachers are also free to adopt different teaching techniques, making it easier to encourage students to learn different skills. They can encourage critical thinking through assignments, communication skills through group projects, and typing speed through forum discussions 🙂
This can also be done through different mediums including auditory and visual learning methods.
Online learning makes teaching more accessible
Even today, many factors still prevent students from receiving a high-quality education. The beauty of virtual learning platforms is that they are designed to reduce many traditional accessibility issues. Given that almost everyone has a smartphone and access to the internet these days, accessing online teaching is much easier than ever before.
These online learning platforms for schools are also very intuitive and easy to use. Students almost automatically understand how to use their online learning platforms, administrators adapt, and teachers pick up the nuts and bolts quickly.
Easy use encourages widespread adoption, which means more parties using the online learning platform. This is critical in a world that’s going digital on a daily basis.
It provides a deeper understanding of how students operate
Teachers often have a hard time tracking their student’s progress. Not for want of trying but because they often lack the knowledge and insight into student performance.
Virtual learning platforms can help teachers overcome this limitation because online learning platforms come with useful insights that chart a student’s progress over time. This gives you a better understanding of how each of your students is performing in your online classroom.
Online learning is the future—are you ready for it?
Online learning platforms for schools can transform education.
Given its flexibility, accessibility, and reducing costs, digital learning is going to become the new norm. This could raise some interesting questions about how schools are run in the future. Teachers, school administrators, and students will have their roles reassessed. Learning through an interactive medium will make teachers rethink how they teach students, which is always a welcome development.
