“People expect to be bored by eLearning- let’s show them it doesn’t
have to be like that.” – Cammy Bean

Education is the key that can be held to unlock all the doors. It goes without saying that education is something that genuinely gives the students the power to unleash their own potential and becomes successful at whatever it is that they want to do.

As a student, I remember the era of the blackboard and the duster, and the students of today who are also termed as the millennials are privy to the usage of the digital boards and digital pens. We all are aware of the rate at which digitization and technology are taking over almost all the facets of human life. The steady transition of landline phones to mobiles, of desktops to laptops and tablets and regular televisions to the Smart televisions of today, are just some of the changes that we see when we talk about the era of digitization and Artificial Intelligence.

Image Source: Pixabay

Today, almost every sector that we see around us has been influenced by the spread of digitization. So it is not uncommon that we see one more sector getting influenced and affecting by the digital era. This sector happens to be that of education.  Almost all the current school and college students have at their disposal loads of information which can be accessed by them via the world of the internet. Along with this the rising popularity and spread of online education speak of a transition in the trends that are being adopted to part education to students from every walk of life.

Time and again we have heard our elders say that studies and academic performance in the age of Google are far easier than it was before. We have to give it to technology that life indeed has become simpler than it was before. Imagine spending hours in the library just to get the answer to some question or do reference work, or for that fact learning till date only through the redundant and monotonous way of textbooks! As boring as it sounds, it is also true that no matter how redundant the ways were, it was effective.

As we step into the digital era, it is also true that to get the millennials interested in studies and to direct their attention to everything that is taught, teachers need to shake hands with IT-based learning and elevate their curiosity. Several mobile-based learning apps are already a big hit, and students feel it is more impactful when they understand why they need to learn something rather than just learning it.

It also goes without saying that with a whole new window of opportunities in the education sector, students are becoming more confident and along with that they are also challenging themselves to think out of the box and do great things. One big contribution of the e-learning is that of inculcating a lot of virtual reality-based video training as well.

Classrooms these days literally come alive when the students actually get inquisitive and ‘ask questions’. Using e-learning through and through ensures that the sessions in the classroom never get boring and both the students and the teachers can learn something new. The whole purpose of imparting education is so that children can be encouraged to question, and with the rote learning teachers almost stop children from questioning and just make sure that they memorize all that is taught to them.

We want to teach students about the marvels of science and technology, and one of the biggest gifts of science and technology is the digital era. When students see these changes around them, they expect the same transition to happen in their education system as well. Teachers can’t be stuck to the old style of teaching because this will not interest a student at all. As per the most recent surveys, the EdTech sector of e-learning is growing exponentially at a rate of 20% and it is expected to reach $1.96 billion by 2021. Read more about the e learning here.

Though some educators feel that EdTech is complicated and difficult to understand, it actually helps ease the process of learning. Rather than being stuck to the pedagogical way of teaching, EdTech and e-learning help create a more personalized method based on a student’s individualistic needs.

Machine-based learning and learning with the help of AI is actually helping students across the globe understand the practical importance of what they study theoretically. It is also challenging the potential of any student and is focusing on their ability to train in a way that they get smarter and faster.

An important factor that most educators miss out on is engaging the students as they teach. In a classroom when the student to teacher ratio is so large, it becomes impossible for one teacher to handle every student and make sure that they all are on the same page.  With the help of gamification and video or app-based learning, students actually get to engage all their senses and then learn. Videos and graphics help boost their attention and this increases their attention span as well.

When every facet of life is being taken over by digitization and technology, it is safe to say that education is still the same and the only thing that has changed is the way and modes of passing down that literacy. However, the success of the e-learning will not materialize singlehandedly. As much as the students enjoy learning via the e-learning way, both the school administration and the teachers need to make peace and understand that e-learning is not just another burden given to them, but it is actually a means to educate their students more effectively and lessen their load.