THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE LEARNING

Online learning is booming as more businesses and universities recognize the advantages it has for students, and how it could help students in a busy world. It’s also often referred to as e-learning, and is the newest and most popular form of distance education. Technology has changed the way people learn and access education, specifically languages.

Online Learning vs. Traditional Learning

Typically, people take professional courses to increase their qualifications and enhance their career opportunities. But the biggest obstacle for “working students" is to find the time and energy to attend a language class after a long day of work.

In today’s world children also face the issue of limited time, budgetary constraints, and transportation challenges. Through the flexibility of online learning, younger students can easier engage with the content according to their daily schedule, energy levels, and interest. Game-based, online learning not only appeals to children but also supports the family dynamics by not having to allocate resources for regular class visits.

The major difference between online learning and traditional learning is that individuals can take an online course from the comfort of their own home or office. This means that as an employee, can work a full time job and still manage time to learn a language in your off-time.

Advantages of Online Learning

There are a number of advantages that learning a language online has over attending a face-to-face class. Some of the key benefits are highlighted below:

Convenience

Learning online gives students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day. In other words, you can study and work at your own convenience. Even better, there’s no need to attend classes for hours on end, while sitting on an uncomfortable chair and suffering from back pain by the end of the day.

Online learning means that there’s no need to commute to class, which means less time spent in traffic, and more study time on your very own couch. Since everything is done electronically, you have more control over where and when you study, and balance between work and family commitments.

Flexible schedule and environment

Flexibility is one of the major advantages when it comes to enrolling in an online course. With e-learning you can take classes in your own free-time, without having to adhere to specific lesson times. For instance, you can wake up early to take a class before work one day, and the next day you can take a class late in the evening.

In addition, you can choose your learning environment. Whether it’s in your bedroom or study, or at the office, or in a cafe, you can learn in a space that is most comfortable and convenient for you.

There’s also a lot more flexibility for finding the right teacher. In traditional learning, you’re committed to learning from one tutor. However, when learning a language online, you usually have several options to choose from, and can easily switch from one to another since you aren’t necessarily committed to any.

Cost-effective

You can save hundreds of dollars when joining an online language learning course. Traditional learning courses include costs associated with using classroom space and equipment which isn’t necessary when you’re learning in your own home.

Purely on a cost-bases, language schools are usually more expensive on a cost-per-session basis, because of the additional costs involved in running the operation, These include building leases, insurance, staffing, and more. By eliminating these costs, online courses can be offered at a fraction of the price.

Furthermore, you also save money on transport since there’s know need to drive to classes every other day.

Access to native speakers

When learning online, you have access to a variety of teachers from all over the world, which includes native speakers. However, when attending face-to-face classes there’s a very good chance that your tutor won’t be a native speaker. Although this isn’t the end of the world, there certainly is a great advantage when learning from native speakers.

Friendly native speakers can help to improve your skills and build your confidence. First and foremost, learning from a native speaker will improve your pronunciation. It’s also a great way to enhance your ability to hold real conversations.

Final Thoughts

Learning a language online has several advantages over traditional learning. Most notably, it allows for more flexibility and is known to be more cost effective. The best thing about e-learning is that you can learn in a relaxed and “stress-free" environment in your own time and at your own pace. All you need is a passion for learning and a little dedication.