The popularity of online learning has increased over the past decade, and the global online learning market is expected to reach $325 billion by 2025. Online learning offers greater flexibility and access to education, but students and employers also reap long-term benefits and rewards.
The COVID-19 pandemic led higher education into uncertain territory. Post-secondary institutional leadership and faculty helped students navigate unprecedented times by quickly establishing virtual classrooms. But it’s important to recognize that online learning is capable of much more than what students experienced during the global pandemic.
With the rapid progression of digital transformation and its integration into our everyday lives, the prospect of it becoming a tool to aid education and learning was inevitable. Now, countless electronic devices are available, from mobile phones to tablets, making it possible to access information wherever you are. This not only creates a space for online education but also presents learning as an option to those who may not previously have considered further study.
What is online learning?
Online learning is a simple form of education that encourages students to learn anywhere. It helps learners gain complete knowledge with the help of the latest technologies. It is also understood as distance learning, eLearning or online education that suits everyone.
Online learning is helpful for students and professionals who want to acquire diverse skills with customized learning. Online education has various advantages for educators and learners, requiring only a computer or mobile device and an internet connection.
Anyone can apply to a course that interests them and study from their remote location. This has also enabled individuals to pursue, receive and convey knowledge effectively at minimal expense.
What’s next for online education?
Education to date followed a system that had been in use for decades, but people started adopting new learning methods with the pandemic. Studying with online learning is rapidly becoming the prevalent means to transmit knowledge to people of all ages.
Adaptive learning
Adaptive education is a learning style where resources and all assignments are customized to meet a student’s needs. With online learning software, the performance of adaptive learning is mainly accomplished by selected algorithms and reviews. As online education continues to grow and keep learners’ interest, this new concept will help students learn new things while offering them the personalization of courses that they want.
Artificial intelligence
According to forecasts, the worldwide online education market is expected to grow to $325 billion by 2025, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Artificial intelligence (AI) can present solutions to human-related situations, like translation, speech recognition, decision-making and more.
Online education courses can be made more efficient using AI. It will be able to choose the highest level expected for the learner, help the user to the next level by delivering relevant content and assist learners by considering the student’s previous experience, skills, knowledge, learning style and preferred pace.
Microlearning
Students in a collaborative classroom have found much greater success by splitting learning materials into manageable pieces. Otherwise known as microlearning, professors have found that breaking study material into modules produces smarter and faster retention.
For example, a two-hour-long lesson can be divided into four 30-minute sessions. Microlearning is demonstrative of a movement that goes beyond online education into the domain of traditional classroom areas.
Online learning is the future of education because of flexibility, a wide selection of programs, accessibility, customized learning experience and cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion
There are multiple reasons to believe that online learning is the future of education. A few of the reasons mentioned in this blog are some of the top reasons that students undertake, and institutes offer online classes.
Overall, it gives a better experience to learners. Every student must assess their unique situation and decide according to their needs and goals. While this alternative to traditional education is not for everyone, it’s still a convenient option with virtually endless possibilities for international students worldwide.
GUS Canada institutions, University Canada West (UCW) and Canadian College of Technology and Business (CCTB), offer programming via online delivery.
UCW offers Online Bachelor of Commerce and Online Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication undergraduate programs and an Online Master of Business Administration graduate program.
CCTB offers a Software Quality Assurance and Test Automation certificate program available online.