What i want to know about online distance education brainly?

While it’s easy to see both the benefits and relevance of distance education, such as increased flexibility, mobility, and affordability, it’s equally important to acknowledge the potential challenges with distance learning for students. From grade-schoolers to graduate students, e-learners at all age levels must overcome obstacles that are unique to virtual education, such as asynchronous communication and ever-present opportunities for time-wasting distractions. E-learners also face challenges that, while often present in the traditional classroom, can be amplified in a virtual setting, such as delayed or unclear instructor feedback.

As an educator or aspiring teacher, it’s important for you not only to understand and empathize with the challenges of online education for students — but even more critically, to help implement effective solutions. While e-learning may pose certain difficulties for students, it also creates exciting educational opportunities, opening doors for young and adult learners alike. To help your students seize these opportunities, learn about the challenges of online distance learning they face — and what steps you can take as a digital instructor to help your e-learners succeed.

What are the challenges of distance education for students who attend class online? Here are four virtual learning disadvantages that educators need to be aware of.

Research has proven that successful “time management is associated with greater academic performance and lower levels of anxiety in students.” Unfortunately, the same research also uncovered that “many students find it hard to find a balance between their studies and their day-to-day lives” — and worse, that ineffective time management was associated with outcomes like “poor sleep patterns” and “increased levels of stress.” Effective time management can be especially difficult in a distance learning environment, where students are challenged to pace themselves — without the support from friends and peers that would help them stay focused in class.

In an in-person setting, communication happens instantaneously, making it easy for students to get answers and clarify points of confusion. In an e-learning setting, communication is often asynchronous, which means there’s a gap between teacher and student. It’s easy for misunderstandings to develop in these gaps — sometimes, allowing a problem to snowball before it can be corrected.

Providing feedback is one of the most important and meaningful ways that a teacher engages with a student. When feedback is delayed by additional days or weeks because of an online format, students can become confused or uncertain about your expectations, their progress, and their performance in your class.

It’s always crucial to set clear expectations for students. Otherwise, they can only guess at whether they’re performing tasks and projects correctly. While setting clear standards is a challenge in any classroom, asynchronous communication can make it a greater obstacle.

Now that we’ve explored the challenges of online learning for students, let’s focus on something even more important: how to overcome them.

Fortunately, it’s possible for educators to mitigate distance education issues and challenges for students. Here are four steps that teachers can take to help position e-learners for greater success in the virtual classroom.

Effective time management is a fundamental skill for distance learners. Encourage your students to take advantage of the numerous time management apps and resources that are available to e-learners — many of them for free. For example, National University offers a comprehensive suite of time management resources for students, including daily planner worksheets, infographics, links to apps, helpful time management tips, and even a time management calculator.

Education experts also recommend periodically surveying your students, which provides you with actionable insights into how your students allocate their time toward various tasks. Once you identify the trouble spots that are slowing your students down, you can offer them tailored guidance — especially if you notice patterns emerging in your survey data.

Just because communication occurs over the internet doesn’t mean it has to be lagged or asynchronous. In fact, there are countless tools — many of them free to use — to help students and teachers communicate in real-time. For example, you can use video conferencing software to have live conversations with your students, either one-on-one or in group settings. This gives your students a chance to ask you questions, raise concerns, and work through complex course material more successfully. In addition to video conferencing software, you can also use instant messaging apps for students who prefer to communicate via text. Examples include Skype, Google Meet, FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Hangouts.

Students need timely, meaningful feedback in order to gauge and improve their performance. There are several ways you can improve the feedback your students receive.

One method is to schedule one-on-one or group sessions with your students — for instance, on a weekly or bi-weekly basis — that are dedicated to providing feedback on recent assignments. Providing verbal feedback lets you save time on writing and editing documents, without sacrificing the detail or quality of your evaluation. As a result, your students receive better feedback, sooner.

Another method is to let your students engage in more peer review, or the process of providing feedback on each other’s work. In one fascinating experiment, a Duke University instructor permitted 100% of grading to be handled by a peer review process, with unsurprising results: increased satisfaction for students, and decreased stress on instructors.

Want to take a deeper dive into this subject? Here are even more tips on providing effective feedback to online students.

Rubrics and syllabi are important tools in the traditional classroom. Make use of them in the virtual classroom, too! Be sure to provide your online students with a clear and detailed overview of the course, including information about:

While there are many distance education issues and challenges for students to overcome, there are also countless opportunities for them to seize — and the approach you take as an educator can make all the difference. We hope that, by sharing some of these solutions and strategies, we’ve made it a little easier for you to help your e-students turn their challenges into success stories.

The state of California is facing an unprecedented teacher shortage and needs passionate, talented educators like you to fill the unmet need for qualified instructors. As an online or in-person educator, you’ll empower your learners, inspire young minds, and help shape the world of tomorrow. It all starts here, at National University.

Through the Sanford College of Education, NU offers dozens of NCATE-accredited programs in exciting areas like special education, teacher education, educational counseling, and educational leadership. Whether your goal is to become a teacher in California, earn an advanced degree, or improve your teaching skills so that you can take your career to the next level, you’ll find a program to suit your needs at National University. Whether you prefer to take classes on campus or 100% online, NU gives you the flexibility to learn in the way that works for you. And with credit transfer options, financial aid and scholarships, and a military-friendly student community, reaching your goals has never been more achievable.

Find out what just 30 days can do for your career in education. To learn more about our accredited teaching programs and how you can apply, contact the National University admissions office today.

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“Earn a college degree in your pajamas!” “Get your bachelor’s without leaving the house!” “Study wherever and however you want!”

Higher ed has been marketing online courses and degree programs like this for years now. Online programs are more flexible than the traditional residential university experience. But catchphrases like these cause students to think online study is easy and convenient, too. While the flexibility is real, know that college isn’t supposed to be easy, and it’s rarely convenient.

It’s important to begin the process of choosing a program with your eyes wide open. Don’t believe the marketing spin that this is going to be a cakewalk. Earning a degree is going to take serious effort and long-term commitment.

It’s also important to understand that not all programs are created equal. In fact, no two programs are exactly the same. There are wide variances in quality, format, cost, success rates, and more.

Topics on this page: > What is Distance Learning? > Choosing a Distance Learning School > Choosing a Distance Learning Program > What Makes a Good Online Course?

Distance learning is an educational process where students receive instruction through online classes, video recordings, video conferencing, or any other audio/visual technology medium. It enables people to receive education without having to be physically present in a classroom.

Properly designed distance learning programs can be a very convenient and effective way to acquire more education. This may seem difficult without students and teachers interacting in a classroom, but people enrolled in distance learning programs can learn just as much away from a classroom as in one.

Distance learning and education are interchangeable terms. Distance learning is not a recent phenomenon. The origins of distance learning can be traced back to the advent of the modern postal system and the mass production of printed publications, which made it possible to spread information rapidly throughout the world.

Distance learning has made education more accessible to larger groups of people. It is a convenient way to obtain work experience while completing college or other vocational training. Many organizations, such as the military, large corporations, and government agencies rely on distance education to train service members and employees. Education has also changed as communication technology has revolutionized society.

In most cases, education or specialized training is a requirement for most high paid jobs. The availability of the Internet has increased the number of online courses. These courses are offered at online colleges, such as Argosy University, University of Phoenix, Capella University, and Kaplan University.

More students today are taking advantage of distance learning programs. Working professionals, high school students, and even traditional college students enroll in distance learning classes. Companies and other organizations frequently utilize distance learning programs to train employees. The following are some of the reasons people enroll in distance learning programs:

Although distance learning can fit into anyone's schedule, students must take the initiative to study and complete their course work. Distance learning programs are not easy or automatic, so lazy students will probably not successfully complete courses they enroll in. However, even students that are busy or have numerous responsibilities should find the time to study because of the flexibility of these programs.

Many different types of technology are utilized to enhance online learning. Special computer programs, high speed Internet, and webcam broadcasting technology are just a few of the modern technologies utilized in distance learning. As a result, learning opportunities that never existed for people living in distance or rural areas can obtain a college education or specialized job training. It's not uncommon for a student living in a rural region of South Dakota to complete a course offered by a college in California.

Students often interact with teachers using video conferencing, satellite, and Internet technology. They can also communicate with other students enrolled in the same course using modern telecommunications technology.

Since students can complete courses wherever the Internet is accessible, many often take time during a work break or while staying in a hotel during a business trip to complete their school work. The flexibility of distance learning is one of the main appeals of these programs.

Since distance learning is slowly becoming a popular way to complete college or job training, many people still have reservations about it. The details provided below will give those considering distance learning an idea of what it's like:

Working professionals, stay at home moms, and other people unable to attend college on a campus are utilizing distance learning programs to acquire more education or job training.

Distance learning has existed for centuries through traditional mail and other creative means, but online education is still a relatively new field. Even though the technology is different, the educational mission and academic standards are the same as in traditional education: providing a quality education. Many online schools do exactly that, while others are merely degree mills or outright frauds. And of course, there's plenty of variety in the middle.

As you search for online schools, it's important to know what you're looking for, and what to look out for. Below are some parameters to help you choose the best online school for you.

Accreditation is the first and most important aspect of any school. Make sure a proper association-preferably a regional association-has accredited the school you're investigating. This will ensure that it is meeting academic requirements and that other institutions will accept the credits you earn. Attending a school that isn't properly accredited will not only cause you headaches in college, but with future employers as well.

You also want to check that the accrediting agency is legit. Some of them don't review schools very thoroughly and some will approve almost anyone for a fee. Your best bet is to verify that the accrediting association is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.

By its nature, distance education is more independent than attending a physical classroom with other students, but having good teachers is still vital. Go online and research the faculty of any school you're looking at. How much education and experience do the teachers have?

Just because a school delivers classes online doesn't mean the teachers should be any less qualified. Most community college teachers have at least a Masters degree in their field. University professors typically have PhD's. Any good online school should have comparable faculty.

As with any school, you need to research the academic programs at an online school and make sure they line up with your goals for higher education. These days, there are many options to choose from in distance education, so shop around and compare specific programs at different schools.

Does this school offer Associates degrees or professional certification? If so, are they recognized by other institutions of higher education? This is vital, especially if you plan on continuing on to a four-year university.

Look at the specific courses that are required for a degree. Do they look interesting, challenging, or make sense with the field of study? Are these classes that you would be attracted to? How do they compare to the course requirements at other online schools?

It is also wise to understand the academic requirements and the class schedule before you commit to an online program. In distance education, these factors can vary widely from program to program. Some courses allow you to work at your own pace while others have deadlines, a schedule of live virtual classes, or in-person testing administered by the instructor or a proctor.

Ask yourself a few questions about you as a student. Are you good at self-motivation and staying on task, or do you need structure and/or deadlines? Are you an auditory learner, meaning you can remember details better if you hear them, or a visual learner who can easily read and absorb information? Some online courses are filled with live or recorded video lectures, podcasts and multimedia lessons, while others rely mainly on written text.

Some online programs are hybrid and require some physical attendance, either for lectures or exams. Understand the schedule so you can be certain you can meet these requirements. Also make sure the school is not too far away from where you live.

How much is tuition and are there any hidden fees or extra costs? Distance education is a dynamic and competitive market, and cost and quality don't always match up. If you've begun your search with one school in particular, expand it by looking at other schools with comparable tuition. Compare the quality and variety of degrees, experience of the teachers and feedback from former and current students.

Online college should typically cost a little less than attending a traditional college or university. If you're looking at a particular online school, do a cost comparison with other colleges in your area.

How many students does this school enroll? In general, more is better. If an established school isn't attracting that many students, it's probably not a good sign. The same goes for how long the school has been in business. The longer, the better. You still want to investigate the quality of their programs and faculty, but experience is usually a good sign.

Look beyond the enrollment numbers. What is the graduation rate? You want to attend a school that has a good record of students' academic success. What is the student/teacher ratio and average class size? The class is online, but to succeed you will still need some individual attention from the instructor.

That should extend beyond the classroom. It's often overlooked in online education, but students still require extra interaction with instructors, as well as access to tutoring and mentorship opportunities. Many long-distance teachers will keep online “office hours,” allowing students the same access to instructors as in traditional classes.

If possible, talk to some current or former students to get an idea of the availability of these important aspects of school.

Most online schools have basic requirements when it comes to computers. You won't need a supercomputer, just something that is relatively up-to-date and able to handle word processing and typical online activity. In the case of some specialized courses, you'll need expensive hardware, but not for most classes.

Software will usually be provided free of charge. In some cases you will need to buy software for the class, which can vary widely in price. The same goes for textbooks. Make sure you know the cost estimate for software and textbooks. They can add up fast.

Remember, distance education has a different delivery method than traditional education, but the goal remains the same. So do the academic standards. Use the same criteria you would for a physical college, just in a different context. If an online school is right for you, it should stand up to the test.

For starters, we’re using the term “online course” to mean a college course offered for credit that can be taken completely online. But within that narrow definition exist many different types of courses. Some are little more than correspondence courses: pre-recorded videos with minimal personal involvement from the professor. Some (like Ohio State’s online bachelors program) are videos recorded live and archived for later viewing. Others go far beyond video, offering richly interactive learning materials and robust professor interactions.

Costs also vary considerably. Many of the high-quality online programs are offered through traditional universities, where the online courses are just as expensive as their on-campus counterparts. Devon Haynie at US News found that most online courses from traditional 4-year programs cost $300-400 per credit hour, plus additional fees. She signed up for a personal finance course that cost $1300 total. There were discounts to be had for in-state tuition, and she found a community college option for $515.

Of course, a quick Google search reveals many low- and no-cost options. But beware: many of these are from unaccredited schools or can’t be taken for college credit. As a rule of thumb, if something is worth $1300 from a well-known school, you should view with suspicion the $25 version from a school you’ve never heard of.

Bottom line: expect to pay a decent amount for decent quality online education, and understand that courses will vary in format and quality.

Along the same lines, it’s important to know what you’re paying for before you buy. If you’re enrolling in an entirely online program, this comes into play before you enroll. Do your research. US News offers an independent ranking of entirely online programs, with in-depth reviews of the top programs.

If on the other hand you’re enrolling in a few courses here and there (perhaps to finish out a degree you’ve already started), you need to do your research for each course. Say you paid $1000 for a robust, high-quality course and were happy with your investment. Will you be happy to drop another $1000 on a lesser quality course? Make sure you know what you’re getting before you buy.

Online courses are marketed to busy professionals and adults trying to complete degrees. Marketers emphasize the freedom and convenience, but these courses are still a ton of work. Before you enroll in and pay for a course, find out what kind of time commitment you’re making. Many college courses, online or not, require 15 hours or more per week. Some have huge projects that spike the needed time drastically upward one or two weeks of the semester.

Bottom line: take the time to find out what will be expected of you, then evaluate whether you are able to give that kind of time—before you buy.

If your ultimate goal is a degree, then taking an online class here or there because the content sounds interesting or useful isn’t a real plan. Instead, you need to create a plan that leads to your goal.

You may be part-way through a residential degree program, looking to fill some course gaps. You may be working on getting an academic head start by knocking out some early courses online before heading to a residential program. Or you may be looking for a degree that can be earned entirely online. Whatever your approach, be sure to formulate a plan that leads to a degree before enrolling in an online course.

The good news is you shouldn’t need to go it alone. You should have access to a faculty advisor or coach who can help you craft this plan. If your prospective online college can’t offer you this kind of guidance, consider that a red flag.

Online programs can leave students feeling a bit isolated. Face-to-face (two-way) video interaction with instructors is rare to nonexistent, and collaboration with classmates is often limited to chat and email. The collaboration and camaraderie residential students enjoy just isn’t there. Look for programs that work hard to overcome this, but understand that it’s an issue even in the best programs.

Online programs have a lower graduation rate than residential or blended (part residential, part online) programs, notes James Paterson at EducationDive. Experts disagree on the reasons why, but it may have to do with the greater level of self-motivation and direction that’s needed to succeed while feeling all on your own.

To offset these downsides, look for quality online programs with robust student services and student support. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is generally true here: the cheapest courses have the lowest levels of student support.

You don’t have to be a technology expert to make online college work, but you do need to be conversant. Every school has its own learning management system, or LMS. You may need to troubleshoot why video isn’t playing (do you have the necessary software/codec/browser?). Courses will have their own platforms and systems and even sometimes specialized software. And of course, nothing works without a stable internet connection.

Bottom line: if the lingo in the previous paragraph scares you, you may need to brush up on your computer skills before diving into online education.

Online classes and degree programs offer a measure of convenience that a traditional residential program can’t match. The ability to watch lectures from anywhere and on your own timetable is indispensable for some. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that an online program will be easier than an in-person one. Quality online programs are just as rigorous as their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

In fact, some students may find online programs more difficult than residential programs. The content is the same, but online programs lack some of the accountability and presence of traditional programs. In a traditional program, students have to show up at a set time 2 or 3 times a week. And when they do miss class, those students have to face the teacher’s disapproving gaze the next class period. It’s much easier to fall behind when you’re left to set your own schedule. And it’s easier to let things slide when you don’t feel the in-person pressure from the professor.

If you have any college credit to your name already, be sure your existing college credit and your prospective online education will play nice. The goal is to graduate from one school or the other, but not every school accepts credits from every other school. And some schools may accept some credits but not others from another school. Whether you intend to earn your degree from the online or the traditional university, be certain that all your needed credits will transfer. Do this before enrolling online.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are trendy. You can learn from professors at elite universities, for free! And as a general enrichment tool, they are pretty cool. But make no mistake: MOOCs are no substitute for more conventional (and less free) online courses. They have a low completion rate and usually have little accountability or assessment. The vast majority of MOOCs don’t offer college credits, either. Class Central reports on a few ways to take MOOCs for credit, but the primary way of doing so turns the free course into a $649 course. With that kind of price tag, why not go the conventional route and benefit from interaction with your professor?

Bottom line: take these for fun or for general enrichment. But if you’re looking to earn a degree, these almost certainly aren’t the right choice for you.

Schools offering online degree programs can be accredited just like traditional colleges and universities. Accreditation is a kind of seal of approval granted by an independent accrediting organization. These organizations evaluate a school’s quality and verify whether the school complies with education law.

Some employers and many graduate schools require an accredited degree for either hire or admission. Don’t shortchange yourself by spending time and effort to earn a degree from an unaccredited school. It’s not worth the risk.

You want your diploma to be the key to future opportunities, not just a piece of paper. Other than accreditation, how can you better know what your degree can accomplish for you?

Start by looking at student success. Quality programs will advertise their student successes. They may advertise high boards passing percentages in a nursing program, above-average med school acceptance rates, or a percentage of prospective graduates hired before graduation. These statistics don’t guarantee you your dream job, of course, but they do suggest which programs and schools are high in quality.

Conversely, investigate graduation/completion rates and rate of student loan defaults. Low graduation rates and high default rates suggest a program is not serving its students well. According to a Chicago Tribune story by Maria Danilova, for-profit colleges are the worst offenders by both these metrics.

Graduation rates are easily obtainable, and the higher, the better. Remember, though, that online program graduation rates overall will be lower than residential programs. The rate of student loan defaults can be trickier to track down, as schools aren’t required to divulge this. But this is the internet: if a school gets a bad reputation in this area, it won’t be too hard to find out.

Not all online classes are created equal. Unfortunately, there's a whole heap of shoddily produced, bore-you-to-tears classes out there that, in the end, just don't provide quality education. On the other hand, there are some truly inspired, engaging, and educational classes that really live up to the potential of distance learning. Here are a few key factors that make all the difference to the quality of online courses:

1) Proper Pacing It's a fine balance to strike, but the best online courses are the ones which are properly paced. Proper pacing means the student is neither bored nor overwhelmed; they have plenty of time--and notice--to complete large projects, but also are kept engaged by small assignments in the interim. These small assignments should never stack up and bury the student in stress and anxiety, nor should they be pointless, tedious busy work.

2) Multimedia Integration The really exciting part of online classes is the fact that they can present content in ways that books and lectures can't. Great online courses take advantage of this fact, and incorporate various multimedia elements into the presentation, such as videos, podcasts, interactive activities, and more. This is certainly more engaging than reading a long text document, and the information is much more likely to be retained. It's not enough, however, to simply add in multimedia for multimedia's sake. The content must be done well, and with a clear purpose. A forty-minute video of the professor mumbling into his webcam does not qualify as good use of multimedia.

3) Quality Content When a course's content is of high quality, you find yourself engaged and curious, and as a result you learn much more naturally. This is in stark contrast to those courses which only use dismal, bland textbooks and regurgitative, fill-in-the-blank quizzes. Low quality content feels like a chore, and the information is seldom retained. High quality content can be of any modality: videos, websites, audio presentations, etc. What's important is this: does it lend itself to natural learning? Would an expert in the field recommend it to anyone curious about the subject, regardless of the online class? This is the sort of content used by the best online courses.

4) Self-Directed Learning The best online classes recognize that their students are adults who have the ability to make up their own mind and take responsibility for their own education. When the course is too micromanaged, when the assignments are dictated to the smallest detail, students become frustrated or, at best, don't make any meaningful discoveries on their own. Good online courses give students the freedom to design their own projects and explore the aspects of the subject which are most interesting to them.

5) Community Connection One of the biggest risks that online courses face is a sense of student isolation. Great online courses combat this risk by encouraging online interaction between students and faculty. For example, a class may have an off-topic discussion board, where students can feel free to chat about anything that interests them--the playoffs, for example, or a tasty new recipe. Or a class may require students to work on a group project together via an online forum. This fosters a sense of community, and gives students the support needed to ask questions or seek guidance.

6) Multiple Learning Modalities Everyone learns differently. Some students are very visually oriented; others need to hear information out loud to retain it. The best online courses integrate as many learning modalities as possible--visual, auditory, kinesthetic, musical, and so on--into the presentation. This way, students are able to study in the way that works best for them.

7) Intuitive Navigation The layout of the course should be clear and easy to follow. Students should always know what to do next, and should always know how to access relevant information and resources. The best courses have been reviewed by third party organizations and are designed to be intuitive to navigate.

8) Reliable Technology Many courses, in an attempt to be flashy or stylish, utilize a host of technologies in their presentation, often requiring students to download a dozen new plug-ins or sign up for outside services. The problem with this is that it doesn't always work, and everyone wastes a boatload of time and energy troubleshooting. The best courses use only technologies which are as reliable and as universally supported as possible. This makes the online learning experience much more pleasant for everyone involved.

9) Room for Additional Exploration Great online courses provide curious students with resources which provide additional information and a greater depth of detail. It's another fine balance: having too many supplemental add-ons can be confusing or stressful, but it's important to give students an opportunity to learn more if they wish to do so. The key is to clearly differentiate the core class requirements from the additional resources, so students know exactly what's expected of them, and what options are available.

With every crisis comes deep challenges and opportunities for transformation—past education crises have shown that it is possible to build back better. To help me reflect on what some of these challenges and opportunities may be, I recently spoke to Jim Knight, current member of the House of Lords, head of education for Tes Global, and former U.K. schools minister; and to Vicki Phillips, current chief of education at the National Geographic Society and a former U.S. superintendent of schools and state secretary of education. They provide perspectives from inside and outside of government in the U.K. and U.S., though their insights can likely help the many countries worldwide struggling to continue education during the pandemic.

#1: Distance learning will reinforce teaching and learning approaches that we know do not work well.

Jim: Many countries are shifting to distance learning approaches, whether through distributing physical packets of materials for students or through using technology to facilitate online learning. And there are real risks because many of these approaches can be very solitary and didactic when you’re just asking students to sit and quietly watch videos, read documents online, or click through presentations—that’s really dull. The worst form of learning is to sit passively and listen, and this may be the form that most students will receive during school closures. It serves no one well, especially those who are the furthest behind.

#2: Educators will be overwhelmed and unsupported to do their jobs well.

Vicki: Teachers had little or no notice about their schools closing and shifting to online learning—this can be challenging for anybody. They’ve shared that they are overwhelmed with all sorts of materials and products, and we are seeing educators begin to push back and request help filtering through all the resources to find those that are quality.

At the same time, teachers are just like the rest of us in that they are experiencing this strange new world as mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They are trying to deal with their individual lives and take care of their kids and find new ways to make sure that learning continues.

#3: The protection and safety of children will be harder to safeguard.

Jim: In the U.K., we have stringent processes around checking who has access to children during school, in after-school clubs and sports. Schools have safeguard measures in place to ensure that predators toward children, such as pedophiles, can’t access young people. Now, once you move to online learning in a home environment, you can’t safeguard against this. People have to be mindful about the design of online learning so that bad individuals don’t get to children outside of their home.

#4: School closures will widen the equity gaps.

Vicki: Over the last decade or so, progress has been made in the number of students who have access to devices and connectivity, making this move to online learning possible. At the same time, not every child has access to digital devices or internet connectivity at home, and we need to ensure those kids get access to learning resources as well. This means that learning resources need to be available on every kind of device and it means, for kids who don’t have access, we still need to find a way to reach them.

#5: Poor experiences with ed-tech during the pandemic will make it harder to get buy-in later for good use of ed-tech.

Jim: We know that some students who use ed-tech during the pandemic will have a poor experience because they’re not used to it. Some people will say, “During the virus we tried the ed-tech-enabled learning approaches, it was terrible, and look at my test scores.” Yes, this will happen. People’s test scores will be impacted. People will become unhappy because the mental health effects of being isolated will be profound. We must be prepared for that. Those poor experiences are really important to learn what does and doesn’t work.

#1: Blended learning approaches will be tried, tested, and increasingly used.

Jim: We know that the more engaging learning styles are ones that are more interactive, and that face-to-face learning is better than 100 percent online learning. We also know blended learning can draw on the best of both worlds and create a better learning experience than one hundred percent face-to-face learning. If, after having done 100 percent online at the end of this, I think it’s quite possible that we can then think about rebalancing the mix between face-to-face and online. Teachers will have started to innovate and experiment with these online tools and may want to continue online pedagogies as a result of all this. That’s really exciting.

#2: Teachers and schools will receive more respect, appreciation, and support for their important role in society.

Vicki: I think it will be easier to understand that schools aren’t just buildings where students go to learn, and that teachers are irreplaceable. There’s something magic about that in-person connection, that bond between teachers and their students. Having that face-to-face connection with learners and being able to support them across their unique skills⁠—that’s very hard to replicate in a distance learning environment. Also, many students access critical resources at school, such as meals, clothing, and mental health support that may not be as widely available at home.

#3: Quality teaching and learning materials will be better curated and more widely used.

Vicki: Educators are looking to other educators as well as trusted sources to help curate high-quality online learning tools. At National Geographic, we’ve curated collections for K-12 learners in our resource library. We’ve created a new landing page that allows educators, parents, and caregivers to access our free materials quickly, and inspire young people. But it’s not just teachers struggling—it’s parents and other caregivers who are trying to bring learning to life. To that end, we’re livestreaming our Explorer Classroom model that connects young people with scientists, researchers, educators, and storytellers. During this transition, we want students and families to have access to that larger world, in addition to their own backyard.

#4: Teacher collaboration will grow and help improve learning.

Jim: As a profession, I hope we come out of this crisis stronger by collaborating and working together. I’m a firm believer in not asking heavily burdened teachers to reinvent the wheel. At my company Tes, we’ve got a big resource-sharing platform for teachers, including coronavirus-related resources. There are other platforms too, such as Teachers Pay Teachers and Khan Academy, where teachers can see what others have done. A teacher could say, “well, rather than record a video with the instructional element I need, I might be able to find someone who has done that really well already.” One of the most important things teachers can do now is draw on what others are doing: Form community online, share the burden, and make things a bit easier.

#5: This crisis will help us come together across boundaries.

Vicki: We would be remiss if we didn’t take away a greater sense of empathy for each other—the idea that we can work through anything together—from this crisis. I think it’s an opportunity for the education sector to unite, forge connections across countries and continents, and truly share what works in a global way. I don’t think, prior to this crisis, that we’ve been able to do this, and we will have missed a big opportunity if we don’t try to do that now.

Jim: We will get through this stronger. I live in a divided country, and from where I sit, it looks like the U.S. is a divided country too. When you go through a big national crisis like this, you come out stronger as a country because you’ve been fighting together, working together.

What are the pros of distance learning? Though the shift to remote learning might’ve been jarring at first, let’s look at how this new learning opportunity can benefit students, educators, and parents alike.

children are learning remotely

With coursework and school resources digitized, students have instant access everything they need. Now, keeping track of assignments, tests, and projects as simple as checking your phone. Not only does this mean that students don’t have to lug heavy backpacks around quite as much, but it also means students can stay organized. As a bonus, they’ll be able to learn how to navigate these resources on their own.

Education is not ‘one size fits all’. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America , approximately 15 million Americans suffer from a social anxiety disorder, or SAD. Many of these cases start around the time a child is 13. For students who experience social anxiety, traditional school can pose a number of problems. From the school bus to the classroom to the cafeteria, students may be overwhelmed by the various social situations and dynamics packed into a single school day. With online school or virtual classes, students may be able to feel more confident in their interactions and perform better in their studies.

For many students, school is only one half of the story. Trying to schedule work shifts with school (and homework) can be overwhelming for students. Luckily, distance learning offers more flexibility with scheduling than traditional classes. Students may have an easier time balancing both work and school with virtual classes. While education is important, every family and student’s financial situation is different, and distance learning helps to accommodate that reality.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught us the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distance as a way of protecting each other. With distance learning, children can stay home when sick without missing out on too many lessons. Not only is this a more comfortable way to learn when they’re under the weather, but it also shows the teacher that you value the well-being of the entire class.

Though the world continues to make strides, there are unfortunately still places that aren’t accessible to everyone. Adding remote learning to your education system opens up new doors for students who can’t always make it to a physical classroom. Allowing students to learn where they are comfortable also reduces missed lessons and contributes to better learning.

Related: How to Build the Foundation of an Accessible Online Course

Offering students the chance to learn at their own pace comes with many advantages. Students can feel more engaged in the material without the additional pressure from classmates—whether they’re worried about being a ‘know-it-all’ or if they’re concerned they’re falling behind. Because remote learning is often more self-paced, students can review the material as often as needed and advance past already known subjects.

A teacher is collaborating with students in class

Distance learning and remote education have one big thing in common — there’s no commute. That means you save on gas money and time. You also don’t have to constantly worry about when the school bus is arriving. Enjoy the extra time in your day!

If you have an opposing work schedule from your child’s school schedule, this arrangement frees both of you up a little more. With more flexibility and less commuting, your schedules can work better together. Sometimes, it’s a nice break to have a different daytime structure.

If your child has a very wide friend group, you might not have been able to meet them all just yet. But if you get to casually sit in on a digital study session, you’ll be more aware of what’s going on in your child’s social life.

Some children can be very chatty about their school day. Others, not so much. By being able to listen in on particular lectures, parents can turn the information learned into meaningful conversations, furthering their child’s learning experience. It’s important for parents to show interest in their child’s education. With distance learning, that’s easier than ever.

Especially in America, students have more overall costs to their education—things like housing, meals, and transportation—and that’s in addition to tuition fees. Just living on campus for a single year can add $10,000-$20,000 onto their bill.

Allowing students to learn from remote locations (by working with tools such as smart whiteboard technology) can save them quite a bit of money. With school costs down, students can maximize their learning experience by spending more time studying and less time fretting over financials.

Related: Best Practices for Distance Learning

A young boy watches an online math lesson as part of his distance learning curriculum.

Having a smart whiteboard can be extremely beneficial, especially when it comes to sharing documents and conversing with the class over Zoom . Being able to see the rest of the class on such a wide screen can keep students more focused and alert for the lesson itself. Smart whiteboards also encourage collaborative learning. Students can work on the same digital canvas simultaneously with other students to bring the best of in-person learning to the virtual class environment.

While there are a lot of benefits to distance learning, working remotely has even more benefits. For one, adults can work on home projects while also staying connected to their team in the office. Many have found that a work-life balance is far more achievable with remote work. And here’s the thing: remote work is here to stay. When your child grows up, they may also end up working from home. Having them practice the art of staying motivated and productive at a young age is great practice for the future.

While some students may find distance learning difficult, it gives them the chance to develop time management skills. These essential skills will help maintain a work-life balance and offer students an opportunity to complete projects before deadlines. Teaching students how to better manage their spare time can be challenging, but also worthwhile.

Related: Get the Most Out of Your Learning Management System

While they may miss out on the chance to network locally with peers, students often gain a more significant network when they switch over to remote learning. Suddenly, the entire world is at their fingertips. This kind of opportunity can open many doors for both high school and college students. For example, let’s say your child wants to learn a new style of culinary cooking. Before distance learning, their options would be limited to local teachers and classes. Now, they can learn from masters all around the world in virtual classes.

A girl completes schoolwork on her laptop at her own pace, one of the benefits of distance learning.

Although there are many different advantages to distance education, there can be some places where students struggle. Being aware of these pitfalls can help them prepare to make the most of distance learning in a digital era.

Some disadvantages of remote learning include the following:

Because students are in control of setting aside time to learn and complete assignments, they must be able to focus. Learning on their own requires a sense of responsibility, self-control, and the willpower to work on things even when the subject matter is challenging or motivation is lacking. Not everyone can do this by themselves. Consider pairing your student up with an accountability partner from their class.

Because most of the learning is done digitally, a virtual classroom may result in little human interaction with others. This can make it difficult for younger students or those who struggle with communication to further develop those skills. There’s also the learning curve of having to communicate via a device. Zoom fatigue is a very real thing, and virtual communicating requires a different skill set than in-person.

While you can learn many things through videos, some skills require physical exercises to learn properly. Even simulators cannot replace live practice. For example, a vet tech can learn a lot through online courses, but hands-on experience is important for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

Currently, the most effective way to evaluate students is through tests. While most credits are given through honesty, the only way to verify the absorbed knowledge is with virtual proctors or additional surveillance during test periods. That’s not always possible, so many schools still rely on in-person exams.

Related: Distance, Hybrid, and Blended Learning: What’s the Difference?

Schools that switched to mostly digital learning in the past year might not be ready to return to in-person lessons quite yet. In some cases, schools are planning to offer a hybrid learning curriculum. That’s because students, educators, and parents alike have all noted the benefits of distance learning that make it an incredibly viable long-term option.

This new age of learning has opened new doors for people to learn in a new way. Distance learning connects students to the right teachers and allows for a more broad scope of subjects. As technology expands and distance learning continues to be relevant, education technology will only improve.

Learn how to make Vibe an integral part of your distance and hybrid learning classroom by registering for one of our upcoming webinars , or check out our Teacher and Educator FAQs .

• No More Forgotten Homework.
• Reduced Social Anxiety.
• Flexible Scheduling Opportunities.
• Stay Healthy and Keep Others Safe.
• Accessibility for Everyone.
• Self-Paced Learning.
• No More Commute.
• Works With Atypical Work Schedules.