Online learning, or e-learning, is a multimedia and Internet based learning. This is the most common form of distance learning today, which has been steadily expanded over the past 15 years. As of recently, online learning is considered a mainstream direction in education, in some parameters already leading the traditional full-time format.
One of the strongest aspects of online education is the democratization of the educational process. It eliminates many barriers: geographical, physical, financial. Students have the opportunity to study in a convenient place for themselves: at home, on the way to work, in the gym and even while waiting in line.
Increasingly, they can also choose the time that suits them best and independently determine what they are learning and at what pace. Often, online learning is much cheaper than the classic equivalent or is even free of charge. At the same time, the possibilities of universities that gain access to those students who, for various reasons, cannot attend the classes personally, are expanding.
Today the fastest growing distance learning sector is mass open online courses or MOOC developed by educational organizations for specialized MOOC platforms. Almost 40 percent of all MOOCs are courses in business practices and technology, and one-fifth are courses in the humanities and exact sciences. But there are quite unexpected specialties. So, if necessary, you can sign up online for a course on the proper cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes. There are programs after which the student may be awarded the title of bachelor of culinary or agriculture, master of dentistry and assistant veterinarian.
The Pro-Papers experts found out what trends should be kept in mind when creating or choosing online courses.
Microtraining
Micro-education has not left the list of major trends in education for several years. And it’s all about its effectiveness. Micro-education, the main principle of which is to submit study material in small portions, shows good results and its implementation is easy and not expensive.
In micro-learning, some great material, either a lecture or a textbook, is divided into small blocks. They are diluted with tests and questions for self-examination. As a result, learning of one block of material takes no more than 10-15 minutes. This format is very convenient: firstly, it does not take much time, and secondly, the student remains concentrated and better learns the material.
Chat bots
Chat bot is a program that helps in solving some specific problems, simulating human communication. That is, you communicate with a program, as if with a live companion. The most famous chat bots are Siri on iPhone and Alice at Yandex.
Now this technology actively penetrates business processes and education. For example, you can ask a question to Wikipedia bot, and then get an answer from the encyclopedia. So now is the time to search for chatbots that are interesting for you or develop them for your purposes.
Virtual and Alternate Reality
The use of virtual reality is ideal for learning complex skills where the cost of a mistake is too high. For example, Boeing created a simulator for pilot training. Future pilots practice flying in conditions of poor visibility, turbulence, fog, but at the same time they are in safe conditions.
Alternate reality allows a student to see what he/she could only imagine. For example, if with the help of a special application a student directs a smartphone or tablet at a person, then he/she sees his/her skeleton and bone system.
Gamification
Gamification is the use of techniques and game elements to achieve real goals. In other words, due to a game, boring tasks become more interesting and exciting. If during a study game mechanics are involved, then students are more eager to learn and become involved in the process. On such resources you need to perform various tasks: learn new words, take grammar classes on simulators and listening. For each correctly completed task, the main character receives a reward. As a result, users of the service improve their language level and are involved in the learning process, as in an online game.
The advantage of video content
The popularity of video is only growing, the creators of online courses, according to experts, are engaged in digitizing text materials and translating them into video content. According to the Global NGO Technology Report, in 2017, non-profit organizations around the world actively created videos and made live broadcasts. For example, 72% of organizations noted a particular importance of video content, while live reports on Facebook were conducted by 41% of respondents.
Mobile learning
According to statistics, an average person checks ones smartphone 221 times a day! Crazy figure, isn’t it? But this habit can be used for a good cause. For example, to abandon the endless checking of mail and social networks in favor of passing courses and obtaining new knowledge on a smartphone.
Moreover, many companies have picked up the trend of mobile learning and created learning applications for smartphones and tablets. At any free minute, whether on a way to work or at lunchtime, you can listen to lectures, do homework or take a test.
In the mobile app store such as Google Play and App Store, now you can find thousands of applications for every taste and age that will be useful in learning. But over time, the number of such applications definitively will increase.
Live webinar atmosphere
This trend has been brewing for a long time: both corporate and private learning programs have increasingly begun to be conducted as offsite, but with several lecturers speaking and other activities taking place. The more participants communicate with each other and the more active the communication between the lecturer and the participants, the more memorable the event will be.
So, we have listed 7 main trends of online education. These trends are not fleeting – they will definitely affect modern learning for a few more years. So, it’s time to get a better look at them.