Do Kids Prefer Online Learning?

Posted: May 10, 2010 |Comments: 0 |

Online learning is becoming common in school education. It has some clear advantages for educators, and studies suggest that blended learning – a carefully judged mix of traditional classroom teaching and online tutoring – is more effective than either one alone. There is also some evidence to suggest that a significant proportion of college students prefer online tutoring services and one-to-one interactions with tutors online. But what do kids think about online study?

A 2008 NACOL symposium investigated the growing number of school students who opt to take all of their classes online. They cited a variety of reasons for this choice. They included:

• Online learning means students can study at their own pace
• The option of creating their own schedules. One, heavily involved in sports, was getting up before dawn to get practice in as well as fitting in the school day. Another needed to earn as well as study and found online teaching more flexible and convenient.
• The possibility of taking courses that were not offered at their bricks-and-mortar school. For some students who have a clear idea of their career path, online learning permits them to specialize earlier, giving them a potential college and career advantage.


Of course, school-age learners are diverse and full-time online study isn't for everyone. Learning online does not suit all students, for the following reasons:

• Online learning requires self-discipline, time management skills, motivation and a degree of maturity that not all learners yet possess. Those who have not developed the skills can easily become frustrated.
• The social environment of conventional schooling is absent for school-age learners who take all their classes online.
• Online teaching makes interaction with online tutors and teachers feels too distant and impersonal.

As noted, studies suggest that, on average, the most effective education is a combination of conventional classroom education and online teaching. Online learning alone will boost some learners' educational achievement, but impair that of others. Blended learning typically offers the best of both worlds. Instead of a ‘one-size-fits-all' education, the solution seems to be that giving students some choice, to match their aspirations and learning styles, is the way forward.

Courses that are well-designed for the online learning education environment can have certain advantages for learners. Problem-solving in the guise of educational computer games can breathe life into a dry subject. Of course, computer-aided learning can also be incorporated into conventional lessons, and most educators are aware of the power of computers in engaging learners. At the same time, there is sometimes no substitute for instructor-led, human contact in the classroom. Even though online tutors can make the most of interactive technologies and video links, face-to-face teaching allows educators to pick up nuances of student behavior that are easily missed in the online teaching and learning environment.

On the other hand, the hallmark of online learning is personalized attention from online tutoring by teachers. The benefits of learning at one's own pace, and of schedules and curricula that suit individual learners' needs make online learning the preferred choice of many.  Some will prefer conventional education. The reality is that, online teaching and learning becoming an integral part of education, many school students will have the best of both worlds.

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/do-kids-prefer-online-learning-2335784.html

    Article Tags:

    online learning

    ,

    online tutoring

    ,

    tutoring services

    ,

    online study

    ,

    tutoring

    ,

    home tutoring

    Tutoring Services

    Home tutoring is not necessarily always the cheapest option, since tutors must travel to the student's home, but it can be worth every cent. Home tutoring is the ultimate in individual, personalized educational help. Various categories of learner may benefit from home tutoring over and above other tutoring options.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Apr 05, 2010

    Online learning has increasingly developed to become one of the most popular modes of education and as we move closer towards 2011 it is expected that we will see more and more people leaning towards this flexible form of online learning.

    By: Ian Kellyl Education> Online Educationl Oct 25, 2010
    Tutoring Services

    Are you a tutor, or thinking of becoming one? If so, you'll almost certainly be aware that one of the most significant educational developments of the last ten years has been tutoring online. But there is still a need for home tutoring, and if you're willing to go to people's homes, you might find it a rewarding way of helping learners.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Dec 24, 2010
    shashanks

    Parents often feel uncomfortable breaking out of the conventional methods of education. They somehow cannot find it realistic that using the Internet and a computer, their child can get educated. For such parents, schools, private tutors and learning centers are the only possible ways of teaching/learning.

    By: shashanksl Education> K-12 Educationl Feb 25, 2010

    Kids need extra coaching to clear their concepts and to prepare them to score well in their exams. There are numerous tutoring companies providing the services of tutors in all parts of UK.

    By: Article Managerl Education> K-12 Educationl Sep 21, 2011
    rakib raihan

    A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from a collection of various forms, thus creating a whole. A collage of sometimes may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made paper, portions of another artwork or text, photographs and found objects, glued to a piece of paper or a canvas.

    By: rakib raihanl Education> College and Universityl Jun 02, 2012

    The competition among students with their marks is becoming tougher and tougher to get admission in the best colleges of Delhi. Delhi university cut off marks seems to be unrealistic as it has touched the pinnacle in last few years.

    By: Bibon Pattrickl Education> College and Universityl Jun 01, 2012

    For the first time, SOL will offer the facility of online admission for undergraduate courses. Students can download and submit application forms on the SOL website - Sol.du.ac.in

    By: silent planetl Education> College and Universityl May 31, 2012

    In order to perform a search and get the exact college textbook that is required you need the following information; Title, Author, Volume# or Edition#, and the ISBN number. Armed with this information you are able to search online or in other bookstore for the exact item for a college book and not pay university prices. There are many different sites online that offer a college textbook at a better price. But don't discount the local public library. You may be able to find your college textbook

    By: EvertonAl Education> College and Universityl May 31, 2012

    The prices of collect textbooks continue to rise. That's the bad news. And the good news is that there are ways to get cheap textbooks – you either rent or buy them from college bookstores online.

    By: EvertonAl Education> College and Universityl May 31, 2012
    Tutoring Services

    The last decade has witnessed a massive transformation in the field of technology. An internet connection which was traditionally considered as just another means of communication has changed its outlook totally.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Oct 20, 2011
    Tutoring Services

    Tutoring is an ideal method of instruction suitable for all sorts of people and all kinds of situations. Those who most obviously benefit from tutoring are students who are struggling in some academic subject, such as math, chemistry, or English. But tutoring isn't just for students.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Oct 13, 2011
    Tutoring Services

    Online teaching jobs are ideal part-time work for teachers, grad students, and other degreed professionals. Those with math degrees will find it particularly easy to find online teaching jobs, as math homework help and help with courses such as algebra are always in high demand.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Oct 06, 2011
    Tutoring Services

    The profession of teaching is a respectable profession. Apart from being a lucrative profession it can also earn you respect and self satisfaction. Tutors often go the extra mile to help their students and in return there are few who really appreciate the miraculous hard work put in by their tutor. Tutoring jobs are not those conventional type jobs any more where teachers used to teach students face to face in a classroom.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Sep 21, 2011
    Tutoring Services

    Tutor jobs are a great way for teachers and other degree holders to earn extra cash, gain valuable experience, have fun, and share their knowledge with students who really want to learn.

    By: Tutoring Servicesl Education> Tutoringl Sep 16, 2011

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast