Online learning has been around for some time, but ever since the pandemic Covid-19, e-learning has become the latest trend in the education sector. Now students can easily enroll and participate in various courses using the internet. They no longer have to worry about changing locations and traveling to faraway places to learn something.
Moreover, an online tutor can also teach students according to their time preference and pass on their skills and knowledge in the comfort of their own homes.
But online learning is a broad term that encompasses numerous approaches and instructional environments. Let’s look at a few major ones down below.
Synchronous Courses
Synchronous courses are one of the most common ones out there. These programs require students to meet with professors in real-time through virtual classes. It basically gives students the experience of real college life, which they can’t get due to personal or professional reasons.
Many Institutes offer synchronous coursework that lets the online and campus-based students study and learn together during live sessions.
Asynchronous Courses
Alternatively, asynchronous courses give students the benefit of pre-recorded lectures that enable them to complete the coursework at the times that suit their schedule. These courses are for students that don’t have the luxury of fitting random campus-based classes into their already existing responsibilities.
Although you might not feel as personally attached to peers and professors, asynchronous courses provide much flexibility.icollege gsu
Blended or Hybrid Courses
Hybrid or blended learning courses enable students to complete their education by taking classes both in person and online. In-person interactions typically happen several times in a semester in hybrid courses.
These courses are necessary for students enrolling in a subject that requires them to get hands-on learning experiences or laboratory sessions since they can’t be replicated online. For instance, Medical Assisting Online Classes require students to attend the campus or lab facility.
It is ideal for students that enjoy online and campus-based learning formats.
Open Schedule Courses
At first glance, open schedule and asynchronous online courses sound the same in the sense that both include pre-recorded lectures, but there are a few major differences. For instance, unlike asynchronous courses, open courses don’t require students to log in at specific times and complete assignments before their deadlines.
These courses provide a less structured learning method, which works best for students that have been homeschooled or aren’t used to traditional schooling environments. They tend to cost lower since students decide how quickly they finish the coursework.
Massive Open Online Courses
Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs are specialized classes that are free and accessible to anyone that has an internet connection and is interested. Several companies like Microsoft and Google offer MOOCs on trademarked topics.
Huge institutions like Harvard and Stanford also offer them. These usually lead to a certificate that can sometimes cost a small fee. mysnhu
It’s a generally computer-managed learning experience that consists of pre-recorded classes, forums for discussions, and computer-graded assessments. They are great for people looking to learn a new skill quickly or gain more knowledge around a particular subject.