Modern technology has provided us with many different things, ranging from those which are helpful and educational, to those that are entertaining and/or mostly useless. The possibility of online learning definitely belongs to the better end of that spectrum. It has allowed people to build their skills, pursue their degrees, or combine their professional and academic careers, no matter where they are in the world. Also, eLearning acts as the bridge between online learners, and some of the best teachers, mentors, and lecturers out there. That sort of convenience used to be unimaginable in the past.
However, despite all the benefits, eLearning is not without its challenges and drawbacks, most of which have to do with the limitations of current technology, and our inability to battle distractions and keep up with the pace of modern society. Online teachers are required to overcome these challenges every day, and provide an assignment help for their students, which is not always easy or possible.
This is the reason why we have decided to put together a short list of the most common eLearning challenges, and attempt to provide answers and solutions, as well as digital tools and platforms which can help both teachers and students.
1. Procrastination
It would be unfair to say that procrastination is one of the pitfalls of eLearning, because it is also common among those students attending traditional classes and courses, but it is more pronounced when learning takes place online. This could be because students feel a bit more relaxed when the learning process takes place in the comfort of their own homes. Moreover, most online courses and classes allow its participants to learn and progress at their own pace, and some of them take that flexibility a bit too far.
Instead of using that freedom to devour knowledge, they fall into the habit of postponing their obligations, and gradually lose their motivation for learning. This creates two different types of problems. First, there is the fact that plenty of eLearners never actually complete the course, because they don't set aside enough time. Second, part of those that do manage to complete the course do so at the very last moment, which means they have rushed through the course, without absorbing all the knowledge properly.
Fortunately, as a teacher, there are ways you can help those students which lack self-discipline. Here are three tools they can use in order to end their procrastinating ways once and for all:
· Strict Workflow – this app is based on the popular Pomodoro technique. It helps students focus by having them learn for 25 minutes at a time, and then taking a 5-minute break after each studying interval.
· RescueTime – most students which procrastinate do a very poor job of managing their time, despite their best intentions. This tool will enable them to keep track of their productivity while they are online.
· Checker Plus for Google Calendar – convince them to develop a habit of keeping a schedule of the most important events, such as tests. Checker Plus makes that job a piece of cake.
2. Distraction
Another major problem for most online students. Not only are these students more prone to distractions when they are in an environment where they feel at their most comfortable, but they are also more likely to waste time browsing distracting websites, such as social media, YouTube, or anything else, simply because they are required to use their computers during the learning process. One of the solutions that can help students would be to choose a different setting than the one they are used to. This means studying outside of their home, or choosing a specific area for studying, free of any audio or visual distractions.
Getting up before everyone else also helps, because there is nobody around for students to text or call. Even the world of social media is asleep early in the morning. Another benefit of this approach is the fact that our brains are wired to be at their most productive at the beginning of the day. As the day progresses, our productivity, along with our ability to focus and ignore distractions, dwindles.
Another solution would be to use the technology, which is the main source of distraction for most students, as means of fighting it. Here are some great apps that will help you fight distractions:
· Freedom – this app prevents the user from browsing distracting content across all devices, and that includes computer, tablets, and smartphones. It also allows for the possibility of creating a schedule.
· StayFocusd – designed to work with Chrome, StayFocusd prevents the user from accessing the time-wasting website and comes with many useful features, such as the ability to set a time limit for browsing those distracting URLs. Once that limit is up, the app does not allow access to distracting content, and it can't be shut down.
· Cold Turkey – Cold Turkey provides its users with features that are similar to those which can be found in Freedom and StayFocusd, apart from its “Frozen Turkey” option. What this does is lock the computer completely, so that it can't be used as a distraction.
3. Writing
Because eLearning takes place online, students and teachers need to learn how to make the most out of the available methods of communication. While video conferencing can be and is used during online classes and courses, written communication is usually more prevalent. Also, the students' ability to write is one of the crucial elements for success. If they have firm handle on the language, they will be able to perform better on those courses where writing skill is valued, and which require them to write essays or term papers.
But, even more importantly, if both students and teachers are able to write well, that means there is very little room for error or misunderstanding. That also means that everyone can get on the same page much faster, which leaves more time for everything else. The trouble with writing is that there are no shortcuts. The only way a student can become a better writer is by practicing all the time. But, in order to make their writing efforts more focused, here are some of the best resources out there which are focused toward helping them develop their writing chops:
· Grammarly – good writing start with proper grammar, and Grammarly is probably the best tool for the job. Not only is it able to spot all of the grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes, but it also provides an explanation on why something is wrong, along with a correct suggestion.
· A-writer – this is a great resource for students which are struggling with their written assignments, because not only can they view examples of how it should be done, but they can also get in touch with professional writers and educators which can point them in the right direction and help them develop their writing style.
· HemingwayApp – helps to make writing more concise, clear, and free of any writing and stylistic clichés.
4. Lack of Motivation
Last, but not least, one of the biggest hurdles of eLearning is the lack of motivation that is quite common among those attending online classes and courses. One of the problems is that a traditional classroom is a more stimulating environment, whereas in the case of eLearning, every student is learning from home, which doesn't necessarily do wonders for their motivation. Also, traditional lectures are also more engaging and lively. They feel more organic. Online learning tends to be a bit drier, because in most cases, students are provided with books and studying materials, and not much else.
One of the ways of motivating online learners would be to change the format of the lectures. For example, they might find video courses more engaging. Even those topics which aren't necessarily the most inspiring can be made more appealing by presenting them in a way that is less dry and boring, by using one of the following apps:
· Skitch – Skitch is the ideal tool for making the studying process more interesting and efficient. Students can use it to write down ideas in an instant, mark up text, annotate the most important paragraphs, and save the result for later.
· Explain Everything – Explain Everything can be used in several different ways: as screencasting tool, as a whiteboard, or as an animation tool, all with the purpose of creating an engaging learning experience.
· Prezi – Prezi enables teachers to take their presentations and lessons to a whole new level. Create stunning visual presentations and create a 3D effect for each one. The student won't be able to take their eyes off of them.
Conclusion
With these helpful tips and tools, eLearning doesn't necessarily have to involve all the challenges students and teachers are experiencing today. In fact, if approached in the right way, it can be just as efficient, or better, than traditional education.
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