Educational Benefits of

Online Learning

Educational research results shows nearly 50%

of higher education institutions currently engage
in some type of online learning. Academic and
professional organizations agree that using web-
based learning environments can offer sound
Online education can
pedagogical benefits.
be defined as an approach
to teaching and learning
that utilizes Internet
The goal of this article is to explain the educational
technologies to
advantages that arise when supplementing a course communicate and
with web-based tools. collaborate in an
educational context. This
includes technology that
supplements traditional
classroom training with web-
These include: based components and
learning environments

• Enhancing student-to-student and faculty-to-student communication.

• Enabling student-centered teaching approaches.
• Providing 24/7 accessibility to course materials.
• Providing just-in-time methods to assess and evaluate student progress.
• Reducing "administrivia" around course management.

1. Enhancing student-to-student and faculty-to-student

communication.

Web-based education tools provide many ways to increase communication between class
members and faculty, including discussion boards, chats, and emails. Researchers have found
that adding these elements to a course increases student motivation and participation in class
discussions and projects.
 i) Students share perspectives
Online forums, Discussion board and Chat, provide public areas to post information. Each
student can view another student's answers and learn through the exposure to different
perspectives. This benefits students because they can combine new opinions with their own, and
develop a solid foundation for learning.

ii) Students experience a sense of equality

Another benefit of using web-based communication tools is to give all students a reinforced
sense of equality. Each individual has the same opportunity to "speak up" by posting messages
without typical distractions such as seating arrangements, volume of student voices, and gender
biases. Shy and anxious students feel more comfortable expressing ideas and backing up facts
when posting online instead of speaking in a lecture room. Studies prove that online discussions
provoke more confrontational and direct communication between students.

iii)Instructors are more accessible

Online communication also benefits students by providing additional layer of instructor
accessibility. Students no longer have to worry if they cannot make an instructor's regular office
hours, as they still have the ability to submit inquiries via e-mail at any time. This is good for the
instructor too, as they can respond at his/her convenience instead of being tied to a desk or
office. This is particularly helpful ts with office hours or if a question arises at the spur of the
moment.
 2. Enabling student-centered teaching approaches.
Every student has a unique learning style. Some students are visual learners, some learn better
when they "learn by doing." Web-based learning environments provide facilities for all these
type of learners.

I) Accommodate different learning styles

An instructor can also present these materials in many formats to accommodate different types of
learning styles. For example, if an instructor puts both lecture notes and slides online, both visual
and auditory learners benefit. Students who prefer to focus on "listening" and "watching" during
lecture do not have to worry that they are missing important concepts while scrambling to take
copious notes. They can focus on understanding the material and concepts as they are presented.
Students with attention difficulties or those who get overwhelmed by organizational tasks also
benefit, because materials provided show how the instructor has grouped and prepared materials
in the handouts, and indicate what items are most important.

II) Provide opportunities for exploration

Instructors can also provide increased opportunity for student exploration and activity learning
by putting related web sites as external Links When instructors reference these types of web sites
content reinforcement is provided as students can see how course material is utilized in "real
world" situations.

III) Encourage additional rehearsal time

Additional benefits for those who "learn by doing" occur when students participate in online
discussions, as students are exposed to an extra period of information rehearsal. Typically,
students rehearse information when they study for exams or complete assignments. However,
they also rehearse information when formulating thoughts into sentences and typing those
thoughts into the computer. When instructors post discussion questions or short essay
assignments in the online portion of a course, students must attend to and reflect on the subject
matter before responding. This results in reflection and articulation of content, as the very
process of reporting and writing about what they have learned engages students in an activity
learning experience.
3. Providing 24/7 accessibility to course materials.
Some students work best in the morning, some in the evening. Some students commute to
campus and others take night classes. Scheduling time for homework and group projects can be
difficult depending on each student's course, job, and personal responsibilities.

I) Continual access to materials

When course content and activities are provided online, students no longer need to worry about
accessing course materials. Students can complete assignments during their most productive
times. Busy students can choose to download readings or take practice exams whenever it is
most convenient, in the evening after kids are put to bed, or at 4am during a bout of insomnia.
Continual access to course documents also insures students can obtain materials at any time,
removing the opportunity for frustrations such as "The library was closed," "All the copies of
reserve readings were checked out," or "I missed that handout during your lecture."

II) Remove reliance on physical attendance

In traditional education, students working on group projects must coordinate schedules. In
distance learning environments, this may not even be possible, forcing participants to work
independently. When web-based collaborative tools are available, coordination is no longer an
issue. Providing a project team with asynchronous discussions and file uploads, students can
work in groups without the constraints of meeting together at a certain date, time, and location.

III) Providing just-in-time methods to assess and evaluate

student progress.
Learner assessments are essential in education. Tests and surveys inform the instructor whether
teaching methods and course structures are successful. These assessments also determine if
student progress is satisfactory. Online assessment tools provide instructors with many ways to
build, distribute, and compile information quickly and easily.
 IV) Adds pedagogical benefits
Web-based testing features also have pedagogical benefits. From the student viewpoint, frequent
assessment provides concept reinforcement and increases motivation. Instructors can post
practice exams and end-of-chapter reviews without worrying about finding the time and
resources to analyze results. Students can access these assessments at any time, privately and in
the comfort of their home. Since grading is computerized, students receive immediate
Feedback. This may also help students who suffer from test anxiety relax and minimize
embarrassment for those that do poorly.

4. Reducing amount of faculty time spent on "administrivia."

In addition to the pedagogical benefits of online learning, there are also several time and money
saving advantages. Students can save and print items as needed when provided handouts and
readings online. The direct result is a reduced institutional expense for both the cost and time
associated with copying, collating, and distributing these materials. Instructors can also use E-
mail to send messages directly to students or the Announcements feature to communicate with
the entire class. Not only does this insure that students receive the materials, but it is also
environmentally appealing, as it drastically reduces paper waste.

I) Utilize time efficiently

The time saving elements introduced by web-based education tools for both the instructor and
the student. Students benefit because they have immediate access to course materials at any
location. They do not have to spend time walking across campus to the instructors office or
searching for a reading in the library. Instructors can minimize time spent in office hours, and
address student concerns online instead.

II) Maximize the classroom experience.

Instructors working with web tools no longer have to spend valuable classroom time dealing with
"administrivia." The 15 minutes at the start of each class typically spent distributing handouts,
collecting assignments, and making announcements can be utilized for teaching when
administrative tasks are managed through online tools.

III) Reduce faculty workload

Teachers can also save time using online learning tools. When the Quiz/Survey generator is used
to deliver tests, all the grading and analysis is automated. Time previously spent correcting,
formulating statistical deviations, and analyzing specific questions can be used for other things.
Even student records can be exported directly into spreadsheets for turnover to the registrar.

Summary

The integration of web-based learning components bring added value to traditional education.
Students and faculty benefit from using the communication and assessment tools. Students have
a customized approach to knowledge acquisition that suits learning styles and busy schedules.
Continual access to resources through online delivery and automated management tools
minimizes the faculty's cost and time associated with the experience. The advantages of online
education make a significant impact in higher education today and, as technology evolves,
promise to deliver even greater benefits in the future.

Prepared by Malkanthi Thenabadu

(Using internet sources)