How Online Learning Produced Better Student Performance during COVID-19

Th COVID-19 pandemic led to a paradigm shift in how we used to study. Traditional classrooms were replaced with zoom sessions and almost every educational institution made a transition to online means of teaching. Most people thought the pandemic would irreversibly affect the education of children. 

Fortunately, there are quite a few research studies that have proven that online learning results in positive outcomes for the student. This medium of study improves student engagement and results in better learning outcomes. Read on as we further explore in detail how online learning resulted in better student performance and learning outcomes. 

Providing Flexibility

Online classes and the availability of online educational material have made it easier for students to comply with the schedule. A normal day at the college or university might not be suitable for a student who is working as well. The availability of online courses gives students the liberty to choose their modules and a time slot from the available options, making it easier for them to follow. 

Better Access

In this digital age, almost every household has a smartphone or a digital device with internet access. During the COVID-19 outbreak, it became imperative for schools, colleges, and universities to resume their study sessions. With adequate utilization of online resources, educational institutions managed to provide quality education by following several online learning techniques. 

Furthermore, students living with their families and even in remote areas wanting to pursue higher education did benefit from online learning as more educational institutions started offering online courses focused on improving the learning outcomes. Online classes also provided marginalized groups equal opportunities to pursue their studies. 

Active Learning Strategies

Online learning uses several active learning strategies that lead to better learning outcomes. Initially, during the COVID outbreak, online classes were simple, dull, and lifeless. However, this gradually changed over time with the use of active learning. These learning techniques make online classes engaging for the student as it provides a hands-on learning experience. When students are learning passively, they are just trying to retain information and recall it when necessary, whereas, in active learning, students engage in solving problems, and implementing what they have learned so far. Let’s read on to know some active learning strategies so you could better understand its learning outcomes. 

Scenario-based Learning

This strategy of active learning integrates elements like interactive learning, solving problems while competing, and providing feedback for better outcomes. Teachers are already using this strategy to educate their students in a fun and interactive manner. This type of learning encourages students to work on a query, collect essential information, interpret the collected information, and then conclude. 

Tech-based Learning

Technology is a tool with the ability to transform education by incorporating novel forms of interactive learning. For example, students can participate in polls during an online class as a way of expressing their opinion and discussing it later on. 

Better Adaptability

Most Millenials and Gen-Z find online learning as a great medium for pursuing their studies as they are already familiar with the technological tools necessary for online learning. During COVID-19, a survey evaluated the level of comfort during an online class and found out that online courses can be adapted quite easily when compared to a regular class. Current generations’ adaptability to online learning did considerably improve student performance. However, online learning still faces challenges like the issue of students spending too much time in front of screens which can lead to health-related problems. 

Course Availability

Besides educational institutions providing online courses, there are a plethora of online educational platforms that give you access to thousands of different courses, ranging from learning simple dance moves to complex courses in programming and science. The people behind the leading online learning platform coursepick suggest verifying whether the presented content is immersive and can engage the viewer to improve the learning outcomes. Most learning platforms offer a trial period before they charge you for the course. Therefore, take your time to review a course before you start engaging fully. 

Many online learning platforms skyrocketed in popularity after the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do these platforms attract the unemployed to learn new skills but they also provide students with almost free educational resources that they can access anytime they want. 

Interactive Classes

When the pandemic started, online learning was a new experience that led to a lot of mistakes. These issues were resolved over time, making online learning a fully interactive experience that now provides better learning outcomes. Nowadays, courses are specifically designed to be interactive. The level of interaction between students in online classrooms also increased. Students that interacted much less were identified by teachers and provided with support and encouragement so they can stay motivated. 

This constructive communication naturally improves the learning experience. Students were also given online assessment tests that were reviewed by teachers so the students could see their mistakes and gain insights from the review. 

Clear Expectations

Online learning can give you the best learning outcomes when you have already established clear expectations and goals. There are a plethora of examples of students who learned from online teaching tools and are now able to support themselves and continue their studies.   

According to recent estimates, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the education of almost 2 billion people around the globe. To tackle this serious issue, most educational institutions and online learning platforms started offering their educational resources for remote learning. These educational resources were made available as an emergency response. At the start, most institutions were reluctant in providing online classes, but later on, all were on board before the start of school. 

There are a lot of technological innovations out there these days that can more efficiently bring about some positive outcomes, especially for educational institutions. Cloud computing, AI, and automation are some great examples of tech innovations that we might see being implemented in the future. We hope the information presented can help you in understanding how online learning supports students and helps them pursue their studies.