Navigating Today’s Online Learning Ecosystem

Technology in education is inescapable. From in-school classes to homework activities, tablets and learning management software have been fully integrated into our school systems. With the growth of classroom sizes and emphasis on creating a communication eco-system, technology makes the push toward digitalisation more actionable. Today you have the opportunity to do things from home that just a while ago did not seem real.

The emergence of online e-learning platforms has made this possible. These platforms are a special space where various educational content is located. Including a plethora of different types of platforms, from Blackboard to CYPHER LEARNING, and Skillshare; courses, lectures and classes are arranged in one place.

Online platforms make it possible not only to watch various courses but also to master entire professions.

Also, with the help of them, users can get a bachelor’s or master’s degree and even get special certificates for completing a particular training program. Such platforms are convenient not only for students but also for teachers. Teachers and professors can save time and instead of commuting to work, they have the opportunity to better prepare for class. Also, these systems can track the progress of students and allow creators to make their own content.

There are two main types of online learning platforms. These are Learning Destination Sites and Learning Management Systems.

Learning Destination Sites (LDS) most often are regular sites, the main function of which is to provide educational materials to those who need them. When you enter one of these systems, you will have the opportunity to choose the lectures and courses that you like best. Such sites are designed mainly for individual learning. This is convenient because you can watch all the necessary classes exactly when it is convenient for you. Think individual content creating sites like Skillshare, Coursera, and Preply.

Learning Management System (LMS) have a wider range of features than LDS. They specialize not only in providing content but also in creating it. These platforms are commonly used by various schools, colleges and universities. And the professors and teachers of these institutions themselves create all the courses and programs for students. Such systems are often used by business companies to train their employees and improve their skills. These are your CYPHER LEARNING, Canvas and Google Classroom.

The time in online learning is relative. Some materials can be studied in your free time, and some classes will require you to participate at the time assigned by the teacher. Usually, all platforms make it easy to interact with other students or teachers. If a student had unfulfilled homework assignments and some debts for study, the system will definitely notify them about it.

A huge plus of online education is also that users can easily get acquainted with all the professions or courses that interest them.

Users can also master several training programs at the same time if opportunities and time allow them. This infrastructure provides a huge selection of various interesting programs that users can explore from the comfort of their homes. If there is no place in their city where they can master pottery or cinema art, it does not matter. In this case, users will do it with the help of online learning platforms.

In order to choose the most suitable platforms, users need to decide on some points:

Needs and Goals: Consider the many courses and careers and determine the skills that need to be mastered. Explore different platform options and see what the educational programs and courses have to offer. Read the feedback from the participants and the terms of cooperation with the online system. The same goes for users who want to create their own course. Carefully study all the offers and choose the one whose functionality suits you the most.

Mobile apps: The fact is that some educational platforms offer their mobile applications for use, and some do not. Users must decide how important this is or for those people to whom users want to show their own course. The mobile application is very convenient when it comes to learning using a smartphone.

Functionality: Decide which features need and which you can do without. There are a huge number of online platforms with a wide variety of functionalities. Most importantly, remember that it makes no sense to overpay for features that you will not use.

Willing to Pay? Different programs offer different price ranges. Explore the materials and resources they offer and consider which education platform is worth the money. This should not be a problem, as the price range is very diverse. Users can buy individual courses for a few dollars, or buy annual subscriptions that cost up to several thousand dollars.

A secure and reliable platform: Read reviews on the internet, and check all certificates and permissions before making a choice.

Online education is a whole infrastructure that helps people gain knowledge and simplifies the learning process. It is no wonder that this area is developing so rapidly today. Therefore, if people want to learn new disciplines, or professions or take any courses, utilizing the abundance of online tools out there should be the first port of call.

Featured image: Emmanuel Ikwuegbu, Unsplash.