We want the world and we want it now. We also want it our way, and we’d prefer for it to be as affordable as possible.
And there isn’t anything wrong with that! But when consumers adopt frames of mind in mass, changes need to be made in order to meet demand.
And with that, online learning was born (along with a handful of other services).
For us parents, we knew online learning was a thing, but now, our eyes have been opened to just how deep it all goes.
So, as we scramble to keep our kids busy for the next few weeks and potentially months of school closures and social distancing, you’re probably also wondering how useful online learning actually is.
If this is a brand new endeavor for you and your family, be warned—there are a number of differences between face-to-face and online learning.
But that’s also not a bad thing.
In fact, it can be a very good thing. So much so that once schools open back up down the road, you might find that supplementing your child’s days with new and different online learning options proves incredibly useful.
Online learning benefits
- Immediacy: Kids can start learning immediately
- Breadth: A variety of topics can be explored
- Personalization: Kids can dive into anything that fits their needs
- Comfort: Learn from the couch, home office, bedroom, etc.
- Pacing: Kids can progress as fast as they need to
Immediacy, breadth in offerings, comfort, self-pacing—these make up a few of the major benefits online learning offers.
1. Immediacy...learn right now!
If you wanted, you could stop reading this blog post, make around four or five more clicks with your mouse and you’d have your child learning online.
Of course, you might want to take more care and caution depending on the opportunity, and not rush into paying for something that’s not a great fit, but the point stands—online learning is something your child can jump into this second.
With the many different options when it comes to online learning for kids, experiences differ...some are set up to allow for immediate access, while others require you to sign up, create a profile, subscribe, etc. But even in extreme cases, there aren’t many barriers that would prohibit your child from learning at some point today if they wanted.
2. Variety of offerings
A large benefit of in-person classroom learning is structure; with much of that structure based on the fact that the same courses are offered throughout the year, and year after year. Math, history, science; you get it.
But the drawback? It’s a bit inflexible, and difficult to introduce new, specific, and relevant teachings.
With online learning, topics are more or less unlimited. If you have something your child wants to learn, you can probably find multiple online options to do so right now. And in keeping up with the times, the next huge trend would probably be covered promptly as well. (I mean, for instance, the online course giant Udemy boasts over 100,000 courses.)
All it takes is for an expert to acquire knowledge, and then have the means to disseminate such knowledge. From there, someone else will want to do it better than what exists, and boom, options have multiplied and have become more valuable.
3. Suits a variety of learning styles
Every student can learn, they just learn differently. Some thrive in the classroom, while others have trouble paying attention in class and do better on their own or in small groups. Some by the book, others through video...and others who need a little bit of it all!
Online learning caters to any and all of these different learning styles.
One additional benefit that could rise to the surface in all of this...you might not yet have found the perfect learning environment for your child. Online learning allows for potentially life-changing experimentation.
4. Comfort
This benefit is much like that of the above, so I won’t go into too much detail, but learning atmosphere could make a difference too.
The comfort of home has a way of just making things better, right? Others might prefer the buzz of a coffee shop or the calm of the park next to their house. Basically anywhere wifi can reach could provide a comfortable learning scenario.
5. Self-pacing
Some days a child could be invigorated and inspired to learn, but others could present quite the challenge. With most online learning options, kids and teens can put in as much or as little time as they want.
For you as the parent, you’re probably hoping they can spend at least a couple hours learning throughout the day. Or, maybe not, and would prefer they only spend an hour of learning through a screen in the morning, and maybe another in the afternoon.
Again, it all depends on the situation. In the face of our current pandemic, most parents are opting for a prolonged “chunked” learning session, with kids sitting down for blocks of time throughout the day. It’s at that time where an online learning option that offers increased engagement like live instruction might make sense.
So, about getting started now…
If you’re like most parents, the first benefit of being able to get started right now is probably the most appealing.
While I can’t speak for all types of eLearning, I can tell you more about getting your kid involved in Online Private Lessons or small-group Virtual Tech Camps from iD Tech.
If you’re looking for a one-on-one learning experience, our Online Private Lessons help kids and teens build in demand skills - in topics like coding, AI, and Minecraft - learning directly from elite tech talent. Have a friend or sibling who wants to join? They can now do so for free.
And then, for those hoping to maintain the collaboration of an in-person summer camp, our Virtual Tech Camps are the perfect, home-based option. Students learn in groups (max five students per); engaging in two hours of live instruction and two hours of self-paced project development per day. Use promo code TOGETHER to save $100 as long as social distancing is in effect!