How to Engage Students in Online Learning


How to Engage Students in Online Learning
Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

8/7/2023

Today online learning, also known as eLearning, is a major educational tool widely used worldwide. Nearly 2.79 million students in colleges and universities across the country are pursuing their education via online learning.

However, it has been a challenging journey for students to adapt to online learning due to several reasons such as less involvement in the class, having trouble handling online learning equipment, and being unable to access relevant online material.

To address this issue, several constructive steps aimed to increase student engagement during the online learning process are being continually adopted.

They include using live captions to make the classroom videos more accessible and engaging, visual aids to enhance the learning experience, adding pop quizzes, and creating interactive content. 

To understand the impact of online learning on students better, the blog discusses its role in students’ lives today, its advantages, and also what the future holds for this innovative educational tool.

Role of Online Learning in Students’ Lives Today

Online learning has revolutionized education. Physical presence in a classroom is no more a necessity with students having access to quality education from a place and at a time of their choice.

Today, online learning impacts students’ lives in multiple ways.

Learning options on the internet are vast. With an increasing number of colleges and universities offering a wide array of online certificate, diploma, and degree courses, students have access to diverse learning programs ranging from a certificate course in learning a musical instrument to a degree course in advanced physics.

Remote learning has especially impacted the lives of students living in areas isolated from mainstream education in the traditional classroom method due to geographical, financial, or other factors. 

Online learning today plays an important role in the lives of students with certain disabilities. Along with audio and visual media, transcripts provided in several classes add to the overall learning process.

This multi-sensory experience offers them choices to learn from their preferred medium.

Using an online educational platform teaches students several essential skills. In today’s digital world, staying updated with new technology benefits students in the long term.

Learning about new apps and software that help them in their learning online process, while making them more adept at embracing new technology, improves their employability skills.

It also teaches students time management, a vital life skill needed to achieve a better work-study balance. 

Also, a virtual classroom is free of any prejudices based on gender, age, and race which can be an intimidating factor in a real campus student life. Students regardless of their identity can benefit from this personalized learning process without the added stress of extraneous factors.

Also Read: How to Create Engaging eLearning and Training Material?

Benefits of Online Learning 

1. Flexible Timings

In classroom learning, students follow a fixed schedule that may not be convenient for them but they have no options. Online learning offers you the autonomy to decide the timing of your choice.

This benefits students who have a job for whom joining classroom learning may not be an option due to their work hours. Online learning allows you to simultaneously pursue your work commitments while continuing with your education. 

2. Reduced Expenses

Online learning can be cost-effective in several ways. It cuts down on accommodation expenses if you are an out-of-town student and commuting costs to and from college.

Also, e-learning study material is easily available online which considerably reduces your need to buy expensive textbooks.

3. Personalized Learning Experience

Students easily distracted or intimidated in a classroom setting can enjoy maximum benefits from this personalized learning setup. This improves your involvement in the class and participation in associated discussions and activities.

4. Better Time Coordination 

From pacing your learning process to completing your assignments within the deadline is your responsibility. While online learning is flexible, you still have to manage several aspects to ensure you gain the most from your classes for which you need to hone your time management skills.

5. Spare Time 

Commuting can be time-consuming and so can waiting between classes while studying in a college. However, while you learn from online sources, you can use this extra time to your advantage by either supplementing your income by taking up a job or widening your educational base by joining other skill-enhancing courses.

6. Prompt Feedback

The online learning software available today allows you to upload your assignments digitally and get a review and feedback from your teacher almost immediately unlike on-campus teaching assignments which you get back only after some time.

7. Continual Access to Learning Material

You can access a lecture video any number of times till you fully understand the content. This feature of online learning helps facilitate your learning process and eventually your performance.

Future of Online Learning

Online learning is here to stay. In just a matter of a few years, online learning has seen a growth of over 900% since its inception and is today the fastest-growing sector in the education industry.

Educational institutions are investing more each year to offer more courses and also to find innovative techniques to make the online learning experience more seamless and organic. More interactive classes translate to higher student participation.

Final Word

Online learning as an educational tool is constantly evolving to include ways that enable students to continue learning courses of their choice in the comfort of their homes while being increasingly engaged in the learning process.

This new and innovative method due to the several benefits it offers has hugely affected the lives of students in many aspects and will continue to impact an increasing number of students in the coming years.

Also Read: How Can College Departments Increase Funding for Transcription Services?

How Does GMRT Help Students in Online Learning?

GMR Transcription has been converting academic lecture videos into written form, enhancing their accessibility for students through academic transcription services.

The transcripts added as captions to the video help students to understand and assimilate knowledge better. Also, the addition of keywords in the transcripts makes the material easily available to the students for future reference. 

Additionally, GMRT offers $ 500 academic scholarships for college students with an optional free transcription training course which can benefit future transcriptionists.

Transcription services with their rising popularity across industries can be a lucrative career option.

For more information on our services and how we can help students in their online journey, contact us at GMR Transcriptions today.

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Cofounder & President of GMR Transcription Services, Inc., a California-based company that has been providing accurate and fast transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed nearly ten years of success at GMR, playing a pivotal role in the company's growth. Under Beth's leadership, GMR Transcription doubled its sales within two years, earning recognition as one of the OC Business Journal's fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids.