During the COVID-19 pandemic, students around the world discovered online learning. From virtual class sessions held over video meeting software to robust classroom-management platforms, schools leveraged the power of the internet to ensure that students could remain in school and that education could continue more-or-less uninterrupted.
Now that students are back in the classroom, there’s no reason to think that online learning platforms aren’t still a major part of education, from the kindergarten classroom to the college laboratory. Here are some types of online learning platforms and educational experiences that are made all the more valuable when accessed through a fast, reliable fiber internet connection.
Bringing the Classroom Home: Learning Management Systems
Even the most traditional teacher today, whether in an elementary class or a college lecture, probably uses some form of learning management system (LMS) to keep the class on schedule, manage assignments, and report on student progress.
There are dozens of platforms available to educators, and as many ways to use them as there are teachers. Platforms like Google Classroom, Class Dojo, and hundreds of others allow teachers to:
- Keep class rolls and attendance organized
- Publish lesson plans and notes,
- Send homework and other assignments
- Collect student work
- Provide online study guides and discussion groups
- Perform classroom assessments like quizzes and tests
- Deliver student grades and progress reports
- Have virtual class sessions through video streaming
Typically, students in any classroom will be provided with login information to the specific LMS being used in that class and can then use the LMS throughout the year to stay on top of their classroom work.
A Little Help When It’s Needed: Supplemental Study
Sometimes, students need a little additional assistance in grasping new concepts or carrying out certain learning tasks. With the countless student assistance platforms now available, help is just a click away. Whether with a self-guided curriculum of prepared lessons, like Khan Academy and hundreds of other online programs, or with direct one-on-one virtual sessions with a skilled tutor, like tutor.com and Chegg, there is ample opportunity for students to get the help they need right at home.
Self-Guided Courses
An old joke asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” With practice, of course. Academic subjects are no different in that understanding of concepts comes from focused study and repetition. Online learning courses afford students the chance to take short lessons dedicated to understanding one single aspect of a particular area of study.
Whether it’s learning how to calculate the area of a rectangle or how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, there are tens of thousands of sites with lessons that students can explore at their own pace, moving on to the next subject only when they’re comfortable doing so. With built-in quizzes and other assessments, these platforms can be invaluable in helping a student develop the proficiencies they need to excel in the classroom.
Online Tutoring
Sometimes, it helps to have someone else guide you through a particularly tricky concept or process. While many schools offer tutoring options outside of the classroom, they’re not always convenient for students in working families to attend.
With one of the dozens of online, on-demand tutoring platforms, students can connect with a highly skilled tutor in almost any subject imaginable at any hour of the day. Through virtual tutoring sessions carried out over a video chat, tutors can help guide a student through any area of study.
Field Trips to the Living Room: Online Experiences
Schools weren’t the only educational institutions that were forced to go online during COVID-19. Around the world, museums, arts centers, libraries, and more discovered new ways of sharing their valuable collections, performances, and experiences virtually.
Through in-depth, high-quality websites featuring detailed photography, video programming, podcasts, and even virtual reality tours, students can explore the whole world from home. While nothing can replace the experience of “being there,” thousands of sites around the world have created virtual learning experiences.
Dive to the Great Barrier Reef, explore the Solar System, hear classical music from the world’s finest symphonies, watch incredible stage performances and more with any of the countless virtual learning experiences available to today’s students.
Help Your Student Discover the World With Lightning-Fast Fiber Internet from Public Service.
From turning in math homework to sailing through space with a NASA astronaut, take your student’s education to the next level through a fast, reliable fiber internet connection from Public Service. Call us today to get connected – 478-887-4267
Related Articles