The Before and Now:
E-learning has affected students today in both good ways and bad. Before e-learning I was up at a set time each morning, took the bus to and from class, and had my whole day carved out. There was a distinct accountability system, where I was obligated to show up to class to get notes and participation points.
Now, classes are set up via recorded lectures or live video conferences. I can ask questions in the chats during live lectures and email if I am confused on the recorded lectures. It has shortened the length of most of my classes because we are not directly interfacing. Test schedules remain the same; exams are proctored and timed, using Lockdown browsers. I have less of a schedule, making things harder to time-manage.
What I like/miss about e-learning today? Benefits vs. how it could be improved?
What I like about e-learning is that I save time not traveling to and from class and I have more “free time.” I also don’t have to be up at a given time, I can watch prerecorded lectures at my convenience, and tests are open book.
What I miss about in-person classes is seeing my friends during my classes, walking the campus, interfacing with professors, getting off topic with entertaining teachers, and having a set schedule.
Benefits of e-learning include time spent going to class can be used elsewhere, certain tests are easier, and I can take time to do things I wouldn’t normally do (ex: go to a park, walk a trail, explore Mt. Sequoyah).
Areas of improvement for e-learning today include live lectures to help with questions that need to be addressed. It would be beneficial if classes with recorded lectures could go live once weekly. This also may help with understanding material if one is directly interfacing with the professor. Also, I would appreciate potentially adjusting the test material such that it is not significantly more difficult than any in-class test would be.
Lessons that are applicable to business and working from home:
Lesson 1: Just because you technically have more free time, it may not feel like it. With E-learning today, you must become a time-management expert! It is so easy to procrastinate if one is not physically going to class or work. We are more productive when our work is public rather than private!
Lesson 2: Nail down a routine- whether it be waking up at a specified time each day, setting working hours, or scheduling breaks in between work. Routines keep you on-track, motivated, and they deliver results.
Lesson 3: Keep your videoconferencing as close to “normal” as possible. Test the software before you schedule a call so that if it needs finetuning you are not wasting other people’s time. Be professional and minimize distractions! If you know your dog will bark when the mailman comes, either put yourself at the opposite end of the house or put the dog up while you videoconference.
Whether we realize it or not, E-learning affects students today. Awareness of these small changes can lead to improvements in productivity. Taking advantage of the benefits may change your working or learning style for the better.