eLearning in the era of Social Distancing

To many, ‘disruption’ has negative connotations: it’s seen as a disturbance or interruption of an activity or process. In the world of technology though, disruption – more specifically, digital disruption is the first step to adopting technology to meet traditional needs and objectives. The driving force in the current digital disruption is the nation-wide lockdown.  This digital disruption has transformed many industries: from the corporate industry where employees are now working remotely; to the restaurant industry where using delivery apps like UberEats is the new normal. Somehow change didn’t come as fast as expected in the world of education.  In this article we look at ways in which companies, learning and training institutions as well as schools can make the most of elearning in the era of social distancing.

Blended learning: The best of both worlds

One of the reasons why educators and instructors resist the change is fear of being excluded. The general thought is: “what use would I be if a computer replaced me?”. Educators and technology can however co-exist. In fact, the human aspect is very important when it comes to learning. While some would enjoy the freedom and independence that comes with learning online, others would much rather prefer the guidance and wisdom of an instructor. This is where what is called ‘blended learning’ comes into the picture. Blended learning is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and traditional classroom methods. The latter can be achieved through live sessions. Live sessions have the advantage of face-to-face lessons. The learners and instructors can interact through live video chat; instructors can share notes and even make annotations as they would in a physical classroom or training room environment.

Gamification: Using rewards to motivate learning

Let’s face it, learning is difficult when there is no reward involved. According to studies, gamification in education and training increases learners’ motivation and engagement by incorporating game elements in learning. This is especially easy to carry out in eLearning because the possibilities are endless.  Linking badges to courses can be a great way to motivate students to not only complete courses but also take as many as they can in order to grow their badge collection. The same works with linking points: the more points they gather as they complete courses, the higher they climb up the leader board. Who doesn’t like a bit of competition?

Collaboration 

Humans are social beings so working with other individuals motivates us. Collaboration allows learners to work together towards a common goal. Just because they aren’t physically together, it doesn’t mean this can’t happen. In eLearning, collaboration can be achieved through discussion forums. Each of the learners involved can benefit greatly from this. Exposure to other learner’s perspectives and even brainstorming are one of many effective ways for students to absorb and retain the subject matter. The educator can even play a role in facilitating the discussion forums.

Responsive Design: Learn on any device

The inconvenient truth is that not everyone has access to the same resources. South Africa has 5.3 million personal computer (PC) users – there is only one computer for every nine people. This means that it’s important for users to be able to access eLearning from devices other than a PC. The good news is that almost the entire population has access to a smartphone. ICASA’s 2020 report found that SA's smartphone penetration was at 81.7% in 2018 and 91.2% in 2019. eLearning platforms can have responsive design. Responsive design allows for the eLearning platform and the courses within it to be viewed on all types of devices, including smartphones and tablets.

The recent events have forced us to consider options that require no physical contact. With the technology we have at hand, adapting to the current situation has been easier. The education industry lagging behind in this transformation isn’t indicative of the technology they have at their disposal. eLearning can easily replace the traditional classroom or training setting we’re all familiar with.