Calvin Collins
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my experience has proved more positive engaging in online learning than brick-and-mortar settings. Less stress, more sleep, flexible scheduling, and richer engagement with the material have all been elements of online learning that I have grown highly fond of.
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– Calvin Collins
Online and Blending learning environments reside as unique and highly effective means of offering different methods of learning which remain unavailable in brick-and-mortar type learning environments. Free from the distractions of peers, yet still offering interaction between peers, online and blended learning environments offer individualized learning that remains nearly absent in brick-and-mortar learning environments. Coupled with enrichment activities, such as videos, interactive animations, and the option to review material with ease, students can learn at the pace most comfortable for them. With this, they can control the pace in which they learn material absent from peer distraction and coupled with real-time tutors and individualized support.
Distinctively, the option to learn anywhere you wished was one of the largest benefits online learning offers, as well as being able to interact with the courses whenever you wished. Libraries, coffee shops, the outdoors, or even working in my bedroom whenever I pleased--- so long as you stay on pace--- are elements of online learning which I quickly learned to love. Instead of following a traditional school schedule, where starting time and ending time are fixed, online learning offers flexible scheduling, for those who prefer to work late at night, or for those who prefer to work during the day. Moreover, with adequate rest and a less-stressful environment, learning became much easier as I was relaxed and comfortable in the environment I spent my time learning.
Furthermore, teachers tend to focus much more on the individual student with online learning, where questions are answered promptly, many times also accompanied by additional resources which proved very helpful. Further, my enthusiasm was also much higher than in a traditional brick-and-mortar setting, where there was a passion and pride in doing work, which also led to higher academic success.
Considering all things equal, my experience has proved more positive engaging in online learning than brick-and-mortar settings. Less stress, more sleep, flexible scheduling, and richer engagement with the material have all been elements of online learning that I have grown highly fond of. Initially, I thought I would miss face-to-face interaction with other students, however I found that I spend more time with peers outside of school than I ever did when I attended a brick-and-mortar setting, where instead of interacting with others in school, I can interact with them and spend time with them outside of school. Interacting outside of school allowed me to be doing things such as working on cars, going to the movies, camping, skiing, and biking, where before I rarely spent time with them outside of school. Furthermore, the specific online program I attend is based out of a town close to me, where I can attend work sessions twice a week and interact with peers there.
Profoundly, the Options Academy also offers transcripted credit through a local technical institute, where I am currently enrolled in a two-year program for diesel mechanics. The combination of the two offer a diverse curriculum, where I have spent my year completing my final year of Spanish, learning to weld, reading and analyzing various types of literature, and working towards my future career. The experience of online learning has allowed me to develop exceptional time management skills that I did not have before, as well as allowing me to develop different learning techniques which I never thought I would obtain. There are benefits to both online and traditional learning environments, yet the fact remains that individually everyone is different, and I am entrenched in the belief that online learning can cater to everyone, where they can achieve academic success, learn valuable skills, and be more content with the education they receive.