Elearning: How To Really Take Advantage Of Online Training?

The teacher – student-teacher relationship. A story of novice teachers and prudish students.

Elearning, online training, distance learning, online teaching. What are the differences?
Pre-work and post-work What is it and what is it for?
Do internships online and encourage interaction
Some tips for the student and some others for the teacher

What do you ask me the most in the middle of this “tsunami” that affects the formation of such frontal matter?

Is it the same to give face-to-face training as online? No.

Are the same results obtained? That depends on the teacher and the student. As in-classroom training.

When I was a novice and therefore had no tools, I made many mistakes:

Not checking comprehension in the proper way (not only asking if they have understood but also for example using quick tests to make them aware).
Once you have learned “how to check attention”, begin to miscalculate the amount of information without thinking that if you get participation and tests of understanding, everything is slower.
Do not use the camera even when projecting a presentation. It is important that there is a person, even in a small square.
And a thousand more!

Today, without a doubt, I would say that in-person training better results are obtained; What’s more, after a good workout, I think you can get the same or even better results. Technique, technological and personal tools, and attitude.

Table of Contents

What is e-learning, online training, digital distance learning, and other terms?

We all know that elearning or “electronic learning” is the teaching of distance education using digital means, but there are different levels of closeness and interaction with the student:

Teachings to distance

The teacher “goes up” and indicates materials that the student studies. The student performs different exercises, uses tools, and can ask on the platform, by email or even in person. In a certain period of time the teacher responds.

The interaction is very limited.

Interactive training

The same case as the previous one, but the hours of provision or “online tutoring” of each teacher are determined. In this period the teacher can add documentation or exercises, and during that time the students can ask by email, chat, or another system.

There are no live explanations for the group.

Interaction is limited.

Online Training, also called Virtual Education

All the previous tools are used, but also online sessions are held with the students, with the teacher’s image or with the projection of a presentation, examples, cases, exercises, etc. It is what we all know as “a class”.

Students intervene with live chat, voice, or video and resolve their doubts by sharing them with the whole group. The teacher solves the problems live.

The interaction is very high.

In my case, I am fortunate to teach Online Training: my students are responsible for their training, but the requirement for self-training thanks to online sessions is much more realistic with different personalities/situations and group learning, much more effective and rewarding.

Student: what to do before the online class

The most efficient online teaching is one in which pre-class work is done, both by the teacher and the student.
The student who takes the most of the “opportunity” of a live session is a student who arrives knowing the thematic pillars of the session. For this it is essential that you do the prework, or before the class, that they have provided.
It is not about studying from a “rote” point of view, but rather a work of contextualization and organization of the concepts necessary to check your understanding in the live session.
The self-assessment that the student will carry out in class on their understanding of the subject is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of an online session. It is the tool that will allow you to maximize your use.

Teacher: what to do before the online class

In this previous stage, the teacher is responsible for establishing a relationship with the student, because, in my opinion, an online session always works best when there is a prior link, mutual knowledge between the student and the teacher. This link is not so much personal as in relation to expectations, methodologies, and more importantly, the one that creates curiosity.
There are countless tools: recommended readings, online tests, and quizzes, real examples and cases, links, thematic references / recommended sources, and why not, previous exercises that allow students to assess their knowledge of the discipline.
In addition, it is convenient to establish the pillars and objectives that we hope to achieve from the session, as well as explain in advance the methodology to be used. A good schedule, for example, the week before class, in which day by day we could incorporate activities and comments; It may be a correct option.

Students: how to take advantage of an online class

Let’s suppose that a student has prepared his class, which shows an attitude that will undoubtedly favor him. How can you make the most of the online class?

Depending on the duration, it is more or less difficult to maintain attention (and depending on the teacher as well), my advice is only 1: participate, participate, and participate. And do not stop participating, ask, interrupt, demand explanations … it’s your time, use it!

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Teacher: how to take advantage of an online class

Suppose that the students have prepared the class, which shows an attitude that will undoubtedly favor the session. How can you make the most of the online class?
Yes, the duration is an important factor, but I always consider:
That the “theory” of things is already in Google and the professor has already provided reliable sources. The value is not in the explanation of the attainable but in the transmitted experience.
It is not a class where the teacher speaks and the students listen passively. Assuming this type of teaching still exists.
Despite being an online session, there should be practices.
Furthermore, if the subject allows it, it should be a purely practical session, which focuses on those concepts that, from the teacher’s experience, are more complicated for students. “Learning by doing” continues to be a norm in the digital environment as well.
Does the relationship with the students end when we stop “recording”? No.
If the relationship with our students never ends with the class, in an online class the postwork or the work and the subsequent relationship are even more relevant.
I want my students to fall in love with my subject, I want them to want to apply the knowledge immediately and I feel downright bad when I am not inundated with questions from a group. Online teaching allows us to share that illusion with no other border than language: it is a completely enriching window for everyone.